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Red envelopes are handed out to younger generations by their parents, grandparents, relatives, and even close neighbors and friends during Chinese New Year. At some companies, workers may also receive a year-end cash bonus tucked inside a red envelope. Red envelopes are also popular gifts for weddings and birthdays. When giving someone a red envelope, us

e both hands to present the red envelope to the recipient. Giving and receiving red envelopes, gifts, and even business cards is a solemn act. Therefore, red envelopes, gifts and name cards are always presented with both hands and also received with both hands.The recipient of a red envelope at Chinese New Year or on his or her birthday should not open it in front of the giver. At Chinese weddings, the procedure is different. At a Chinese wedding, there is a table at the entrance of the wedding reception where guests give their red envelopes to attendants and sign their names on a large scroll. The attendants will immediately open the envelope, count the money inside, and record it on a register next to the guests’ names.A record is kept of how much each guest gives to the newlyweds. This is done for several reasons. One reason is bookkeeping. A record insures the newlyweds know how much each guest gave and can verify the amount of money they receive at the end of the wedding from the attendants is the same as what the guests brought. Another reason is that when unmarried guests eventually get married, the bride and groom are typically obliged to give the guest more money than

money than

Red envelopes, which are variously known as red packets, ang pow, lai see or hung bao, are small red paper envelopes that contain money and which are often given as gifts. Red envelopes are a Chinese tradition, but they are seen in many other Asian countries as well. Red envelopes can be offered on a number of different occasions.

Features A red envelope can be any shape or size, but are usually the size of playing cards or a little larger. They are often printed with metallic gold ink or with color images. The picture on the front of the envelope will be something perceived as lucky, such as carp, peonies or the Chinese character for happiness. The red envelopes will always contain money.

Function Red envelopes are presented as gifts on occasions that range from birthdays to the Chinese Lunar New Year. They can also be presented at weddings, or simply given at the beginning of a new endeavor, such as starting college. In a professional context, Chinese employers will give their employees a year-end bonus in a red envelope.

Traditionally, Red envelopes or red packets (Cantonese: lai sze or lai see) (利是, 利市 or 利事); (Mandarin: 'hóng bāo' (红包); Hokkien: 'ang pow' (POJ: âng-pau); Hakka: 'fung bao'; are passed out during the Chinese New Year's celebrations, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is also common for adults or young couples to give red packets to children. Red packets are also known as 壓歲錢/压岁钱 (Ya Sui Qian, which was evolved from 壓祟錢/压祟钱, literally, the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit ) during this period.[

Red packets almost always contain money, usually varying from a couple of dollars to several hundred. Per custom, the amount of money in the red packets should be of even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals (帛金: Bai Jin). The number 8 is considered lucky (for its homophone for "wealth"), and $8 is commonly found in the red envelopes in the US. The number six (六, liù) is also very lucky as it sounds like 'smooth' (流, liú), in the sense of having a smooth year. Sometimes chocolate coins are found in the red packets

Odd and even numbers are determined by the first digit, rather than the last. Thirty and fifty, for example, are odd numbers, and are thus appropriate as funeral cash gifts. However, it is common and quite acceptable to have cash gifts in a red packet using a single bank note – with ten or fifty yuan bills used frequently. The act of requesting for red packets is normally called (Mandarin): 讨紅包, 要利是. (Cantonese): 逗利是. A married person would not turn down such a request as it would mean that he or she would be "out of luck" in the new year.

The color of Red in chinese culture usually means good luck. So like the red packet which is given every Chinese New Year, is just a symbol of good luck in the coming Year. So it is not wise for you to wear red color shirts when you attend a funeral. Golden or yellow color is traditionally the color used in imperial service. The golden color symbolizes wealth and also happiness. Red is also a color in Chinese weddings, because in wedding they tend to be happy and by wearing red things, will help the couple who are getting married chasing out the bad luck on the day they're getting married. Red in here means good luck, happiness, joy, and for the couple, this red color is regarded an energy as red symbolize

joy, and for the couple, this red color is regarded an energy as red symboliz

the Fire element in Chinese metaphysics.

In any case, the amount of money given is always even number and amounts ending with 8 are very popular as the number 8 sounds like prosperity.

An amount that ends or involves 4 is usually avoided as 4 in Mandarin and most Chinese dialects sounds like death.  The worse amount to give in a red packet is 44.

To many Chinese, it is considered rude to ask for specific gifts and if unsure of preferences and tastes of the host, giving a gift of cash in a red packet overcomes these issues.

The story of "ang pow" dates back to the Sung Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was at the time terrorised by a huge demon. No one was capable of defeating it, not even their greatest warriors or statesmen. However, a young orphan, armed with a magical sabre inherited from his ancestors, fought the evil demon and eventually killed it. The villagers were triumphant and the elders presented the brave young man with an ang pow filled with money for his courage in saving them. Since then, the ang pow has become a part of traditional Chinese customs.

The lucky money in the Hongbao is called Ya Sui Qian. Ya mean suppress; one Chinese character with pronunciation of Sui means devils; Qian is the word for money in Chinese language. To put together, Ya Sui Qian means the thing that can suppress devils and maintain kids in peace and safety for a whole year.