The Chinese zodiac has 12 animals, which alternate in influence each year, always in the same order. The snake occupies the sixth place in this cycle—the others are, in order, the mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, horse, sheep, money, rooster, dog and pig. (In Vietnam, people celebrate a cat instead of a rabbit, and a buffalo instead of an ox.)
In 2025, the Chinese New Year—widely celebrated in East Asian and Southeast Asian communities as the Lunar New Year—will be on Wednesday, Jan. 29, two weeks of family gatherings, elaborate feasts, and the giving and receiving of “lucky money” began. ” in small red envelopes.
When is lucky money awarded?
Lucky coin envelopes were called look in Cantonese too wow in Mandarin—they are given to children and, in some places, elders during the first two weeks of the Lunar New Year, until the first full moon, a day called the Spring Festival or the Festival of Lights (in 2025, Feb. 12).
Usually, when you’re married, it’s your turn to hand out envelopes, and you’ll get a few yourself. There are no hard and fast rules, though—single adults may also give look to younger relatives and friends’ children, for example. People often give fortune money to their service providers. My parents brought red envelopes to the servers at their regular dim sum place.
How much money are we talking about?
Before I got married, I used to get $5 or R10 from each relative and $20 from each parent for Chinese New Year. Generally, the closer your relationship is with the recipient, the more lucky money you give. The amount is less important than the spirit in which the gift is given—in Chinese culture, the color red symbolizes happiness and good luck.
Fortune money is also given on special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, graduations and the birth of a child. And envelopes aren’t always red—you can find everything from cartoony rainbow versions to stylish gold ones. Major Canadian banks often hand out packets of branded envelopes when customers pick up new bills for the Lunar New Year (handing over old, wrinkled cash is considered bad manners). And in Asia, you can send digital “red packets” through WeChat, AliPay, Tencent QQ and other financial platforms.
What else can you give for Chinese New Year?
When visiting relatives, many Chinese families bring New Year’s sweets and snacks. Oranges, clementines, pomelos and kumquats are also popular gifts – they symbolize abundance, happiness and good luck.
Lunar New Year has become a bestseller, even in countries outside of Asia. My inbox is flooded with emails from lifestyle and luxury brands promoting Year of the Snake merchandise—everything from bags and jewelry to cosmetics and Lego sets, and everyone from Joe Fresh to Swarovski is busy. Dyson even makes hair tools with a Lunar New Year theme, dressed in red and gold.
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