On New Year’s Eve, when Chinese families gather for a festive dinner, married people begin the distribution of small red envelopes filled with money (called  lai see in Hong Kong and hong bao in Singapore) to children and single members of the family. It varies slightly between countries, but during the first 10 days of the New Year, people expand the distribution to include all the children and single people they know.

In Hong Kong, managers distribute these little packets to their subordinates at work, but in Singapore, they give out two lucky oranges to each employee instead. Our building management also awarded each family a small red bag with two oranges inside.  Considering Erik shelled out US$2,000 from his own pocket one year between Hong Kong and Taiwan, we were happy to embrace the Singaporean custom.

The proper way to give a packet is to wish the recipient a happy and prosperous New Year – “Kung hei fat choi” (Cantonese) or “Xin nian kuai le” (Mandarin) and hand the envelope over using two hands, which is a sign of respect in much of Asia. The recipient puts his hands together and shakes them, wishes you a Happy New Year in return, and accepts the envelope with both his hands.

Some believe that all paper money should be new bills.  In Hong Kong, there was a special lai see counter, where people would wait in line for hours so that they could receive the newest paper money from bank tellers. Timing is also important.  My first year in Asia, in ignorance I gave a red envelope to our doorman before the holiday commenced. He could not have looked more uncomfortable as he politely rejected my good wishes (and packet) and informed me that it was too early to give out red packets.

When we first moved to Hong Kong, I became so confused about lai see etiquette that my husband’s assistant put together the below list.  Of course, these are just the rules for Hong Kong, but it gives you an idea of the complexity of this tradition:

Those married give out to all singles (even if they are the same generation)
Those married give out to married peoples’ children (This applies only to children who physically come to the office during the holiday period or to the children of colleagues with whom one has a close relationship)
Managers give to all reporting staff (both single and married)
All employees give to tea ladies, receptionists, messengers, etc. (both single or married)

No matter where you are, the more red packets you give, the more luck you receive in the upcoming year!

This time of year, the most popular Chinese character around town is “fu”,  pronounced, “foo.” A friend once explained that “fu” means “good fortune” or “blessings” and this time of year, it is appropriate to wish your friends and relatives “fu” for the New Year.  

As with many traditions associated with Chinese New Year, “fu” is not straightforward. When hung outside your home or business, the “fu” should be placed upside down.  This is because the word for “upside down” in Chinese is similar to “arrived,”  so when the “fu” is turned on its head, it means, “Good Luck has arrived,” or in Chinese, “Fu dao le!”  

If hung inside the house, the “Fu” should be right side up so that your good fortune stays inside.  Either way, ”fu” is almost always written in gold and featured on a diamond-shaped, red piece of paper, the bigger the better.

The traditions and rituals of Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, are centuries old and remain strong among those who celebrate this festive holiday.  This year, the fifteen-day celebration will kick off on Sunday evening, January 22, with the traditional New Year’s Eve feast.

For Chinese families, however, preparations begin well before the New Year dawns.  To sweep away any residual bad luck from the previous year, families must clean their house thoroughly.  Come New Year’s Day, your home had better be in order because if you dare to vacuum or tidy up now, you risk sweeping away your good luck and prosperity for 2012.   

Chinese will decorate their homes and businesses using red and gold – colors representing luck and prosperity – and hang banners (called couplets) and paper cuts reflecting themes such as happiness, wealth, and longevity.  They will buy plum or other blossoms, which are a sign of new beginnings. Many people seek a fresh start by purchasing new clothes, getting haircuts, and paying old debts.

For the New Year’s feast, each dish is carefully selected to ensure good tidings for the upcoming year.  For example, dinner may include lettuce, which represents prosperity; fish, which is associated with surplus; and pork, which is thought to bring wealth. 

Firecrackers and lion dances scare away evil spirits during the New Year season, and pictures of door guardians, hung on either side of the entry, ensure your house and business remain safe once they have departed.   Lion dances are also believed to bring good fortune.

On New Year’s Day, families prepare traditional treats such as lotus seeds, representing fertility, watermelon seeds, dyed red for good luck, and candied melon, a symbol of robust health, to entertain friends and relatives.  Adults present children and unmarried family members with little red packets filled with money.

The celebration ends on the fifteenth day of the New Year with a colorful display of lanterns.  Again, the light frightens evil spirits.  You may also see a dragon dance, which is a sign of good luck and the beginning of spring.