21 eye-catching red packets to look out for this Chinese New Year

One of the highlights of Chinese New Year is the myriad types of red packets. 

While some only care about the money inside, others appreciate the effort put into the design. After all, looks do matter. 

Enjoy looking at red packets like we do? Here are 21 to admire. You can also try to spot these at your next Lunar New Year gathering!  

Bentley 

We're starting off the list with some luxurious red packets from Bentley. 

Unlike the usual papery ones we're used to, these vibrant, patterned ang baos have a beautiful satin finish with the letter 'B' for Bentley embossed at the front in silver. 

There are three colours available - red, purple and orange - and the envelopes were designed by MessyMsxi, a Singapore-born London-trained artist. 

Disney+

The red packets from Disney+ are sure to attract plenty of kids (and kids at heart). 

At the front of each one is a character from the various studios under the Disney umbrella such as National Geographic, Marvel and Star. 

For instance, the National Geographic one features an adorable baby elephant. 

On the other hand, the Disney elephant itself has the well-loved Baymax from the animated movie Big Hero 6. 

Fairmont 

As it's the Year of the Dragon, many places have decked out their red packets with the mythical creature. 

Fairmont is no different but they've added a nostalgic touch to it by using an icon that Singaporeans are familiar with — the Toa Payoh dragon playground. 

The front of the red packet has a drawing of the playground with the words long nian da ji, which translates to "good luck in the Year of the Dragon".

On the flap of the envelope, there's also a QR code that you can scan to learn more about the well-loved Toa Payoh dragon playground. 

foodpanda 

We're all familiar with Pau-Pau, foodpanda's adorable panda mascot. 

And he seems to have a new friend for the new year — a dragon. 

Just for the occasion, the front of the red packet features Pau-Pau zipping around mountaintops on the back of the fiery creature. 

The colour scheme also stays true to Pau-Pau's aesthetics and is mostly different shades of pink with a touch of gold accents. 

Food From The Heart 

This year, Food From the Heart's beautiful red packets are designed by Lee Jun Le, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. 

While the talented man has never been well versed in expressing himself verbally, he learnt how to write by transcribing The Heart Sutra, which is a Buddhist scripture. 

By doing so, he accidentally created a font affectionately called the 'Junle Font', which was used on the front of these red packets. 

On the pink red packet are the Chinese words feng yi zu shi, which wishes the recipient to have ample food and clothing. 

And the words on the red one read zhi zu chang, which wishes the recipient contentment and happiness. 

Foord 

Asset and investment manager Foord's red packet features a golden dragon that extends from the front of the envelope to the back. 

Surrounding the mythical beast are clouds, flowers and even lanterns. 

These are crafted with shiny gold foil to give the red packet a shiny, shimmery effect under light. Very pretty! 

Hepmil 

When our colleagues caught sight of this bad boy, several immediately asked if they could bring it home with them. 

And we can understand why. 

This extremely long red packet was one of the more eye-catching ones we saw this year. It also looks like it can hold more money than the usual red packets. 

However, we don't know how the recipient will dig out their money. If you have long, skinny fingers, it may help. 

And the Chinese letters on the front very aptly translate to "si bei long red packets".

IHH Healthcare

The moment we got our hands on these packets, we were wowed by their velvet texture, which adds an exclusive, premium feel. 

Coming in a rich shade of red and a more subtle beige, these packets are embossed with gold-coloured details and the Chinese characters long ma jin shen, which translates to "may you have vitality and good health". 

And, of course, there's a dragon motif to symbolise the Year of the Dragon.

Ion Orchard 

The issue with creating red packets according to the zodiac year is that if you have extras after Chinese New Year, you can only reuse them 12 years later. 

So Ion Orchard's simple-yet-beautiful floral ones are versatile enough to be used not only for future Chinese New Years, but for occasions like weddings too. 

The red packet is decorated with several pink and red blooms, which are accentuated by gold accent lines. 

KFC

We all know that the star of the show at KFC is their chicken. 

So, they smartly incorporated that into their Chinese New Year greetings. 

The characters on their red packets read da ji da li, which in English translates to great luck and great profit. 

To replace the "ji" in the saying, they used an image of a bucket of chicken. 

For context, chicken in Chinese is also spelt as "ji". Smart. 

Lay's 

Another creative red packet is by potato chip brand Lay's. 

The money inside isn't the only exciting thing — the envelope itself is. 

Lay's' red packet features a smiling dragon with a long, fiery tail. 

Pull the tail and the dragon folds upwards, revealing a girl holding a stick. 

If you haven't guessed by now, the girl is actually playing with a dragon puppet and you're helping her move it! 

Lion Global Investors

Lion Global Investors' set of eight red packets come neatly arranged in an accordion-style folder, which is smartly designed to symbolise the movement of a dragon. 

One set of four red packets features Japanese auspicious elements like cranes, butterflies and sakuras. The other four red packets are Chinese auspicious elements like the dragon, phoenix and peonies. 

The red packets also come with a pouch that not only can be used to store your red packets, but also transforms into a nifty tray to put your oranges in during Chinese New Year. 

To do so, simply button the snap buttons in the corners of the pouch. 

M&M's

M&M's cute red packets, which come in a set of five, feature different-coloured candy flaunting various auspicious items. 

For instance, the red one is holding up a Chinese banner that has one of the most classic Chinese wishes - gong xi fai cai - on it. 

The purple one is holding a gold ingot, which symbolises wealth. 

On the flap of the envelope is a brown M&M, which adds a nice chocolate-y touch. 

Maybank 

Maybank doesn't just have one red packet design — they have eight. 

And two of these feature halves of a dragon's face. When you combine the red packets, it becomes a whole!

The rest of the red packets come decked out in festive colours like red and gold, featuring various designs of dragons. 

These red packets are also made with textured paper so it feels good in the recipient's hands. 

A set of red packets from Maybank also comes with a sheet of adorable stickers, which can be used to seal the envelopes! 

MSIG 

Environment-conscious folk would appreciate MSIG's red packets, which are produced and packaged using Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper. 

The vibrant envelopes feature the face of a dragon and the words yang long rui qi, which means the auspiciousness of a dragon. 

After the red packets are used, one can reduce waste by recycling them. 

Netflix 

Netflix's red packets come in a canvas pouch, which can be used to store the envelopes that you receive. 

The red packets itself are simple but eye-catching — a smiling dragon curved in the shape of the letter "N", which stands for Netflix. 

Each set doesn't just have red envelopes as there are different hues like orange, pink and purple. 

Royal Caribbean 

At first glance, Royal Caribbean's red packets look like the others in the market with its simple-yet-colourful floral pattern. 

But upon further inspection, you'd realise that the design is actually the front of a cheongsam! Clever. 

To make it even more realistic, the cruise line's red packet is crafted with a satin-like paper and feels somewhat similar to a real cheongsam. 

Schroders

Another sustainable red packet option is from global asset manager Schroders.

These are crafted with sustainably sourced paper and eco-friendly inks. 

For the auspicious Year of the Wood Dragon, the red packet has been designed to show the powerful energy of the dragon with the nurturing qualities of wood. 

Each set comes with two different kinds of red packets, and when you combine both, it forms Schroders' logo. The dancing Wood Dragons also come together to form a circle. 

Suntec City 

The shopping mall's red packet features a massive, intricately drawn gold dragon. 

This beast floats above Suntec City's iconic Fountain of Wealth, which also comes in gold. 

What's nice about this red packet is the entire design is textured, so it feels good to run your fingers over it. 

The Pique Lab 

Tuition centre The Pique Lab has an adorable red packet this year that's great for kids. 

The front of the envelope features a smiling, cartoon-like dragon that has its body wrapped around a conical flask. 

Its tail continues on to the back of the envelope and is entwined around a beautiful Chinese pagoda. In the background is a mountain and twinkling stars in the night sky. 

Trust Bank 

Trust Bank's red packets don't come in your typical shades of red, orange and pink. 

Instead, they're in a brilliant hue of blue and accentuated with other bold colours. 

The packets feature dragons that come in two colourways - red and orange, and pink and orange - and the creature's tongue extends from the front of the envelope to the back. 

Surrounding the dragons are auspicious items like pineapples, koi fish, gold ingots and lanterns.  

ALSO READ: Chinese New Year traditions you may not know

melissateo@asiaone.com