What's the largest amount you've received in your Chinese New Year red packet? It's a $5,000 cheque for one woman

As they say, comparison is the thief of joy — perhaps even more so when it involves cold, hard, cash?

Nevertheless, Mediacorp DJ Sonia Chew and actor Zhang Zetong hit the streets recently to find out just how much some people in Singapore are getting in their red packets.

In a TikTok video published on Wednesday (Jan 18), passers-by along Orchard Road were asked about the largest (and smallest) amounts they'd ever received.

Don't hate on Sonia though, as the 987FM DJ revealed that the most she'd gotten was $500, while Zetong coyly shared that "discounting my parents", the largest amount he received was "just $50".

Among the respondents — many of whom were either young adults or students — the most common answer seemed to be "a few hundred".

One Malaysian man shared that the biggest ang bao he'd gotten was 400 ringgit (about S$120), while a Thai woman's response was 20,000 Thai baht (S$800).

Sonia and Zetong looked stunned, however, when one passer-by shared that the largest amount she'd received came in the form of a cheque.

When asked what was written on it, the woman answered, "about $5,000".

"Was it in renminbi (Chinese yuan)?" Zetong questioned, to which the woman remarked, "it's Singapore dollars". Cue collective jaw drop.

As for the least amount received, numbers ranged from one ringgit and three ringgit to $10, and…. chocolate coins, for one respondent.

Asked about his reaction to receiving one ringgit in a red packet, the man replied, "Okay lah, because that's like [from] friends".

What about the chocolate coins? "I was a kid, so I was happy about it," the other respondent shared.

For one person though, the least amount he'd gotten was $200.

"Well, I only got one [red packet]!" he explained amid shocked reactions.

Several netizens too, stepped forward in the comments section to share what they received in their red packets.

And it seems receiving chocolate coins isn't all that uncommon.

It makes us wonder (and worry), though — what is the base amount for an ang bao these days?

Given that none of the respondents gave an answer below $10 (either due to the editing process or otherwise), would you be looked upon as a miserly aunt, or uncle, for giving single-digit red packets?

Fret not, as according to a 2023 Chinese New Year ang bao guide by MoneySmart, $6 and $8 red packets are still considered acceptable. 

Based on advice from "seasoned" red packet-givers, an appropriate amount for one's nephews and nieces is anywhere from $10 to $20, and $6 to $8 for "random kids that you meet", and other "random people".

No word on amounts less than $6, though.

Parents and parents-in-law, on the other hand, deserve a larger slice of the pie, with expected rates ranging from $88 to $288. And if you have younger siblings, note that $60 to $100 is the ballpark figure.

Or, one could just save the stress and give an amount that you're comfortable with. After all, it's yet another season for joyful giving (and receiving).

candicecai@asiaone.com

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