Chinese New Year ang bao rates 2021: How much should you put in the red packets?
PHOTO: The Straits Times file
PUBLISHED ONJanuary 21, 2021 3:01 AMByYou Jing
Red packet, or more affectionately known as Ang Bao, is a traditional monetary gift given among family and friends during Chinese New Year.
In particular, CNY ang baos are given from the married to the unmarried. These red packets are a symbol of fortune and prosperity, and the giver’s wishes of luck.
But is there such a thing as “too old” to receive an ang bao? Or are you being “stingy” with the amount that you give? Let’s take a look at the common ang bao do’s and don’ts before we tell you what’s the “better” ang bao rate to give.
Are you too old to receive a CNY ang bao?
No, and yes. Partly because the same old tradition has been passed down across generations, so there’s never such thing as “too old” as long as you’re an unmarried individual.
But we get it. You’ve already started working and maybe you’re in your 30s, and that paiseh feeling kicks in when your younger (and married) cousin passes you an ang bao.
Tradition says that you can take it and add on to your mahjong fund. But if you really feel quite paiseh to take it, then simply thank them for the thought and well wishes and offer them a slice of bak kwa (it works wonders)!
Are you being “stingy” with your CNY ang bao?
The amount of money tends to be the focus of an ang bao. But you really shouldn’t be pressured to give big ang baos just because you don’t want to seem stingy. But we also don’t mean you should skip the CNY ang bao Rates section.
Instead, Chinese New Year should be the perfect time that you gather with your family and friends to celebrate the festivity and catch up on each other’s lives. Hence, the rates below are merely suggestions based on family hierarchy, and you should ultimately deem what is the best fit for you.
CNY ang bao rates 2021
| Relation to Person | Recommended Ang Bao Rate | Why this amount? |
|---|---|---|
|
Parents, In-laws and Grandparents |
$188 - $388 |
A way to show respect, gratitude and filial piety to your parents for raising and caring for you. |
|
Children and Grandchildren |
$50 - $188 |
A representation of parental love given by parents and grandparents to the younger generation. |
|
Cousins, Nephews and Nieces |
$8 - $28 |
Depending on how close you are to your extended family, and since there might be quite a handful of them, it can be good to keep this amount a little lower. |
|
Friend's Children |
$8 - $12 |
They are not your direct relatives but it would be nice to give them one. |
|
Public workers |
$5 - $10 |
Maids of your relatives, migrant workers from your block, this is a nice token of appreciation for their work. |
Other do’s and don’ts of giving an ang bao during CNY
- Do not use a white envelope as white is the colour of mourning.
- Other colour variations (pink, yellow, gold) works as well!
- Avoid giving any amount with the number 4. “Four” translates to “sì” in Mandarin and is an alternate tone of the word “death”.
- Give an even amount as even numbers are deemed to be more ‘rounded’ and wholesome.
- Any amount with the number 8 for so they can huat more!
Finally, You should still check with the elderly if they agree with you giving out ang baos if you are single. The older and more conservative generation might not be agreeable to this new way of celebrating Chinese New Year.
Giving an ang bao is no longer closely tied to your marital or financial status, so feel free to be more flexible with the amount given while still avoiding the don’ts.
This article was first published in Shopback.
