Chinese New Year - Red Envelope Traditions

Just for fun, I made a video on one of my favorite Chinese New Year traditions:  

The gift giving and receiving of Red Envelopes (pockets) which contain cash.  The Red Envelopes known as 紅包 (Hóng bāo) in Mandarin are found in different sizes for fitting cash and usually come in red and gold colors.

Some interesting common practices with this tradition:

• coins are rarely used since it's easy to tell how much is inside
• usually new crisp dollar bills are given
• any dollar amount with the # 4 in it should be avoided (as 4 in Mandarin sounds like the word "death")
• the # 8 in Mandarin sounds like the word "luck", so it's lucky to get an amount with 8 in it 
• married people usually give these to unmarried people
• Red Envelopes can also be used as gifts for other special occasions (example: weddings)

Why RED?  It's considered a lucky color, so putting gift money in it was thought to make it "lucky money".

For more tips, check out my 2 minute video on How to Make Money asking for Red Envelopes during CNY.  

Where to buy?
Usually you can get Red Envelopes at Asian supermarkets, but you can also buy them online too (they are fairly inexpensive). 

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If you're in a pinch, or you're feeling the need to be creative - just make one yourself.
Here's a DIY Red Envelope Template.  <--- Click to download the PDF file.  

Instructions: 

• Download the file and open using a PDF reader
• print with a color printer (or even better, a color laser printer) - Letter Size paper 8.5" x 11"
• using scissors, cut the envelope out 
• fold along the dotted lines (folding the largest flap over first)
• then fold & glue the two smaller flaps to the larger back flap, leaving the top of the envelope open
• using an exacto knife or small blade, score along the back of the envelope slit (optional if you'd like to tuck in the envelope flap to close)