Buying Chinese New Year gifts

OL -20180207

In my family, there were five members, an elder sister, a younger brother and my parents.

In the past year when I was at my teenage, my parents usually gave us Hongbao (red envelop or lucky money) at the Chinese New Year Eve. It was the best New Year gift for us since we could buy almost anything we want.

In China, when all of kids grow up and could earn their own lives, they normally  prepare New Year gifts to our parents. Since we were not living in the same city with our parents, we would buy New Year gifts for our parents before we went back to our hometown where our parents lived.

The gifts may cover lots of things, such as clothes, skincare products, health supplements and so on.

Every family members will try to gather together for the new year, sometimes not only immediate family members and extended family members as well, for those close-knit family.

And we also make a point of going to visit other relatives throughout the holiday. And we will  take some gifts, since it’s not polite to go empty-handed.

In recent three or four years, with the development of technology, the lucky money has been given in digital ways, via the APP WeChat or Alipay wallet. It is more convenient for us to give red envelops to our relatives or friends no matter where they live.

Each coin has two sides. 

Traditionally, Lunar New Year carries themes of reunification and strengthening relationships. However, the emphasis placed on cash-based incentives has changed the focus of the tradition into a monetary venture.

Anyway, cherish the time with our families and try not to spend too much time on mobile phone.