紅包 / Red Packet

年已過﹐還是要寫寫關於紅包。紅包﹐又稱為壓歲錢﹐中國南方或香港人稱它為利市(即”利是”或”利事”的意思) 。最常收到紅包時是農曆新年﹐婚禮時也會派上用場。

每逢農曆新年﹐第一個收到的大紅包一定會來自老爸和老娘。我和小妹有個習慣﹐除夕收到雙親的紅包後一定會將它收藏到枕頭下﹐這才叫做”壓歲錢” 嘛! (壓歲錢其實是來自一個故事﹐如果您有讀過的話應該會知道)。還有還有﹐所有收到的紅包一定會等到過了元宵後才會開封﹐數數總共的數目。

我發現有些小孩現在有點不懂禮﹐有些會討了紅包後直接打開﹐老爸和老娘有嚴厲的吩咐我們不可這樣做﹐所以到現在我還牢牢地記住這番話。其實就算長輩沒吩咐我們也該知道不該這樣做吧。今年拿的紅包跟去年一樣不多﹐在社會打拼了三年多後慢慢地感覺到其實紅包只是長輩給晚輩一個意頭而已﹐裡面多不多不重要。

聽人家說﹐包紅包也是一門學問﹐紅包裡頭的數字要是雙數代表好與吉祥﹐如果單數代表喪事﹐要記住這一點喔。

Chinese New Year has passed, but I will post up something about Red Packet. Red packet or so called “Hung Bao”, South China or Hong Kong’s peoples named it as “Li Shi” or “Lei Si” means good luck or good. Most of the time will receive red packet at Chinese New Year, but it also for wedding.

For every Chinese New Year, the first red packet sure will receive from Mom & Dad. After received the red packet, sister & me will keep it under the pillow. This is our habit and the red packet that keep under the pillow in Mandarin called as “Ya Sui Qian” (there is a story why should keep the red packet under the pillow, if you has been read the story then you should know it). Beside this, we will only count the entire red packets amount after the Chap Goh Mei (the 15th day of CNY, also the last day of CNY).

I found that some of the children lack of courtesy, once they received the red packet they will straight away open the packet have a look on it. Mom & Dad has been warn us not to do that in front of others, till now what they told me still keep in my mind. But even without their warn, we should know that earlier. The amount received for this year is almost same as last year (not much). After work for 3 and half years, slowly I realised that the amount in the red packet is not so important whether it is little or a lot. The important thing is it’s just a gift from the elder to the young one from their heart.

One more important thing that you should know when you give red packets, the amount in the red packet should be “even” number cause it stands for luck or good. If there is “odd” number, it brings the meaning of funeral. So must remember this.