Good-luck money on Lunar New Year's Day (#62; Topic K)

When I was a youngster in China, in the morning of Lunar New Year's Day, it was my responsibility, being the eldest in our family, to round up my siblings and go to our parents' room to wish them a Happy New Year. Afterward, each child received a red envelope containing brand-new banknotes, symbolizing a smooth and happy year ahead. In China, elderly parents live with the eldest son and his family; this was so with us, as my father was the eldest son. Thus, after visiting our parents, my siblings and I would visit our grandparents to wish them a Happy New Year and receive a red envelope afterward. The following day, the second day in the New Year, were our maternal grandparents living in the same town, we would visit them, but this was not so. So, on the second and third days, we would visit our uncles -- and receive a red envelope from each. With four paternal uncles and three maternal uncles living in Shanghai, my siblings and I would receive nine or red envelopes each, not an insignificant haul of money. On Sunday morning (1/29/06), our grandchildren called us from Pittsburgh. They had received red envelopes from us, and called to wish us a Happy New Year. All in all, Lunar New Year days are happy days.
Posted at 11:25 pm, Wednesday, February 1, 2006