In Vietnam, giving lucky money originally referred to stringing copper coins together and binding them with a red thread into the shape of a dragon or a sword, placing them at the foot of a child's bed or by their pillow to ward off evil spirits and demons, allowing the child to sleep peacefully. Later, this evolved into giving red envelopes during the New Year, symbolizing joy and good fortune for people.
In the past, elders would not give much lucky money to children, symbolically giving 500 or 1,000 Vietnamese đồng (1 Chinese yuan is approximately 3,300 Vietnamese đồng). Sometimes, they wouldn't give money at all, just a piece of candy. However, with economic development, the amount of lucky money given has also increased.
According to a report on February 27th in Kyoto Shinbun, the "2012 Lucky Money Big Survey" released by Kyoto Central Credit Bank on February 26th showed that due to Japan's sluggish economy, even many families had an annual income and expenditure deficit. As a result, Japanese children received an average of 35,661 yen (approximately 2,926 RMB) in lucky money this year, a decrease of 525 yen from last year's average, making it the lowest since 1997.
The least in 15 years
A Vietnamese website introduced such a joke: A rural woman's brother worked as an official in the city. Every Lunar New Year's Day, she would send her children to visit their uncle to get some lucky money. In one year, they returned with 3 million Vietnamese đồng, more than the income from farming for a whole year.
Perhaps a common feature of wealthy countries, Koreans' lucky money, like Singaporeans', is not very much either. Generally, primary school students receive between 5,000 to 10,000 Korean won (1 Chinese yuan is approximately 178 Korean won); middle school students receive between 10,000 to 20,000 Korean won; high school students receive between 20,000 to 30,000 Korean won.
Beautiful and valuable
(According to Legal Evening News)
Singapore's economy is developed, but when it comes to lucky money, they are the most stingy. Singaporeans also distribute lucky money during visits, but the "red envelopes" given by Singaporean parents to their children contain only a small amount. The recipients are children and unmarried young men and women. As long as they come to visit, they will receive a "red envelope", and kart racing entered the top ten of the iPad chart.
Regarding how and where to spend the lucky money, the Mainichi Shimbun conducted a special survey. The top choice was "buying games"; the second was "saving"; the third was "buying books". However, the proportion of the fourth choice "buying toys" was 11.0%, a decrease of 6.3% from last year.
However, due to rising prices in recent years and poor economic conditions, Koreans are also facing the dilemma of lucky money. Nevertheless, Koreans' countermeasures are more innovative.
Lucky money ranges from 10,000 to 30,000 yen (10,000 yen is approximately 750 RMB), and the name of the boss of the yakuza group is written on the envelope of the lucky money. Interestingly, many junior high school students, upon hearing about the lucky money, rushed over. Such actions have drawn the attention of the Japanese police.
The criminals originally planned to extort a sum of money from Wang Zhao, but during their escape, the clever Nan Gai saw a passing car and shouted loudly for help. The criminals immediately dropped Nan Gai and fled hastily. Later, Emperor Shenzong of Song learned the ins and outs of the incident and granted Nan Gai some money to calm his nerves.
However, upon opening the "red envelope", what might be found could be just one or two new two-dollar bills (one Chinese yuan equals 0.2 Singapore dollars), at most ten dollars (usually in even numbers), less than fifty RMB. However, the children don't mind because children compare who got how many "red envelopes", rather than how much lucky money they received.
The Washington Post observed that for China's post-90s and even post-00s children, compared to previous years, their New Year's wishes have significantly changed this year. Valuable electronic products have become their new favorites. "Which parent can resist their child's strong demands?" the article said. With Chinese parents becoming increasingly affluent, the amount of lucky money children receive has been increasing yearly. The least is several hundred yuan, the most being tens of thousands. Some parents calculated that the total amount of red envelopes given out during the Spring Festival was between six thousand to ten thousand yuan, equivalent to one or two months' salary for some salaried workers.
"Lucky money" has various origins, one of which attributes its origin to an accidental event during the Northern Song Dynasty.
After this incident spread among the common people, they emulated Emperor Shenzong's practice. During the New Year, besides buying firecrackers and food for the children, they also gave them some pocket money specifically to calm their nerves, calling it "lucky money".
The Qing Jia Lu records: "Elders celebrate the New Year with the young, and elders give children strings of a hundred coins tied with red string, called 'lucky money.'" This means that adults give children a hundred copper coins strung with red string during the Spring Festival, called "lucky money."
Foreign media claim Chinese parents are under immense pressure.
According to reports in Tokyo Shimbun, Japanese yakuza groups hold regular activities such as rice cake festivals at the end of the year, distributing lucky money to ordinary citizens.
Similar troubles
Economic downturn
This year during the Spring Festival, many people discovered that with the rise in prices, the amount of lucky money has also increased significantly. What used to be a couple of hundred yuan a few years ago is now almost unacceptable, and sending out red envelopes of over a thousand yuan each has left the post-70s and 80s generations lamenting. The reporter found that apart from China, countries like Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore also have traditions of giving red envelopes. Vietnam is similarly troubled by the rising cost of red envelopes. Only in Singapore does the tradition of giving lucky money remain as a way to bring good luck, where two yuan can make a child happy.
Lucky money increase
Some parents believe that this kind of foreign currency lucky money not only allows children to understand exchange rate knowledge but also has certain collection value, making it a win-win situation.
Giving foreign currency as lucky money
Children in Japan may also receive lucky money, but affected by Japan's economic depression, the amount of lucky money has been greatly reduced this year.
That survey was conducted from January 4th to 6th, with about 1,173 participants from preschoolers to high school students.
Not comparing the amount but the number
In Singaporeans' view, the purpose of "red envelopes" is merely to give children a festive atmosphere, adding warmth to the family, distinguishing it from other holidays.
Koreans celebrate the Lunar New Year, paying particular attention to the "rituals and New Year's greetings" ceremony on New Year's Day. After the rituals, younger generations bow to their parents and other elders, performing the "New Year's greeting" ritual, while elders give younger generations lucky money.
China
The "lucky money" custom likely originated from China: a Vietnamese word for lucky money, "lixi," originates from the southern Chinese term "lai si."
Japan
Moreover, affected by the economic downturn, Japanese yakuza groups take the opportunity to infiltrate their influence by giving out lucky money.
2-10 Singapore dollars
Malaysia's The Star website also noticed that many Chinese children prefer receiving an iPad as a New Year's gift during the holiday, humorously stating, "Compared to lucky money, this is more substantial, of course, also making the elders more heartbroken."
Background Information
"Where does the custom of 'lucky money' come from?"
Previously, Vietnamese people gave children small-denomination lucky money during the New Year. However, with economic development, Vietnamese people also experience similar frustrations with the "changing flavor" of lucky money as the Chinese do.
Vietnamese experts thus urge guiding children to correctly understand the meaning of lucky money, using it reasonably so that this traditional custom can play a positive role.
Delighting children, burdening parents. Regarding this phenomenon, foreign media say there is a popular phrase in China today—immense pressure.
In Singapore, "red envelopes" serve only to give children a festive atmosphere, adding warmth to the family, distinguishing it from other holidays.
A bank in Korea launched "foreign exchange lucky money." These three types of "foreign exchange lucky money" sets consist of 3 to 5 banknotes from five currencies: US dollars, Chinese yuan, euros, Canadian dollars, and Australian dollars. They come in diverse designs, with the most expensive set costing no more than 48,500 Korean won, and are highly popular among parents.