Coming close to Chinese New Year, the discussions about the traditions and expectations around the red envelopes has started in the office. Just to make sure everybody understands how I interpreted all the stories, traditions and rumours that I have heard in the last few days, I have summarised them below.

Red Envelopes or Ang Pao are generally handed out in social or family gatherings around or on Chinese New Year and traditionally from the older generation to children or from married couples to single juniors. The red color is to scare of the devil. There’s usually an amount of money in it. This amount of money is always an even amount (even $30 and $50 are not acceptable as “even” also applies to the first digit in the amount) and never has the digit 4 in it, because four sounds like the Chinese character for death. Traditionally the amount has the digit $8 because eight in Chinese sounds like wealth. Odd amounts are generally handed out at funerals. Most common amounts are $8 in $2 bills or one $10 bill.

Initially I thought it was “weird” that everybody asks for red envelopes or ang pao from me at work. But apparently the act of asking for it is also tradition. Oops, I have been turning down the requests. But aparently if your married you don’t turn down the requests. I am not married, but as a manager you normally also don’t turn down the requests, because that would mean you wouldn’t wish the requester a “lucky” new year.

I have done my research and nowhere in wikipedia it mentions anything about bosses giving red envelopes to employees. So, I am not sure about the tradition at StarHub, but I have an idea!