Lucky Money

February 2001

The Chinese new year celebration is finally over. We have actually been without a firecracker or fireworks for a week or so, and although it was an interesting ten days, I must say it is a relief. The last night of the celebration was the Chinese version of valentines day and we had fireworks half the night. Each day of the new year celebration has a special activity allotted to it, but every day is for celebrating life and friends with lots of food and fun. This is my observation anyway. There are special meals with foods that symbolize long life and good luck and wealth. Everywhere you see kumquat trees loaded with fruit that have their branches bound up so the tree forms a column of fruit. On their valentines day everyone starts eating and giving away the fruit and I hear that numerous creative recipes circulate around for using up all the scads of kumquats that are ripe and ready to be used. Around many of the doorways are red banners with gold Chinese characters written on them. Red lanterns are hung by doorways and often you see many little red lanterns hanging in trees. Every night of the celebration they are lit and are beautiful. Chrysanthemums in purple, red and a purple and white stripe are everywhere. Also popular are peach branches that are in bloom with their beautiful purple flowers. These trees are put by the front door of homes and businesses. Just as we have Christmas tree lots, they have flower markets that are blocks long are set up just for the occasion. Hanging from the branches of the peach and tangerine trees people put little red envelopes with gold Chinese characters on them. They hold what the Chinese call lucky money.

Lucky money is a very popular aspect of the Chinese new year. At least it is very popular with a certain segment of the population. During the 10 days of the Chinese new year single women and children can approach any married person, wish them happy new year while shaking one fist that is covered with the other hand and that married person is to present the wisher with a small red envelope with some small amount of money in it. You present it to the person with both hands and wish them happy new year back.

Belinda, who speaks some English and takes great delight in aquainting us with Chinese customs, was quick to tell us about this custom and even gave us a packet of red envelopes. We asked how much we should give and she said .50 or so was fine, as it was a symbolic gift for good luck. Tim said that we could give more than that, to which she brightened a bit but then told us many people might ask us. I looked around the office and counted up the single women I knew of and looked at her and commented that this could be an expensive aspect of the celebration. She gave me a big smile and said 'yes, very expensive!' As I have come to accept, much does get lost in translation, and I think what she was actually trying to say was that as a single woman she would recieve a lot of money. That is my guess at least, to which I would bet no amount of lucky money. As soon as she finished educating us into the concept of the Chinese new year she then immediately wished us happy new year! I couldn't stop laughing. As Tim was finding some money for her envelope I commented that this holiday tradition was going to be very expensive and suggest we find her a husband instead. Belinda loves to laugh and this seemed to tickle her to the point she started speaking to me in Cantonese. So I replied that I guessed that that must mean yes and should I make him Chinese or American. This she found very funny and announced to the other girls in the office what had just taken place and nonstop Cantonese shrieking took over for the next couple minutes or so.

Belinda was the only woman to wish us happy new year that day. I thought that maybe I had scared them off with my matchmaking offer. The next day was the beginning of the 10 day celebration during which everything closed down, including the factory.
The first day back after the holiday Tim ran into another married man in the office, and he had gone through about $60. US in one morning! He also said he was expecting to go through a lot more before it was over. Since we were both expecting to get asked, we didn't know what to expect. By lunchtime Tim had gone through all the money he had with him. It wasn't a lot, but he was surprised and mainly wanted to get more so he could follow this custom which was so much fun for the girls. He went back that afternoon not having figured out how to solve this problem and Cindy, our wheeler dealer friend came to the rescue without even realizing it.

Tim was in a meeting with Cindy and a Chinese salesman from another factory. At the end of the meeting Tim noticed her going into her intense bargaining mode with him. He didn't know what it was all about but knew there was nothing he could do about it, so just observed her at work. He said the man resisted, but she wouldn't back off. He said he felt sorry for the man, who in the end sheepishly handed Tim a red envelope. Tim was so stunned he didn't even than the man. Men don't receive envelopes unless they are children! On top of that, he is married! But Tim said Cindy seemed quite proud of herself anyway. What a character she is. It turned out to be exactly the same amount of money that Tim had given away that morning so he decided it was truly lucky money.

It was that evening that we went to Helen's wedding dinner. When Tim and I were going up the stairs to the dining hall, we heard a lot of shouting and as we came into the room we saw our driver, Affay, being wished happy new year by a large group of young women. The shouting, shrieking and laughing was deafening in the tile lined room. I found it so funny I couldn't resist joining in with them. I bent my knees so I was their height shook my hands and started shouting happy new year with them. For about 3 seconds no one even noticed but then one of the women, Connie, who was standing in front of me turned around. No doubt she was struck with my unique rendition of the phrase. She looked at me speechless for a couple seconds and then started to laugh and told the other women what I was doing. The laughing got louder, if that was possible and attention went from Affay to me. I think I saved him a lot of money.

The next day when I went to the factory the women seemed a bit shy and for a minute I couldn't figure out what was going on. Tim had the thought that they were wondering if they should approach me for money as they had already approached Tim. I got a bunch of envelopes and went over to a group of them and wished them happy new year and started passing out envelopes, and sure enough, that was it. They all became themselves; smiling, shouting and laughing. But then all of a sudden there were more and more smiling and laughing women - faces of women I didn't even know! It was like when you go to the beach and throw a little piece of bread to the one solitary gull on the beach and all of a sudden every gull on earth is circling your head. I saw Tim through the crowd quickly moving away from me! Later Belinda proudly showed me her stack of lucky money envelopes that she received and would you believe the pile was about 3" thick! She was right, "Yes, very expensive!"