Good Luck - Hongbao - Red Envelope. I hope you enjoy the print!

At Lunar New Year, it’s tradition to give the gift of a bright, beautiful red envelope (known as 紅包, hóngbāo) to your friends and family. But not just any old envelope. These are filled with money - and symbolize good wishes and luck for the new year ahead.

The importance of the hóngbāo isn’t the cash held inside; it’s actually the envelope itself. The red color symbolizes good luck and prosperity in Chinese (and other East Asian) cultures.

In the 21st Century, many people exchange digital red envelopes instead of the traditional paper ones. These are virtual packets of very real cash, transferred directly to friends’ and family’s smartphones. Users can even send digital hóngbāo to their favorite celebrities.

The amount given in red envelopes never includes the number ‘4’ - that means no 4, 40, or 400 amounts - as the pronunciation of ‘four’ in Chinese sounds like the word for death. However, amounts including the number ‘8’ will bring good luck and prosperity. Go ‘8’!