紅包- 每封要給多少錢? Hong bao/Lai Si - how much $$

[Amdir_Flassion]

How much ought to be given per pack? With the Lunar New Year coming up on Feb 9th, this is a good topic to discuss.

Is there a 公價 or 'market rate' of how much to give? When I go back to HK, I only get $HK20 per pack from my uncles and aunts. Not mean to be greedy, but that's just 太便宜 (too cheap) for a special occasion innit?

But on the other hand, for my parents to give to my cousins, they're expecting much much more because we're overseas Chinese and expected to be better off? That's the impression I'm getting.

As I'm now in my early 20s and about to begin work, I'm not supposed to receive anymore hong bao and instead give to my cousin's kids? Or you only stop receiving when you get married?

If I have to give hong bao, I need an idea of how much to give. To avoid any friction, I prefer if there was a 公價 or 'market rate' out there.

AGE $HK

0-5 500?

6-12 1000?

13+ 1500?

[skylee]

As I'm now in my early 20s and about to begin work, I'm not supposed to receive anymore hong bao and instead give to my cousin's kids? Or you only stop receiving when you get married?

In Hong Kong, you are not expected to give laisees until you are married, or if you are single you have to be very old, or in a senior position in an organisation (but if you are in the public service then you would not like to accept / give laisees in offices in case you might breach the law).

And the amount of money in a laisee has little to do with the age of the receiver. It mainly depends on how close the relationship is between the giver and the receiver. For example, one would give only $20 to the security guards / cleaners in his building, $50 to nieces/nephews, $100 to sons/daughters etc.

People usually expect a note/notes rather than a coin inside the packet (which was why the HK Govt has re-issued $10 notes again). And you are expected to give double packets (雙封 - one from you and the other from your spouse) to relatives (if not to everybody).

And you should not refuse laisees (except in work environment as I said above). It is impolite, even if you are 25, 30, whatever. What you do is to give out yours (married people actually exchange laisees) and give them to children. As receiving laisees is embarrasing for me (too old), I usually disappear during the whole festival season.