Gifting Money for the New Year

Many societies have a long-standing tradition of gifting money (banknotes and coins) to mark auspicious occasions – births and birthdays, weddings and other special events, where the value of the gift is as much social as it is financial.

In this article, Currency News™ consultant Xiu-Ding provides a personal view of the tradition of gifting money to celebrate Chinese New Year, and its origins.

Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. This year is the Year of the Wood Dragon, with the Dragon symbolising power, nobility, luck and success in traditional Chinese culture, that will bring growth to everyone.

The Chinese New Year is traditionally a time to feast and visit family members. When I recall the Chinese New Year celebrations of my childhood in Shanghai in the early 1980s, vivid memories come flooding back. The joy on people’s faces, the aromas and sounds from the kitchen. The stylish new clothes I proudly wore, the tons of cakes and fruits brought by visitors.