Now for the part everyone loves—red envelopes, or hongbao. These are small red packets filled with cash, and they’re given like crazy. Married adults give them to kids and unmarried friends. Grandparents stuff them with crisp bills and whisper “no fighting over it.” But the real fun? The digital version. On WeChat, people deposit money into virtual red envelopes and send them in group chats. Imagine a group text at midnight with thirty friends—everyone furiously tapping their phone to try to grab a few dollars. It’s like a gambling game where the only prize is a coffee’s worth of cash, but the joy is pure dopamine. And yes, aunties will judge you if you send only a small amount.
How to Celebrate Chinese New Year (2027): Top 18 Traditions
Feasting until your pants beg for mercy
If you think Thanksgiving is a food marathon, Chinese New Year is the ultramarathon. The big night—New Year’s Eve—features a feast called the reunion dinner. Dishes are symbolic, not random. Fish means surplus. Dumplings look like ancient silver ingots (money, basically). A whole chicken means togetherness. But the real star? Gaoliang, baijiu, and endless toasts. By the time the midnight fireworks explode, you have loosened your belt twice and your uncle has sung karaoke off-key for an hour. And it’s totally normal to eat leftover dumplings for breakfast, because nobody wastes food during a celebration of abundance.
