Li Xi on the first day of the year is a unique cultural trait in the Lunar New Year. Although the way of welcoming Tet nowadays and in the past has changed a little, this custom is always preserved and become a good part of the Vietnamese culture.
Following tradition, on the morning of the first day of Tet, all family members gather together to burn incense to pray to their ancestors and celebrate Tet. The children tell adults good wishes. Their parents give Li Xi red envelopes to them to get good luck. This custom can be indispensable in the Vietnamese traditional New Year.
1. Origin of Li Xi custom and red envelopes
Li Xi in Chinese means to gain, get money, and be lucky. Therefore, Li Xi is the lucky money that brings fortune and good things to children at the beginning of the year.
Today, the custom of giving lucky money on the Lunar New Year is popular in Asian countries such as Vietnam, China, Singapore, Japan, etc. Li Xi means to wish everyone luck, health, and fortune. So, the recipients and the givers also receive good things in the new year.
The meaning of the lucky money envelope is not in the amount of money but in the goodwill, the good sense of the action. Li Xi is usually small amounts of money, including change and small money.
The red envelopes symbolize luck and happiness, creating privacy when giving Li Xi, not wanting the recipient to have a comparison. Therefore, the recipients should not open the envelopes in front of the givers, which is a polite way.
2. What is the meaning of red envelopes?
Li Xi in Chinese means to gain, get money, and be lucky. Therefore, Li Xi is the lucky money that brings fortune and good things to children at the beginning of the year.
Today, the custom of giving lucky money on the Lunar New Year is popular in Asian countries such as Vietnam, China, Singapore, Japan, etc. The meaning of Li Xi is to wish everyone luck, health, and fortune. So, both the recipients and the givers also receive good things in the new year.
The meaning of the lucky money envelope is not in the amount of money, but in the goodwill, the good meaning of the action. Li Xi is usually small amounts of money, including change and small money.
The red envelopes also symbolize luck and happiness, creating privacy when giving Li Xi, not wanting the recipient to have a comparison. Therefore, the recipients should not open the envelopes in front of the givers, which is a polite way.
3. Giving lucky money in Vietnamese custom nowadays
According to Vietnamese custom, on Lunar New Year’s Eve or the first day, all family members gather to light incense sticks to their ancestors and enjoy eating and drinking to celebrate the new year.
This opportunity is also for children and grandchildren in the family to wish their grandparents and parents New Year’s greetings and receive lucky money to celebrate their new age. A red envelope with small cash inside symbolizes good luck, good health, and much success in study and work that adults want to send to children.
Giving Li Xi is no longer limited to the first day or the first three days of the year. As long as there is a Tet atmosphere, one can still give lucky money to one’s children and grandchildren.
In addition, the custom of giving Li Xi is not limited to adults giving lucky money to children. As long as you are a working person with an income, you can offer lucky cash to parents and grandparents.
Not only family members but the custom of lucky money has expanded. When friends, colleagues, and neighbors visit your houses and wish you a New Year, you can also give lucky money to each other.
4. How much money is enough in Li Xi envelopes?
As time has passed, the meaning of red envelopes has also gradually lost its inherent beauty. In recent years, many have asked how much money is enough in red envelopes. That thinking puts more emphasis on material issues than on spiritual ones.
In the past, Vietnamese people used to put money in red envelopes with denominations of VND 500 and VND 10,000. At that time, both of these notes were red with the meaning of wishing for health, luck, and well-being for their children and grandchildren.
Now, the denomination of money in red envelopes is usually higher depending on the relationship level of the recipient. For example, to parents, Vietnamese children who have worked often put more money in red envelopes to express their sincere wish that their parents always have good health.
For children, most people give them the lucky money with at least the note of 50,000 VND. The children can buy toys or small things they want with that amount of Vietnamese money.
Regardless of the denomination of the money inside, the red envelope always retains its inherent meaning of wishing the recipients good luck and good health in the new year.
With the changes in social needs, Li Xi envelopes are traditional red or yellow and many other colors designed to suit everyone’s taste. Inside them is more money.
Li Xi’s custom and red envelopes bring people closer together to express affection and hope for a warm, peaceful, and lucky new year.
The new and traditional Tet associated with Vietnamese people has changed slightly, but lucky money is still alive. It has become a beautiful and indispensable cultural feature in local life.
