大咖福利影院

matthanoi wrote:

Hi - quick question on red envelopes at Tet.

Is it traditional to give a red envelope with a small monetary gift to people who work in your apartment building? When I lived in Hong Kong I would give about 5/10 dollars to the cleaner and concierge etc in my apartment block the day after New Years day. Is the tradition the same in Vietnam? I live in a small apartment block in Hanoi and the staff here are really helpful so I would like to give them a tip unless it would be considered a bit unusual.

Thanks

Yes, no problem. I do the same with some people who live on the street.

Screw tradition. Give generously!

matthanoi wrote:

Is it traditional to give a red envelope with a small monetary gift to people who work in your apartment building? When I lived in Hong Kong I would give about 5/10 dollars to the cleaner and concierge etc in my apartment block the day after New Years day. Is the tradition the same in Vietnam? I live in a small apartment block in Hanoi and the staff here are really helpful so I would like to give them a tip unless it would be considered a bit unusual.

It's the tradition in VN as well.聽

We give an envelope to the street sweeper every year as she does a wonderful job keeping the sidewalks debris-free at all time.聽 I also give one to my facial lady, the favourite waitress at the restaurant we frequent, and my yoga instructor.

Tet is THE time to show appreciation, so give to whomever you wish to give, nothing is unusual about it.

Mojoman wrote:

Screw tradition. Give generously!

As much as I am personally inclined to lean in the direction of following your advice, I think it's important to know what tradition you are screwing before you actually attempt to screw it.

Here is one of the better sources I've discovered to explain the traditional foundations for giving "Lucky Money"/L脤 X脤, including English/Vietnamese text.

These are NOT my Google Translations but text from this website, with bold emphasis added by me to make this easier to read in this English language forum:



(NOTE TO ADMIN: I'm copying this here under the well-known fair use doctrine of copyright. However if you want to delete this, you can delete everything below this note and still leave the link for readers to follow)

LUCKY MONEY IN TET

TI峄�N L脤 X脤 TRONG D峄奝 T岷綯

During the Lunar New Year (Tet), Vietnamese love dressing up to visit relatives and friends as well as exchanging New Year鈥檚 wishes. Besides, giving lucky money in a red envelope or 鈥淟i xi鈥� is also one of the most expected Tet customs, especially by children. This custom is always preserved and becomes beauty in Vietnamese New Year.

Trong N膬m M峄沬 脗m L峄媍h (T岷縯), ng瓢峄漣 Vi峄噒 Nam th铆ch m岷穋 trang ph峄�c 膽岷筽 膽峄� 膽岷縩 th膬m h峄� h脿ng, b岷�n b猫 v脿 g峄璱 膽岷縩 nhau nh峄痭g l峄漣 ch煤c m峄玭g N膬m M峄沬.聽 Ngo脿i ra, vi峄嘽 cho ti峄乶 may m岷痭 膽峄眓g trong phong bao 膽峄� hay c貌n g峄峣 鈥渓矛 x矛鈥� c农ng l脿 m峄檛 trong nh峄痭g phong t峄�c t岷縯 膽瓢峄�c mong 膽峄�i nh岷�t, 膽岷穋 bi峄噒 膽峄慽 v峄沬 tr岷� em. T岷璸 qu谩n n脿y lu么n 膽瓢峄�c g矛n gi峄� v脿 tr峄� th脿nh n茅t 膽岷筽 c峄�a t岷縯 Vi峄噒 Nam.

The origin of Lucky Money

Ngu峄搉 g峄慶 c峄�a L矛 X矛

There are different myths to explain the genesis of the custom. The most common myth says that once upon a time, there were many gods to protect human life from evil spirits who always wanted to harm people.

C贸 nh峄痭g truy峄乶 thuy岷縯 kh谩c nhau 膽峄� gi岷�i th铆ch v峄� s峄� h矛nh th脿nh c峄�a phong t峄�c n脿y. Thuy岷縯 ph峄� bi岷縩 nh岷�t cho r岷眓g ng脿y x瓢a, c贸 r岷�t nhi峄乽 v峄� th岷�n b岷�o v峄� cu峄檆 s峄憂g con ng瓢峄漣 kh峄廼 c谩c聽 qu峄� d峄� lu么n mu峄憂 h茫m h岷�i h峄�.

Nevertheless, on New Year鈥檚 Eve, the gods had to come back to heaven to receive new tasks from the highest deity. The ghosts took that opportunity to go out, rub children鈥檚 heads, and make them cry, sick or mad. After that, several gods transformed into coins wrapped in red cloth by parents next to the children. When the ghosts came, the coins suddenly lit up and scared them away.

Tuy nhi锚n v脿o 膽锚m giao th峄玜 c谩c v峄� th岷�n ph岷�i tr峄� v峄� thi锚n 膽矛nh 膽峄� nh岷璶 nhi峄噈 v峄� m峄沬 t峄� ng峄峜 ho脿ng th瓢峄�ng 膽岷�. C谩c h峄搉 ma t岷璶 d峄�ng c啤 h峄檌 n脿y 膽峄� ra ngo脿i xoa 膽岷�u tr岷� con v脿 l脿m ch煤ng kh贸c, ph谩t b峄噉h ho岷穋 ph谩t 膽i锚n. Sau 膽贸, m峄檛 v脿i v峄� th岷�n h贸a th芒n v脿o nh峄痭g 膽峄搉g ti峄乶 膽瓢峄�c cha m岷� g贸i trong v岷�i 膽峄� b锚n c岷�nh b峄峮 tr岷�. Khi c谩c h峄搉 ma xu岷�t hi峄噉, nh峄痭g 膽峄搉g ti峄乶 膽峄檛 nhi锚n ph谩t s谩ng v脿 xua ch煤ng 膽i xa.

Therefore, coins covered in red material were imagined to keep children safe from ghosts. The method was soon practiced widely and caused the custom.

Do 膽贸 nh峄痭g 膽峄搉g ti峄乶 膽瓢峄�c g贸i trong v岷�i 膽峄� 膽瓢峄�c t瓢峄焠g t瓢峄�ng l脿 s岷� gi峄� cho tr岷� em an to脿n tr瓢峄沜 c谩c h峄搉 ma. C谩ch n脿y mau ch贸ng 膽瓢峄�c 谩p d峄�ng r峄檔g r茫i v脿 d岷玭 膽岷縩 phong t峄�c l矛 x矛.

The meaning of Lucky Money

脻 ngh末a c峄�a L矛 X矛

Lucky money is a little new cash put in a red envelope. According to tradition, red is used for good luck and represents happiness. It is also supposed to ward off evil spirits. Meanwhile, the money inside is considered a symbol of prosperity.

Ti峄乶 l矛 x矛 l脿 m峄檛 铆t ti峄乶 m峄沬 膽瓢峄�c b峄� v脿o phong bao 膽峄�. Theo truy峄乶 th峄憂g, m脿u 膽峄� 膽瓢峄�c s峄� d峄�ng cho s峄� may m岷痭 v脿 t瓢峄�ng tr瓢ng cho h岷�nh ph煤c. N贸 c农ng 膽瓢峄�c cho l脿 膽峄� xua 膽u峄昳 ma qu峄�. Ngo脿i ra, ti峄乶 b锚n trong 膽瓢峄�c xem nh瓢 bi峄僽 t瓢峄�ng c峄�a th峄媙h v瓢峄�ng.

The significance of lucky money is that it symbolizes good wishes of givers for their loved ones in the new year, not quantity inside.

脻 ngh末a c峄�a l矛 x矛 l脿 bi峄僽 tr瓢ng cho nh峄痭g l峄漣 ch煤c t峄憈 膽岷筽 c峄�a ng瓢峄漣 cho 膽峄慽 v峄沬 ng瓢峄漣 th芒n y锚u c峄�a h峄� trong n膬m m峄沬, ch峄� kh么ng ph岷�i l脿 s峄� ti峄乶 b锚n trong.

Giving lucky money during the Lunar New Year is believed fortunate for both donors and recipients. In the past, it was presented just to the children, but now it is given to anyone as a way to express best wishes for the new year.

Trao l矛 x矛 trong t岷縯 脗m L峄媍h 膽瓢峄�c tin r岷眓g s岷� may m岷痭 cho c岷� ng瓢峄漣 cho v脿 ng瓢峄漣 nh岷璶. Trong qu谩 kh峄� n贸 ch峄� 膽瓢峄�c trao cho tr岷� em, nh瓢ng ng脿y nay n贸 膽瓢峄�c g峄璱 膽岷縩 b岷�t c峄� ng瓢峄漣 n脿o nh瓢 m峄檛 c谩ch th峄� hi峄噉 nh峄痭g l峄漣 ch煤c t峄憈 膽岷筽 nh岷�t cho n膬m m峄沬.

How to give and receive Lucky Money

C谩ch cho v脿 nh岷璶 L矛 X矛

Vietnamese often give lucky money to children with New Year鈥檚 wishes. Besides, you can also present聽 it to the elderly and other adults.

Ng瓢峄漣 Vi峄噒 Nam th瓢峄漬g l矛 x矛 cho tr岷� em c霉ng v峄沬 l峄漣 ch煤c N膬m M峄沬. Ngo脿i ra b岷�n c农ng c贸 th峄� trao cho ng瓢峄漣 gi脿 v脿 ng瓢峄漣 tr瓢峄焠g th脿nh.

When wrapping lucky money in red envelopes, always use new paper money, because old currency is considered unlucky. With many currency exchange locations in Vietnam, you鈥檒l get easily new money you need. And the amount of money contained in the envelope, of course, depends on you and your specific relationship.

Khi 膽峄� ti峄乶 l矛 x矛 trong phong bao 膽峄�, h茫y lu么n s峄� d峄�ng ti峄乶 gi岷�y m峄沬, v矛 ti峄乶 c农 膽瓢峄�c xem l脿 kh么ng may m岷痭. V峄沬 nhi峄乽 膽i峄僲 膽峄昳 ti峄乶 峄� Vi峄噒 Nam, b岷�n s岷� d峄� d脿ng c贸 膽瓢峄�c ti峄乶 m峄沬 m脿 m矛nh c岷�n. V脿 s峄� ti峄乶 膽峄眓g trong phong b矛 ph峄� thu峄檆 v脿o b岷�n v脿 m峄慽 quan h峄� c峄� th峄� c峄�a b岷�n.

Get lucky money with both hands and do not instantly look inside. It is impolite to open in front of the person who gives it to you. In return, express your good wishes to them.

H茫y nh岷璶 l矛 x矛 b岷眓g hai tay v脿 膽峄玭g v峄檌 nh矛n v脿o trong. S岷� l脿 b岷�t l峄媍h s峄� n岷縰 m峄� ra ngay tr瓢峄沜 m岷穞 ng瓢峄漣 trao ti峄乶 cho b岷�n. 膼峄� 膽谩p l岷�i, h茫y th峄� hi峄噉 nh峄痭g l峄漣 ch煤c t峄憈 膽岷筽 膽岷縩 h峄�.

Thank you for the elaborate explanation. It helps to get a better understanding of how people interact here (for an ignorant foreigner like me).
Cheers

I also found this post by our Vietnam expert, from a 2019 thread:

Tet "lucky money" advice

Some of this is out of context, but it's still good advice when considering the many circumstances that might seem to call for Lucky Money.

You can follow that link to see the full discussion.

Ciambella wrote:

From a Vietnamese perspective:聽 you do not give lucky money to your hosts, full stop.聽

Unless you're rolling in dough and want to show it:

Lucky money isn't given out to married adults unless it's a gift from the parents who know their children need help financially so they do it at Tet on purpose, so the couple's finance will be rosy in the new year.

Lucky money is given to your workers as a form of tip (if your company doesn't hand out 13th month bonus) for the work they've done for you during the past year.聽 This couple is not your workers.聽

If you see them as your second family and want to show your appreciation, do it as a member of the extended family:聽 gift them with a pair of b谩nh ch瓢ng (square rice cake) and/or a pair of b谩nh t茅t (roll cakes), and a tray of 5 fruits that carry a special wish for prosperity.

If they're Northerners, the variety of fruits doesn't matter much.聽 If they're Southerners, the tray should consist of soursop, watermelon or coconut, papaya, mango, and figs.聽 Do not include banana, orange, pear, durian, apple, and any fruit that has bitter or spicy taste in a Tet's gift to Southerners.

They may use the tray of 5 fruits for offering on the altar, and afterwards, as a central display on the table for the whole 3 days of Tet.聽 It's a very important element of Tet for Southerners, and many Northerners have adopted it as well.

For the little boy, 100K is good.聽 Don't go overboard.聽 Don't act like a rich foreigner.

If you don't know how to pick the fruits, go to any shop that sells Tet's food and ask them for a "m芒m ng农 qu岷�" (tray of 5 fruits).聽 Everyone will understand you straight away.