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Every year around this time there’s a debate in the ayi WeChat groups about whether we should prepare a hongbao for ayi for Chinese New Year (regardless of whether we celebrate it or not) and how much to put in it. According to a mixed American and Chinese couple living in the CBD with an annual income of between RMB 200,000 to RMB 500,000 per year: “We have a part-time ayi who doesn’t come on a regular basis, so during Chinese New Year, we give her an RMB 500 hongbao. What about the people who provide you service all year round? MyPengYou stresses, “there’s no set or custom amount, you can give as much as you want.” But below are the common denominations that Chinese people gift staff. Full-time driver or ayi: RMB 800 to RMB 2,000; Part-time driver or ayi: RMB 20 per visit during the festival period But not every family in Beijing is in the same income bracket. According to a mixed American and Chinese couple living in the CBD with an annual income of between RMB 200,000 to RMB 500,000 per year: “We have a part-time ayi who doesn’t come on a regular basis, so during Chinese New Year, we give her an RMB 500 hongbao. Chinese New Year has arrived and that means it’s time to hand out 红包 hóngbāo! The little red packets can be seen next to check-out registers all over town. But who do you gift them to and how much do you put inside? We took an informal poll on whether our readers will be giving ayi a hongbao during CNY. For those with full-time live in ayis, Chinese New Year can be a challenging time. Not only are you left to manage home and family on your own for a week, but there’s also the lingering question of whether your ayi will actually return after the break. [See more: Chinese New Year: 3 auspicious dishes to welcome the Year of the Dragon] 6. There’s a 15-day window for giving. The time for handing out red envelopes is from the first to the fifteenth day of each Lunar New Year, and because it’s the lunar calendar, the calendar dates will vary from year to year. Tourists wait to board a train at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to return home for Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in Shanghai on Jan 25, 2025. Photo by CFOTO/ Future Publishing via Getty Images. Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations and Activities (Jan. 7–Feb. 12, 2025) Jan. 7, 2025: Laba Festival. Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for Chinese New Year as early as day 8 of the 12 th month of the lunar calendar. This is a festival called Laba ( 腊八 Làbā /laa-baa/ '12th lunar month' + '8'), in the traditional sense, which Wong adds that many Chinese traditions around the new year, like cleaning or eating sweets, are all about setting the mood for the year ahead. "A lot of it feels about intent. Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for The Chinese New Year of 2025 falls on January 29th (Wednesday), and will last to February 2nd. It is the Year of Snake.As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get eight days' off from work, from January 28th to February 4th. The Meaning of the Chinese New Year Red Envelopes. Chinese New Year red envelopes are a traditional gift for children or elderly people during Chinese New Year. In China, the red envelope (money) is called ya sui qian (压岁钱 /yaa sway chyen/), which means 'suppressing Sui [the demon]money'. Public holidays such as Chinese New Year and Golden Week are usually times when your ayi will not be available for work. However, some ayis wait until they get explicit permission from the client to take off, while others don't show up because they assume they have off. That time of year is upon us – Chinese New Year! Never on the exact dates as it’s following the Lunar calendar, but we can expect it to be around the end of Jan to mid Feb timeframe. Chinese staff love it, but the management always has some complex things to prepare. Such things as how to balance their project roadmaps. On this week's Dear Amber we talk about the Chinese opinions of beauty, and as Chinese New Year approaches, we learn about a very particular Chinese custom you will see in almost every household. And we answer a question about what exactly an "Ayi" is, and why you should have Ayi-envy if you aren't so privileged to have one! The Lunar New Year in 2025 welcomes the Year of the Snake, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. Celebrated by millions around the world, this is a time for cultural traditions, family reunions, and hopes for good fortune in the coming year. According to a mixed American and Chinese couple living in the CBD with an annual income of between RMB 200,000 to RMB 500,000 per year, “We have a part-time ayi who doesn’t come on a regular basis, so during Chinese New Year, we give her an RMB 500 hongbao. As you prepare to exchange hongbao during Chinese New Year, adhering to these do’s and don’ts will ensure your red packet etiquette is impeccable. From choosing the right content to embracing auspicious numbers, mastering the art of hongbao giving is not just a tradition but a heartfelt gesture of goodwill and prosperity for the coming year. The Chinese Lunar New Year, starting Jan. 29, 2025, marks the Year of the Wood Snake. It’s celebrated for 15 days, ending on Feb. 12, or Lantern Festival.
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Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
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