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My Hong Kong | The true cost of Lunar New Year, the most expensive time for Chinese families, and why Covid-19 restrictions could be a blessing in disguise
- It is frowned upon to be stingy during the Lunar New Year – lai see are handed out, meals are paid for and hampers are given to friends, family and associates
- The costs of these customs add up very quickly – and in pre-Covid-19 days, many people in Hong Kong would go travelling to avoid them
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Kung hei fat choi!
It’s that time of the year again and, wherever you are in the world, as long as there is a Chinese community – no matter how small – you are bound to hear this iconic festive greeting.
Like Christmas for Westerners, this is the most expensive time of the year for the Chinese. Married people, or adults in general, have to give lai see (red packets) filled with money to children and unmarried people for luck. They also have to splurge on countless meals (akin to mini banquets) and festive hampers for family, friends and business associates. The latter isn’t tradition, it’s actually a rather contemporary custom inspired by Christmas hampers.
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It also puts a lot of pressure on those who have large extended families, who have no choice but to spend inordinate amounts of money to get through the festive period; it is strongly frowned upon to be stingy.
However, I feel compelled to be totally honest and say what most people may fear to admit: this is not a good time to be around family and friends.
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Before lockdown became a way of life, people in Hong Kong often chose to travel abroad, usually to nearby countries within three to four hours from Hong Kong, to avoid being “bankrupted” by the annual new year customs of feasting, lai see giving and decorating homes with lucky plants like cherry blossoms. Do not underestimate the costs of these essential customs – they add up very quickly.
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