Red packets (紅包)

I daresay that for at least the past two decades, Chinese New Year red packets (紅包) have undergone remarkable transformations, as though businesses are engaged in an unspoken competition to produce the most eye-catching designs—turning them into near-collectors’ items. Gone are the days when ang pow packets were plain, predictable and uninspired. There were once boundaries that businesses dared not or could not cross, for fear of being seen as even mildly avant-garde or straying too far from cultural traditions. Yet, with the turn of the millennium, designers have gradually refined the red packet into an art form, making them larger and sturdier to accommodate banknotes without the need for folding. This subtle yet practical evolution reflects both aesthetic innovation and a response to modern gifting preferences.