“Chinese New Year is about getting together, at least for once on this special day, to feast and share happiness. It no longer feels that festive in the cities anymore. When we were young we would receive red paper envelopes and light fireworks. But today a lot of things are digital, whether it is animated fireworks or virtual red packets through payment systems. We often now sit around as a family and compete who’s faster at collecting red envelopes sent into our extended family chat that has almost 20 people in it,” said Shi Yan, a native Shanghainese. 

Giving red envelopes has been a Spring Festival tradition for centuries, starting from an old legend. 

Long time ago, a child was suffering from fever and coughing during the Chinese New Year and the parents gave him some coins to play with.

Next morning the parents found the child had a good sleep and no longer feverish. They believed that the bright light that reflected off the coins scared off the beast which brought sickness. 

From then on, it became a tradition for elders to give money wrapped in red envelopes to kids for good luck and fortune but it is gradually replaced by digital red envelopes on WeChat.