I met Chrissy Jee of @thedumplingmama on Instagram and I was thrilled to know that she decided to open her own business designing and printing really nice Chinese Red Envelopes. I like to have them on hand. I’ve used them for my son’s 2nd grade China unit as a guest presenter. I don’t know how to speak or write Chinese so the characters always confound me. Chinese Red Envelopes are used for many things besides New Year’s.
Chrissy Jee of The Dumpling Mama
I used her wonderful envelopes for my New Year’s Dumpling Party … a tradition that is now two years old. Everyone is invited to make and eat dumplings on New Year’s Day. We mix our cultures here: the recipe is for Korean dumplings called Mandu; we give out Chinese Red Envelopes even though it’s not Chinese New Year’s; and we fill the envelopes with Japanese candy. I did mention that my kids are 1/4 Chinese, 1/4 Japanese and 1/2 Korean American, didn’t I?!
Today, Chrissy and I are doing a giveaway of her Chinese Red Envelopes and she’s sharing how she uses them at home with her two girls. Chrissy also blogs at The Dumpling Mama about her experience as a Chinese-American mom, with an emphasis on healthy eating and living, designing lucky envelopes, and creating legacy.
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Chinese New Year Red Envelope Traditions + The Dumpling Mama Lucky Envelope Giveaway
In our Chinese American family, exchanging red lucky envelopes during Chinese New Year is a way for married couples to wish unmarried family and friends good luck in the coming year. The envelopes are red because the color symbolizes prosperity, good luck and thought to keep away evil spirits.
My 4 and 7 yr old daughters have been receiving red envelopes since they were born. They have learned to say thank you and give me or my husband the envelopes for safe keeping before they run off to play. Once we are home, they have a great time pulling the money out of the envelopes, adding up the money together, then putting it into their own money boxes. We use a money box to symbolize their savings accounts because the physical act of seeing the money put away is much easier for them to begin understanding the concept of saving. Behind the scenes, I match the amount and deposit into their investment accounts.
After I was married, I would buy the red envelopes from stationary shops in Chinatown. I am particular about the quality of paper and design on the envelopes and was always looking for simple designs that were traditional and fun. After years of not finding this, I decided to design my own. It took two years of learning graphic design software, foil printing trial and error, finding the right printer partner, and looking at dozens of paper samples, to open an online shop of simple and cute red lucky envelopes on really nice paper.
The Dumpling Mama Chinese Red Envelope GIVEAWAY!
Win 2 packs of Chinese New Year red lucky envelopes (value $40). Enter by checking out The Dumpling Mama Lucky Envelope shop and commenting on your two favorite designs: Luck, Good Health, or Long Life.
One lucky winner will be randomly chosen; however, everyone who enters the contest will have the opportunity to purchase red envelopes at 20% off when the winner is announced.
Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter!
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My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
I love the Good Health and Long Life designs! Two things most people don’t think much about, but are such important things to have in our lives and teach our children to be thankful for.
Hi Julie,
As I get older and older, I totally agree! I think Good Health is easy to underestimate until you no longer have it! And without Good Health, there’s not much point to Long Life!!
LOVE red envelopes. Three of my children are from China and I’ve prepared lucky envelopes for all of them for several years of elementary school. I would use red envelopes today in my MS library to pair a “lucky book title” with a “lucky reader” ie.
Along the river : a Chinese Cinderella novel by Adeline Yen Mah Mah to a reader looking for some luck! Thanks for the giveway…..going to do this library display anyway!
I LOVE your lucky book envelope idea!!! And I love your idea for a library display!
luck and heath are my favorites!! I Happy Lunar New Year and may you get good fortune and health this coming year!!
Hi Kimiko,
It’s so hard to choose! Happy Lunar New Year to you too!
I am a youth librarian and would share the envelopes with my kids in programs. What a special treat! My favorite designs are luck and good health. Thanks for the opportunity, and may the new year bring you happiness.
Hi Lisa,
What a nice idea to share the red envelopes with the kids in your program! You are such a dedicated and generous librarian!! Happy New Year!!
I love her bold designs for the traditional red envelopes for giving monetary gifts during holidays or special occasions as practiced in Chinese and other Asian societies.
Hi Sandra,
I love her designs too! A modern take on Chinese Red Envelopes!!
Long Life and Luck. I like them all though.
Hi Nancy,
Thanks so much for entering!! Happy New Year!
We enjoy eating appetizers/tapas together as a family on NYE. These look fun and educational!
Hi Kathy,
Tapas sounds like a great way to celebrate! What fun!
I love how the little dumplings are incorporated into the Chinese characters on these red envelopes. So cute! The Long Life and Luck ones are my favorites, although I don’t think my kids would care which one they got as long as it wasn’t empty, LOL.
Hi Andrea,
Me too! She is The Dumpling Mama after all! And it gives the envelopes a touch of whimsy!
These envelopes are cute! My kids love Chinese New Year.
Hi MaryAnne,
It’s so great that your kids celebrate Chinese New Year. I think you blogged how they have a celebration at their school? We don’t have that here, sadly!
I’ve been searching the Internet for better red envelopes and am so glad I found this! The long life design is probably my favorite, but they’re all better than the well worn standards.
Hi EC,
I’m so glad you found her envelopes. They are special because they are a modern and stylish twist on the old standard! I’m so glad you commented. You are going to make Chrissy so happy!
I love learning new traditions! This would be for my family to learn about and enjoy. Thank you!
Thanks so much for entering Bianca and for wanting to learn about other cultures!! You rock!