As you probably know, Lunar New Year is coming on February 3. Maggie is learning alot about it, and passing on the information to us, as preschool. Basically the color Red and loud noises scare away all the evil spirits.(Something Maggie is very OK with. Scaring away the scaries is fine by her.) But there is one other expectation...
RED LUCKY CARDS
It is expected to pass out red cards with money in them for the hotel staff, children you know, and anyone who helps you. One is expected to buy these cards (money holders) and go to the bank and get "crisp new bills" for the holders. Giving used money is I suppose bad luck. We are told $20HKD is good. Not $40 though because in Chinese "40" sounds like the word "death." Ok so need to go and buy these cards and get crisp money. Check.
Also best to have a stash of these red cards filled with $20s so you are not caught short. Check.
Everyone sells these cards so I am thinking no big deal. I approach the first diplay of cards at the department store. They have money cards that look like they can hold dollars and ones where it would look like you can to fold the money. Then I get confused. Is it OK to fold my crisp new money? Doesn't seem like it so I start looking at the larger ones. (They all have chinese characters on them. Remember that.)
A nice cleck comes over and gently lets me know that the large ones are for specific names. I give her a confused look. The chinese characters on the large ones are specific names or surnames. I laugh to myself, here I go wanting to fit in and pass out cards to the staff at the hotel all made out to "John" when I think it says "luck" on the front. I can just see them. "We thought the expats were the smart ones."
"Thank you," I say. So she looks at me and points to the smaller ones and says, "anyone cards there." "Gotcha." Anyone, yes that is who I need. But then I panic, how can I used those small ones? Do I fold these crisp bills? Is that some slight? I end up not buying any.
Afterwards I find out.."Folding the bills is OK." Have to find us some anyone cards soon.
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