What to Include With a Red Packet Besides Money

Sending red packets is a tradition with deep significance in many cultures, and many of us are always looking for things to include in the red packet besides money to give a more personal and colorful gift filled with care. There are many ways to make the red packet special, and the items or messages added serve as a way to show your concern and intention.

A red packet contains more than just money—it can symbolize abundance, luck, and good health, further strengthened by thoughtful reflections and heartfelt messages. So, if you want to make your red packet more vibrant and emotional, here are things you can include that add value not only to the material gift but also to the personal connection with the recipient.

Highlights of Today’s Discussion

• Adding personal messages and greetings
• Including small symbols of abundance and luck
• Traditional items and foods as part of the red packet
• The importance of personal items in the red packet
• Things to avoid putting in a red packet

Appreciating the Red Packet as a Gift

A red packet is not just a piece of paper with money. It holds deep symbolism and significance in cultures worldwide. Beyond symbolizing abundance and luck, it is also an expression of care and reflection. Giving or receiving a red packet is a bonding moment between families and communities, demonstrating affection and love.

It’s not just the money that matters in a red packet—the added symbols or messages give meaning and guide blessings throughout the year. For example, amulets or figurines placed inside bring positive energy and good fortune.

The tradition of giving red packets reflects respect and appreciation for the elderly and loved ones, and serves as an opportunity to pray and give thanks for abundance and happiness for the whole family. In this way, a red packet is not just a material gift, but a symbol of unity and care.

Things to Include in a Red Packet (Besides Money)

When giving a red packet, what’s inside matters just as much as the money. The additional details you include become symbols of your concern and intention in giving. Besides money, there are many ways to make the red packet more special and vibrant through personal messages and other symbolic items.

Personal Messages and Greeting Statements

One of the most important things you can include in a red packet is a personal message. Instead of just giving money, a short poem or greeting can help create a more personal connection with the recipient. Messages filled with words of love, luck, and good health show your care and gratitude.

For example, in a Chinese New Year red packet, you might include a message that says, “May the year bring you abundance and good fortune.” Such messages not only bring joy but also serve as guidance for the recipient as they face the new year.

Small Symbols of Blessing

Symbols of abundance and luck are often included in the red packet as reminders of the blessings to come. Charms or small figurines like the phoenix or dragon, both symbols of luck and strength, make great additions to the red packet. These small items are not just decorations, but hold deep meaning and can uplift the spirit of the recipient.

In some cultures, small jade amulets or gold ingots may be included as symbols of abundance and protection. These items come with superstitions that provide protection against misfortune and bring blessings.

Small Foods or Sweets

One of the traditional items that can be included in a red packet is food with meanings of luck, such as fruits and candies. Sweet foods, like tanghulu (candied fruit) or rice cakes, are believed to bring abundance and good health. Sweet treats symbolize “growth” or “development,” so adding these items to a red packet is a good idea.

Citrus fruits, like oranges, are popular in red packets due to their symbolism of abundance. Their orange color represents good luck, and their round shape symbolizes completeness or endless prosperity.

Traditional Items

People often include traditional items, such as calendars with auspicious messages or inscriptions, in red packets. For example, a small calendar with Chinese characters for prosperity and luck makes a lovely addition. People say these inscriptions bring blessings and reinforce good fortune throughout the year.

Sometimes, written superstitions with symbols of luck are enclosed in the red packet to guide the recipient towards a successful and happy year.

Personal Favorite Items

If you want to make your red packet more personal and special, you can include the recipient’s favorite personal items, like mementos, photos, or other small things that have special meaning in your relationship. For example, if the red packet is for a loved one, you might add a small photo of your family or a happy occasion that symbolizes love and unity.

Such items show a deeper connection with the recipient of the red packet, not just a simple material gift.

Things to Avoid When Giving and Receiving Red Packets

Some things are not appropriate to include in a red packet. For instance, you should avoid items with negative symbolism, such as black items or things associated with bad luck. The red packet is not just a physical object; it carries energy and emotion, so giving inappropriate items could bring undesirable energy. For example, people often associate black with sadness and loss, so it’s not ideal to include it in a red packet meant to bring joy and good fortune.

You should also avoid giving items with a cheap value or those unrelated to the celebration. Giving a red packet is a gesture of care, so the items added should show respect and love. If you give items of little value or those inappropriate for the occasion, it might send the wrong message, showing a lack of appreciation. Choose items with positive meaning and relevance to the celebration to maintain the right energy and intention in the gift you’re giving.

Receiving and Giving Red Packets in Different Cultures

In each culture, the red packet holds its own understanding and customs. For example, in Vietnam, “li xi” often includes symbols of abundance, such as amulets and lucky symbols, which bring positive energy to the recipient. In Hong Kong and China, red packets often include jade items or figurines of the phoenix, symbolizing renewal, change, and the blossoming of prosperity in the new year. Jade, in particular, is an important symbol of health and success in Chinese cultures.

Each culture has traditions focusing on what should be included in a red packet, so it’s important to understand the specific practices of each place or family to give the right gift. For example, in some countries, including simple messages of luck and prosperity is considered enough, while in others, using special amulets or symbols is considered powerful. In this way, giving a red packet is not just a material gift, but an expression of appreciation and respect for local traditions and customs.

Giving a Colorful and Joyful Red Packet

When it comes to the red packet, money is not the only important thing. The items you include in the red packet serve as a display of your care and love. Through symbols of luck, personal messages, and items with special meaning, you can make your gift more personal and meaningful. The details show your desire to give not just material things, but blessings that are unseen but felt in the heart.

Bring abundance and luck to your loved ones by giving a red packet filled with care and love, not just money.