The case of the empty Ang Bao

Chinese New Year is the festive season that Chinese look forward to. It is a time when family members reunite and celebrate the good start of a new lunar year. We gather around a round table to take our dinner, play games and be merry.

Children love Chinese New Year because adults will give them red packets containing money.

Year in year out, I love calculating how much money I’ve received and I usually chart the takings as a measure of economic growth.

This year, I was horrified to receive an empty Ang Bao!

I’ve had my fair share of $2 Ang Baos over the years, but an empty Ang Bao is the first!

I’m so amused, that I don’t really know what to make out the meaning behind the empty Ang Bao.