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When is the best time to open Lunar New Year red packets in the Year of the Horse 2026?
It is considered rude to open lai see in front of the giver but don’t leave the red packets unopened for more than a couple of months
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Are your loved ones in luck this year? See our predictions for all the zodiac signs in the Year of the Horse.
The 15th day of the first lunar month falls on March 3 this year. In Chinese culture, not only is the day known as the Lantern Festival, it is also the last day to give out red packets. Then on and after the 16th day, you can finally count the money you collected over the Lunar New Year.
According to Chinese tradition, opening these red envelopes – hong bao in Mandarin or lai see in Cantonese – before the festival officially ends on its 15th day, tempting as it may be, may ruin a perfect cycle of celebration, as symbolised by the first full moon of the new year.
The exception to this rule is the seventh day, which marks “everyone’s birthday”. On this day – February 23 this year – it is OK to celebrate by opening your lai see to acknowledge the well wishes you received from friends and relatives.
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