Why would we want to give out more Lai See this year?
It is always better to give than to receive.
Right, all of us are physically restricted because of the worldwide social distancing practice but that does not mean we should not give out more lai see in the Year of the Ox.
More than anytime the recipients of the traditional red packets would appreciate the little money meant to bring them some much-needed good luck in the pandemic.
Think of the local restaurant owners who had a cursed year. The apparel saleslady who had difficulty to sell the winter clothes under the warm February. The flight attendants who now have more time to play Clubhouse, the hot social media app, and all those who lost their jobs during the difficult year.
Don’t forget the colleagues you have not met for a long time because of the work-from-home arrangement. The young kids who have stayed more at home than school in the last 12 months and the singles who are desperate for an actual physical dating.
The least you can do is send them your blessings.
Now, check your wallet. It is heavier, isn't it? Not only because most of us spent less in the Year of Rat - thanks to the loss of vacations, but also the unexpected buoyant stock markets which made most people a bit richer on paper.
Unlike the usual tradition to give out lai see during the face-to-face meeting, one needs to be more pro-active this year.
Open your phone book. Find out the top 10 callers and recount how many kids they have.
Ready? Login to your PayMe account and see if they are here. If you are using faster payment system (FPS), that is a neat way to send over small money to people with mobile number.
Apparently major banks this year encourage the practice of e-lai see by offering different incentives. Although this is a copycat move that mimics mainland giants Alipay and WeChat, which have offered the red packets or coupons for a decade, it is perhaps better late than never.
In fact, the municipal government also offered such incentive this year with some lucky Shenzhen, Suzhou and Beijing residents standing to receive a 200 yuan red packet as part of the trial of China’s digital currency.
Before keying in the amount of lai see, it is time to reflect on friendship. Well, sometimes it is too easy to forget how many nice angels are around us.
It is year 2021. A twenty dollar note cannot even afford a simple breakfast in McDonald. Be generous!
The more you give, the more you receive. If this has not applied to you before, it would be this year.
Kung Hey Fat Choy!
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