The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) urges people to use “good-as-new” bills for their Chinese New Year envelopes (known as “lai see”) instead of the traditional brand-new ones.
Good-as-new notes should do the job, “given that Hong Kong’s currency notes are maintained at a high standard of cleanliness,” says the HKMA.
They encourage the public to “continue to support environmental protection and use more good-as-new notes for lai see”.
Middle-aged and elderly women everywhere are sure to scoff at this advice and proceed straight for the bank for those crisp, freshly pressed dolla dolla, bills y’all.
For those of you who lack the privilege of having been handed money in red envelopes from the age you were old enough to spend that sweet cash on a McDonald’s ice cream, Chinese New Year red envelopes ALWAYS contain new bills, because it’s the new year, and it’d be bad luck to do otherwise.
Since beginning to encourage the use of good-as-new instead of brand-new notes, good-as-new notes have made up 45 percent of bills issued in the lead-up to Chinese New Year, compared to 20 percent in 2006.
Photo: hermitsmoores via Flickr
