Celebrate Chinese New Year with these DIY Lucky Red Envelopes. We have a free printable template to make it easy!
This year (2021), Chinese New Year falls on February 1. The traditions of Chinese New Year are centuries old, many and varied.
For thousands of years, the occasion has marked a time to honor deities and departed ancestors. Family is a big focus with gatherings, traditional meals and other celebrations.
Chinese New Year has many traditions regarding good luck and good fortune. Houses are cleaned from top to bottom to get rid of any lingering bad luck from the past year and clear the way for good fortune in the coming year.
Firecrackers are lit to chase away evil spirits and welcome good fortune with their loud sounds. The lucky color red is used in decorations.
The Chinese New Year tradition I’m most familiar with is the giving of lucky red envelopes with gifts of money.
During college I worked at a Chinese restaurant and when Chinese New Year rolled around the owners of the restaurant gave each of us employees a red paper envelope with a gift of money. That extra money was definitely appreciated and I loved the beautiful paper envelope that held it.
DIY Lucky Red Envelopes Celebrating Chinese New Year
Uni-Ball Signo Broad Point Gel Impact Pen Gold InkNeenah Astrobrights Premium Color Paper, Rocket RedElmer’s Disappearing Purple School Glue Sticks
&
To celebrate Chinese New Year at home, I created my own version of a lucky red envelope and am sharing the pattern with you. The envelope is adorned with the Chinese Fu character, which means “fortune” or “good luck”.
To make your own DIY lucky red envelopes, just print the Chinese Lucky Red Envelopes template on red paper, cut out, fold up and glue on two sides. To decorate, I used a gold glitter marker to trace over the character and add a few more flourishes. Once you fill your envelope with money, you can tuck in the open flap or use a bit more glue.
For our most recent celebration, we took the easy way out with these frozen (but still delicious) egg rolls, but here are a few recipes that would be great for your celebration:
Traditional Bao (Dumplings)
For more fun, grab this free printable Chinese New Year Word Search Puzzle. It features 24 words all about the holiday.
For a kids Chinese New Year craft project, you can make this Chinese New year Dragon Craft.
Have you celebrated Chinese New Year? What kind of good fortune do you hope for in the new year?
Jeanine says
How fun! We haven’t ever celebrated the Chinese new year but it looks like a fun little project!
Theresa says
Those are some spiffy envelopes. We don’t celebrate the Chinese New Year, but we sure do love the food!
Aimee Smith says
Those envelopes are too cute. We get these egg rolls all the time, my kids LOVE them!
Danielle Bishop says
The tiny envelopes are so cute! I definitely want to try this project.
melisasource says
These little envelopes are so cute! I am going to try this craft with my kids!
Jenny Temcio says
I love the Tai Pei meals. They are the perfect size!
Stacey - Travel Blogger says
Your envelopes are really nice! They would be perfect for giving monetary gifts.
Veronica says
What a fun project. I would totally love to try it
Michelle says
Oh how perfect with the red envelopes! This is one of my favorite traditions, and I will definitely be making my own. Great printable! #client
Aimee Fauci says
So cute and adorable. I’d love to make these and put them in random places for people.
Melissa says
We have never celebrated the Chinese New Year but this looks so fun. We may need a new tradition!
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly says
Haven’t tried the ones by Taipei yet but I LOVE SeaPak’s Spring Rolls so much! I also love the Chinese Red Envelope Tradition, but will buy them because I am not so patient when it comes to crafting and DIY! 🙂
You did a great job with yours! It’s nice that the owners of the restaurant where you worked observed that tradition.
Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says
I never really did much for Chinese New Year, but I think I might try something like this with the kids this year.
Diana Rambles says
What a fun celebration!
Sara Phillips says
I love those red envelopes! I don’t know much about how to celebrate the Chinese New Year, but the idea of buying Tai Pei and making lucky envelopes is a good one!