
Honouring Tradition in the Digital Age
24 January 2024
Find out how to OTT Remit can help you and your loved ones celebrate Lunar New Year by sending out personal Digital Red Envelopes.
Honouring Lunar New Year Traditions
The Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of joy, family reunions, and the celebration of new beginnings. Rooted in centuries of tradition, this holiday remains one of the most important cultural celebrations across Asia and around the world, symbolizing prosperity, happiness, and renewal. Families gather to share festive meals, decorate their homes with red lanterns and paper cuttings, and take part in time-honoured customs that carry deep cultural significance.
In 2024, we welcome the Year of the Dragon, a zodiac sign often associated with strength, courage, and success. The Dragon holds a special place in Chinese culture as a symbol of good fortune and power, making this year especially meaningful for those looking forward to new opportunities and fresh beginnings.
Among the many beloved traditions, one that continues to unite generations is the giving and receiving of red envelopes, or “hongbao” in Chinese. Traditionally filled with money and presented by elders to children, or exchanged among relatives and friends, hongbao serve as tokens of blessing, prosperity, and good luck. While the bright red envelopes themselves symbolize warding off evil and bringing happiness, the act of giving represents the continuation of cultural values like generosity, care, and family unity.
Today, as technology shapes the way we connect and celebrate, this timeless tradition has also embraced the digital age. E-hongbao, sent through mobile apps and digital payment platforms, allow families and friends across distances to share blessings instantly, ensuring that the essence of the tradition remains alive—even when loved ones are far apart. It is a perfect example of how ancient customs adapt and thrive in a modern, globalized world, especially for communities celebrating Lunar New Year away from home.
What are Red Envelopes?
For centuries, red envelopes filled with money have been a cherished symbol of good luck, prosperity, and blessings in Chinese culture. The bright red color itself holds deep meaning, representing happiness, energy, and warding off negativity, while the act of giving symbolizes the transfer of fortune and goodwill from one generation to the next. It is more than just a gift of money—it is a heartfelt gesture that carries wishes for health, success, and harmony in the year to come. Traditionally exchanged during Lunar New Year family gatherings, weddings, birthdays, and other celebratory milestones, the red envelope has long been a powerful expression of connection, respect, and cultural continuity.
As society has evolved and families have become more globally dispersed, the logistics of exchanging physical red envelopes have become more complex. Many loved ones live oceans apart, making it difficult to uphold this beloved custom in its traditional form. Yet the spirit of hongbao remains as strong as ever. In today’s modern era, the practice has gracefully adapted to new lifestyles, finding fresh expression through digital red envelopes.
Enter the convenience and innovation of platforms like OTT Remit, which allow families and friends to continue this meaningful tradition no matter where they are in the world. Digital hongbao blend the richness of cultural heritage with the speed and efficiency of technology, ensuring that blessings of luck and prosperity can be shared instantly and securely across borders. Whether it’s sending a red envelope to children back home, surprising a loved one overseas, or sharing festive joy with friends near and far, OTT Remit makes it possible to honor tradition while embracing the modern way of giving. In this way, the red envelope remains timeless—bridging generations, connecting families, and celebrating prosperity in both the physical and digital age.
How to Send a Digital Red Envelope
OTT Remit not only enables you to transfer money to your loved ones securely but also allows you to attach digital red envelopes to your transactions. This feature preserves the sentiment of the gesture while overcoming geographical barriers, bringing families closer despite the miles that may separate them.
Whether you’re sending a heartfelt wish for good fortune or simply spreading joy with a festive design, the digital red envelope option enhances the emotional connection of your financial gift. May your digital greetings bring joy, prosperity and create cherished moments for you and your loved ones. Happy Lunar New Year! 🧧✨