One Chinese New Year tradition eagerly anticipated by young persons is the ang pau. It is a sum of money enclosed in red envelopes which have pretty designs. Many ang pau envelopes are given free by commercial banks to their customers as it is also a form of advertising. Some hypermarkets also give them to customers whose purchases reach a certain amount.
Children are very happy to receive these ang pau when they visit their relatives or their parents' friends. It is a tradition that married couples give ang pau to children and to those who are single.
New notes of different value go into these ang pau, depending on one's financial means and to whom one is giving the ang pau to. It is the norm to give more to your relatives and a lesser amount to others, especially during open houses when friends of friends bring along many children.Of late there have been reports in the media that young persons have voiced their dissatisfaction over what they received in their ang pau.
I think this reflects a mercenary streak which is telling of an undesirable trait taking root among the disgruntled young. It tantamounts to looking a gift horse in the mouth. It is usual for a person to give what he can afford. Two Ringgit used to be the norm and still is for many. These days five Ringgit is more common. It's a bonus if you get ten Ringgit, a red note. The very wealthy are able to give as much as they wish.
Tradition it may be but it would be prudent to realise that not every married person is obliged to give you an ang pau, never mind how much it contains. One should be gracious enough to accept it with a "thank you" and to refrain from peeking inside whilst still a guest in a host's home. That is a faux pas which will discredit your parents. The Chinese New Year is an occasion for reconciliation, reunion and bonding. It is a celebration of close ties and friendships.
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