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By Tony Ng
In the next 15 days, most of us will be exchanging a lot of things.
We will swop life's stories, bursting with curiosity about what has happened to everyone since the last time we met.
We will also swop hongbao.
Some people will be looking forward to the money inside the red packets.
Others, like my mother, will be looking forward to the red packets themselves.
She is an avid collector of hongbao designs, but not to the extent of 60-year-old Ms Connie Tai. She was reported recently to have more than 30,000 red packet designs. Anyway, we don't have that much space in our flat.
Unlike other collectors, she doesn't buy the red packets. She just gets them through shops and companies that give out the red paper with purchases.
I consider it lucky then that in the course of my work, I have received a few red packets from various car distributors who are kind enough to send them.
Each pack is meticulously designed, with the patterns and colours changing every year.
I'll hand them over to my mother whenever I receive them, who will instantly morph into an hongbao critic, commenting on the hongbao designs and paper quality.
According to a friend who is in PR, each pack of 10 may cost more than $3, depending on the company's budget. This includes a uniquely designed cover.
I do not know the price of these red packets, which are given to the car dealers' customers and business partners.
Still they are worth a lot, in non-monetary terms at least because criticism aside, my mother is happy is to collect these rare designs.
Besides I don't think she expects her children to buy a Lamborghini any time soon.
Perhaps that is the reason why a family friend, another hongbao collector, gave my mom many more hongbao in return for these designs.
Here's to more good wheels ahead. May all of us be wiser (and COEs less pricier).
Happy Lunar New Year.
tonyng@sph.com.sg
Do you have an even better selection of car-related hongbao or related Chinese New Year cards? Let me know by e-mail or through the comments.
If you can, send me the pictures and I'll add them to the picture gallery below with your credit.
Car companies and their hongbao designs
Click on thumbnail to view.
(Photos: AsiaOne) |
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Reader's contributions
Click on thumbnail to view. Story continues after photos.
(Photos: Courtesy of Ms Esther Tan) |
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