Milo's Ang-Pow

The person who likes to say "Petunia, it's just a dog!" (I won't say who it is)asked me three times today if we should give Milo an ang-pow (or hongbao or red packet). For international readers, the ang-pow is an ancient Chinese tradition. It is a small red enveloppe containing token sums of money that one gives away to little children and unmarried people (for the Chinese believe that as long as you aren't married, you're still a kid). Hence, theoretically, a 70 year old bachelor can still receive ang-pows.

Being Chinese, I am wont to think that such little red packets are far more practical than presents. At the very least, they can be saved up for a rainy day... and it saves the giver a big headache when it comes to gift shopping. Besides, they're easy to carry around. If Santa Claus gave ang-pows instead of gifts, then maybe he wouldn't need such a big sled (pulled by so many reindeer) and he wouldn't need such a big bag (to put the gifts) and he wouldn't be all red in the face lugging those gifts around eh? Hee! Indeed, if Santa Claus gave out ang-pows to all good children, he could do it from beside his fire in Lapland (or somewhere) because at the click of a button with internet banking, virtual ang-pows containing real money could be sent and simultaneously reach every single child in the world. Think of that... no need to climb down chimneys which anyhow, don't really exist in many modern tenements eh?

Ok... before I get flamed for being cross-culturally insensitive, let me just say that I love Santa Claus and I love opening presents especially when it is something I've been hinting for.

But well, that's beside the point. Milo's ang-pow had 20 shelled pistachios. Like any good Chinese child, he was very happy with his ang-pow even though he didn't quite know what to do with it at first. We had to help him open it up. Next year, we hope he will know how to open his own ang-pow.