A time for silence and for hongbao

One of my grandfathers was from Guangdong, so our family also celebrates Spring Festival in Bangkok, but we don't make the dumplings ourselves, we buy them instead. We also go to Bangkok's Chinatown for dinner.

As in China, Spring Festival is a time for hongbao (a red envelope containing a gift of money). My parents and relatives gave them to me during Chinese New Year when I was a student in Thailand, so when I started working there, it was my turn to give something back.

When I worked in Thailand, I also got hongbao from the company. The CEO's family was from China, but some other companies (without Chinese managers) also do that. So, some Thais are given two bonuses a year - before Western New Year and at Chinese New Year. However, no bonuses are given out during Songkran, the Thai New Year, which is interesting.