Here in Hong Kong, money really does grow on trees. Seriously, this is a picture of my neighbour's tree. See the red envelope? There's money inside...
Hongbao - Chinese money bags - are small red envelopes stuffed with money and given to unmarried children in the Chinese New Year. And don't think it's just spare change. Some of these bags hold serious money. An average bag contains around R1000... and that's only one bag your granny gives you. Some grannies give two, three or four bags. And then you still have aunties and uncles and cousins and... you get the picture.
So how did a money bag end up in this tree? It seems the money bag tradition goes a little further than spoilt infants and adolescents. They are also used as offering to appease the dreaded ancestors over Chinese New year. And for some reason they are hung on trees... not that anyone would steal them! Chinese believe as soon as money is dropped (anywhere) the souls of the ancestors are connected to it, and if you pick it up they will haunt you... spooky! This contributes to our low crime rate in Hong Kong. Makes me think...if this could apply to the Tokoloshe...
And of course there is one more demographic the Chinese New Year money bag tradition applies to... teachers!
We don't need Santa Clause in Hong Kong! We have Hongbao ;-)
