to give & to receive; to receive & to give...

ye olde tradition that many look forward to when festivities come around especially by the kids are when theyget the packets filled with $$$. as far as i could remember (which can strecth by an inch & a mile) it was only during chinese new year that the 'hong pao' or red packet was given out to kids & singletons. along the way, as we evolved & assimilated into another's culture and became more muhibbah; soon there were 'duit raya' or green packets and also 'duit deepavali' (can we call it that).

i don't know what the trend is among the hindus who give out the money packs but i guess among the malays during raya, the green packets are given to children & young adults generally if you are still studying and haven't begun drawing a pay-check. depending on one's generosity, if you have just graduated & unemployed you may still be lucky enough to be on the receiving end. but the minute you start working & drawing a steady pay-check, that's it - all rights to receive monetary benefits stop. and for this money dispensing machine, amount given depends on which level of education you are pursuing. the higher the level, the more the moolah. to them nephew/s & nieces or the daughter for that matter reading this, if you so decide to start working, top midway to do your masters or phd - don't even think of it.

however, in the chinese tradition - once you get married you have to be the giver. for as long as you are single, you will still benefit at the receiving end. i mean if you are a kid or a teen, its fun & okay, if you are in your twenties & thirties, i guess it's still alright. but what i am curious about is - if you are a forty plus spinster or bachelor; what does it feel like receiving the hong pao? i mean i have come across many a women (no men so far) who are into their late forties and fifties & they still get hong pao. and these women i must say are financially independent & could very well afford to give very very hong pao...

how ah?