Hongbao is a red envelope which Chinese people give at weddings and Chinese New Year. It's red as red color means luck and good fortune in China and it's used to give money. The same way we would have Christmas parties in December, in the last 2 weeks we had several lunches during which we had lucky draws to get our Hongbao with 1, 10, 50 or 100 RMB inside. I did not get much money (which I dropped in the charity box) but I really liked the envelopes:)
Today my ayi (i.e. my cleaning lady) left the below plate in my apartment: some fruits and a red envelope. An empty one. I read that on Chinese New Year you are supposed to give your ayi a hongbao worth 1 month of wages. I assume the empty red envelope in my apartment means I should give her something. But how much? I have no clue what 1 month wages is as I'm staying in Somerset which pays her. Now I don't mind giving her something but don't know how much would be appropriate. Dave found the same envelope in his apartment and his facing the same question. So the two of us are trying to figure it out now before Sunday. Any idea?
1 comment:
The one month salary as Hongbao seems to be very common, indeed, though most data I found on the net was not stating the actual salary people paid their ayis.
If you follow this link, people are suggesting between 500 to 1000 RMB as a monthly salary.
Their ayis are coming 3 to 4 times a month for around 4 hours or so.
Now, as the hotel is paying her, I am wondering whether they pay her a monthly salary once for several people or a salary times the people she cleans for?
Also, depending on how many hours she works in your appartment, I guess you would adapt. I would also check with the hotel manager for advice.
Someone else wrote by the way that he gave each of the people at his hotel's reception 100 - 200 RMB, too - seems to be an expensive time of the year :) ).
Most people suggest to be reasonable, though.
So, depending on how much work she has with your place and how often she comes I would apply this formula:
(hours spent per month) x 80 RMB
The 80 comes from 1000 RMB (see above) divided by 12 hours (4x 3 hours).
But what do I know?
I am in Belgium and gave my cleaning lady chocolate and 15 Euro for Christmas... =:)
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