Red Envelopes for Chinese New Year 2025: Symbolize Good Fortune

On a tight budget or shopping last minute, these $1.50 Lunar New Year envelopes are a handy 6.5/10 pick in our testing. The gold foil accents look festive, and the compact size suits cash, gift cards, or small notes for quick gifting. Paper is lightweight with a simple tuck closure, so they don’t feel as luxe as embossed or pearlescent options. Because packs are small, our experience shows you’ll want multiple sets for big families or community events.

For a luxe, gift-forward presentation, this Hemoton brocade envelope looks elegant with its embroidered finish and generous 19 x 12 cm size that fits cash flat. Our experience shows it makes a striking single gift, but the listing appears to include only one piece, and the California Prop 65 warning plus lack of reviews may give some buyers pause. At $10.05 each, the per-envelope cost is high versus multipacks. Scoring 4.5/10, it’s best reserved for a VIP recipient or keepsake moment.

This single Lunar New Year card isn’t a traditional red envelope, which is why it earned a lower 4.5/10 in our review. During our testing, we liked the blank interior for heartfelt messages and the included kraft envelope for mailing, but there’s no foil, embossing, or customization. For relatives who live far away, it’s a thoughtful companion to a gift, yet it’s impractical for handing out hongbao in volume. Most shoppers will find better value in multi-pack red packets.

This playful dragon fan-shaped packet brings instant festival energy, and in our testing it stood out on red-envelope trays. Priced around $7.25 for a set of 6 or 10, it suits handing out to classmates, coworkers, or cousins without breaking the budget. However, there are no customer reviews and the paper weight isn’t disclosed, so durability is a bit unknown. With a 6.5/10 score, it’s a solid value pick - more festive than plain #10s, though less luxe than personalized foil options.

As a keepsake for Chinese New Year 2025, the Year of the Snake Lucky Red Glass Envelope looks exquisite: handcast glass with a sandblasted motif and hand-applied gold paint. In our testing, its compact 4-inch length displayed beautifully on a desk or altar, but the fragile glass build and single-item format limit everyday gifting. At $42.95 and rated 0.5/10, it’s our lowest-rated pick for value. We recommend it as a ceremonial memento for one special recipient or as decor rather than a bulk hongbao.

Looking to mark the Year of the Snake with something special? In our testing, the Personalized Embossed Year of Snake Envelopes scored a strong 8/10 for their custom name option and metallic embossed snake that feels celebratory and premium. The 10-piece pack is perfect for close family gifting, though larger gatherings may require multiple sets and the listing’s unclear paper weight is a minor unknown. Compared with budget six-packs, these feel more meaningful and upscale without approaching the price of true luxury sets.

As a budget-friendly Year of the Snake pick, these embossed snake envelopes punched above their price in our testing, earning 7/10. Premium red card stock and gold details look surprisingly upscale for a six-pack around small family gifting. The longer 3.5 x 6.7-inch format works for cash, though it’s less flexible for odd-size keepsakes, and there’s no personalization. Compared with ultra-cheap options, they feel nicer in hand, but they aren’t as luxurious as pearlescent 250gsm sets.

If presentation matters most, these Luxury Year of Snake envelopes impressed us with their 250gsm pearlescent paper and dual-color gold embossing, earning 8/10. During our review, the substantial feel and refined finish stood out for VIP gifts, weddings, or honoring elders. Custom logo or name printing is reserved for 100+ piece orders, and we’ve seen certain styles go in and out of stock. Compared with personalized 10-packs, this 8-pack is less customizable but distinctly more luxurious in hand.

Our top-rated choice at 9.5/10, these Premium Lucky Money envelopes delivered standout value and versatility in our testing. The standard 7 x 3.63-inch size fits cash and gift cards cleanly, and the rich red foil finish looks upscale for community or office gifting. Our experience shows the foil can show fingerprints, so handle gently, and the gummed closure isn’t as quick as peel-and-seal. Still, the 25-count pack covers large gatherings better than pricier small sets.

When you need tiny envelopes for coins or folded cash, these bright red #1 coin envelopes do the job, earning 6/10 in our review. The 24 lb paper feels sturdier than ultra-thin options, but we found the very small size won’t fit gift cards and cannot be mailed as standard letters. The gummed flap is serviceable, just slower than peel-and-seal, and packs are typically only 25. For broader gifting, our 9.5/10 top pick offers better value and capacity.

Our top-rated choice, these Personalized Dragon Phoenix red envelopes earned a 10/10 for combining a 30-pack quantity with luxe gold-foil bronzing and meaningful surname or logo customization. In our testing, the pearlescent paper and crisp foil made them feel premium for family gatherings or office distributions. Do order ahead - shipping from Hong Kong can take weeks, paper weight varies (160g vs 250g), and some logo options require a minimum order. Still, at about $30, they strike the best balance of quality, impact, and practicality in this guide.

If you prefer something meaningful and eco-forward, the No. 10 Plantable Handmade Envelope grows wildflowers after gifting - an uplifting touch we appreciated during our review. Sized to standard 4 1/8 x 9 1/2 inches, it neatly fits bills and mailed blessings, and the brick-red option feels festive. We found the handmade seed paper’s texture less ideal for heavy printing, and at $4.70 each it’s not great for bulk. With a 6.5/10 score, it’s a thoughtful mid-tier pick best for handwritten notes.

These bright Paper Source #10 red envelopes are practical for letters or cash tucked into a tri-folded sheet, and in our testing the color really pops for Lunar New Year mailings. The 10-pack at $10 works for small gatherings, but larger events will require multiple packs, and the product page notes darker color may rub onto lighter items. There’s no built-in personalization, so the look is simple. With a 6/10 score, it’s a dependable basic - less special than foil or embroidered options, but easy and ready to use.

For something truly novel, the Pokémon Lunar Pack scored 7.5/10 during our review thanks to the official sealed Pikachu promo tucked inside a traditional red envelope. It’s a fun keepsake for collectors and kids, and EU buyers will appreciate the quick shipping from France. We found the inability to choose the artwork a tradeoff, and U.S. shoppers may face higher shipping costs or customs delays. Consider it a meaningful gift-plus-collectible, rather than a bulk hongbao solution.

For kids and Sanrio fans, these official Hello Kitty red envelopes were a hit in our testing, earning a solid 7.5/10. The embossed gold foil really pops, and the 10-pack with two designs (five of each) gives you just enough variety for classroom swaps or family gifting. We found the backorder status to be the main drawback, and only two designs means less choice than larger assortments. Still, they feel more festive than plain packets at a comparable price.

Collectors will appreciate the official Disneyland artwork and gold-foil accents here, which helped this set land a 7/10 during our review. You get six envelopes—two of each design—featuring Mickey, Minnie, and Donald in celebratory Lunar New Year scenes. In our testing, the relatively small size limited what you can tuck inside, and being a 2021 release makes new stock harder to source. If you prize charm and nostalgia over quantity, these outshine generic options, but they’re less practical for big family distributions.