In this edition of The Gift, we’ve handpicked gifts to celebrate Lunar New Year. Plus: the best gifts to give yourself.There’s a Chinese rhyme I learned as a child. It loosely translates to: “May you have a happy and prosperous new year! Give me a red envelope!” Every year, I’d recite it, then collect my red envelopes full of cold, hard cash — and hoard them like Scrooge McDuck. Truth is, the best Lunar New Year gift will always be crisp bills tucked inside a red envelope.Now as an adult, the little ones hit me up for red envelopes with that same rhyme. And while I always make sure to give a little cash, I’ve been delighted to find more to give, too. From jewelry to sweets to toys, these gifts have expanded how I celebrate Lunar New Year with my family and friends.We still practice long-held traditions like eating a lot of delicious food and sweeping out the past year’s bad vibes to make room for good luck. But this year I’ll also be ringing in the Year of the Horse on Feb. 17 with an assortment of small treats.Whether you go big every year — or you’ve never celebrated before — join me in delighting over these tokens. Any of them would make for a lovely birthday gift or just-because February treat, too:Sweets, like oranges and persimmons, symbolize a sweet, lucky new year. I’m personally partial to candy, which is why I was drawn to this elaborate zodiac gummy sampler. The beautiful red box is accented with shiny gold, and the peach blossom in the center spins to reveal the designated years for each of the 12 animals. Nestled inside are tiny boxes with a sampling of candies, in flavors like passionfruit and pineapple.It’s a tradition to start the year with fresh new clothes, preferably in lucky red. One of our style experts’ favorite sock brands has this dragon design, which is elaborate, sheer, and gorgeous. I also recommend gifting or stocking up on red underwear for good luck, especially if you or the recipient happen to be born in the Year of the Horse. Like many Wirecutter experts, I personally turned to this ultra-comfortable pair, which is soft, surprisingly chic, and comes in several shades of red and pink.While jade and gold are tradition, I was charmed by this collection of gold-plated necklaces and bracelets with delicate porcelain charms for each animal of the Chinese zodiac. (Of course, gold-plated jewelry is prone to tarnish, so best to stay away from everyday wear.) I also cooed over this entire whimsical line, especially the acrylic earrings, which make a bold, fun statement.Several Wirecutter journalists adore Jellycat’s soft plushies, and I was excited that they rolled out a special-edition horse, which is appropriately red with a gold mane and hooves. There are also these equally charming, intricately hand-painted mini horse figurines. If your child has an American Girl doll (or a similarly sized doll), it can be attired in this precious outfit, complete with a tiny red envelope accessory.This Lego money tree, with its mini tangerines and red envelopes dangling from its branches, has become part of my family’s tradition. (It’s low stock, so don’t dillydally.) This year, we’re adding this cute Lucky Cat to the mix. While it’s technically of Japanese origin and not one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, it’s meant to “beckon” good luck. The Lego version’s paw even swings, like the ones you see in restaurants.And of course, it’s still a good idea to have red envelopes ready. I’m partial to these gold-foiled red envelopes and these light-hearted ones that come with snarky, silly messages like, “Don’t spend it all on boba.”
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