Red envelopes are a Lunar New Year tradition for London sisters

London sisters Gabrielle and Juliet Hertzman, 12 and 9,are expecting to get at least a few red envelopes, or lai see, for Lunar New Year today. Not everyone gets them there are rules around the tradition.

"The red pockets are these things that adults will put money in and they're actually not all red, like I have a yellow one and a pink one," Gabrielle said.

"You'll get them if you are not married, so you're a kid, or if you are married and then you give it to the elders," she added, but pointed out thateven if someone is 70 years old, they'll still get one if they're unwed.

Lunar New Year is on Feb. 1but because it's based on the lunar calendar, the date changes each year. It lasts 15 days and coincides with the new moon.

For the girls, the holiday is all about family, food, and the red envelopes.

The sisters are expecting to get about four envelopes this year: two from their uncles, and two from their grandparents. They can get anything from $20 to several hundred in each one.

The most Gabrielle got in total one year was about $380.

Chinese New Year is not just a family thing for the sisters they've celebrated the holidaywith friends too.

"I've had Chinese New Year parties where they'll come and they'll wear red and my mom will make homemade dumplings," Gabriel said.

"And I've brought things to school," she added. "I'd give out the red pockets and I think we filled them with Jell-O," she said, pointing out that they were Jell-O cups.

When it comes to their favourite part of Chinese New Year, Juliet said that "feasting" would be it.

"I like the food and the money, personally," Gabrielle said. "I quite like the money."