Singapore actors, including Romeo Tan and Xiang Yun, have revealed how much hongbao money they give during Chinese New Year.

They also told AsiaOne portal what they thought of the practice.

ROMEO TAN, 34

He said he would give between $500 and $800 to his parents during the festive season, and his niece and nephew between $100 and $150, which he would pass to his brother.

While he does not accept hongbao from his grandmother and elders, Tan still accepts hongbao from cousins who are about his age.

PAN LINGLING, 49

The actress, who is married to former actor Huang Shinan, said the couple spend a "few thousand dollars each year" on hongbao.

She said she enjoys filling up the red packets with notes to give to their many relatives and friends.

ANDIE CHEN, 39

He said he gave out a four-digit sum in total on red packets during Chinese New Year. He gave double-digit hongbao money to friends and three-digit hongbao money to family members.

Citing the tradition in Taiwan, where red packets are given only by working children to their parents and children below the age of 16, he said it was silly to follow the "married rule", where married couples give red packets to single or younger friends and family members.

"It's weird when your 40-year-old friend is receiving hongbao from a 20-plus-year-old friend," he said.

XIANG YUN, 58

She said she gives between $5 and $10 in each red packet as hongbao is supposed to be "a blessing to the recipient" and "to wish him or her good luck".

She said she once received a red packet with 20 cents when she was a child, but there was "joy in receiving and opening" the hongbao.

Rather than fixate on the amount of one's hongbao loot, she said it was more important for people to wish one another well during Chinese New Year.