In Malaysia, the Chinese New Year (CNY) season and ang pow packets are inseparable – like oranges and good luck: bright, cheerful, and full of promise.
This Year of the Horse, these little red – well, the colour palette has expanded –traditional envelopes have grown into tiny canvases for creativity.
We’ve spotted designs that go beyond the usual gold-on-red motifs: some wink at pop culture, others twist traditional symbols into clever illustrations, a few drift into surreal, abstract territory, and some evoke feel-good hometown nostalgia.
Artists, designers, calligraphers and cartoonists are turning what used to be a simple gift packet into a mini festive statement, proving that ang pows can be just as playful, bold, and unexpected as the celebrations themselves.
Here are a few homegrown ang pow design highlights for this CNY.
A burst of energy
Some ang pow designs go beyond festive cheer, using art to raise awareness and support meaningful causes. A notable example is the work of young artist Branden Lim, who lives with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a condition that causes muscle atrophy due to the degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal cord.
Under FriendenArt, the social enterprise and art gallery co-founded by his parents, Yap Sook Yee and Edmund Lim, several of Branden’s artworks – as well as pieces by other artists with disabilities, aged 13 to 30, including Eugene Ngan, Kaye-Leigh and Nurul Hikmah – have been adapted into ang pow designs for local companies.
“The difference with these ang pows is that the artists receive royalties for their work being used,” says Yap.
“It’s a meaningful way for them to earn an income while creating awareness. We hope more corporations will collaborate with us and support this initiative in the future.”
Alongside the usual festive wishes, the colourful designs carry deeper messages of courage, resilience, and hope, turning each ang pow into a small but powerful celebration of talent and determination.
Meow and wave
For KL indie design collective Projek SembangSembang, this year’s ang pow – bright in blue and yellow – carries its signature "punny" charm. The in-house “Money-fest” design shows fortune cats calling forth a flurry of good luck.
“Bringing you endless money-festations for your pocket to be hopeful for. As we usher in a prosperous Year of the Horse, we invite you to celebrate the new year with our collection of Xinnian things,” the collective wrote on Instagram.
Beyond ang pow packets, Projek SembangSembang also offers postcards and stickers, spreading extra cheer for the Chinese New Year season.
Drawn from memory
Penang-based comic book artist Julian “Lefty” Kam, 57, was once again commissioned to design community ang pow packets for the Batu Lancang constituency in George Town.
Known for his nostalgic, homey style, Lefty created a series of five designs that, when placed side by side, form a seamless single image.
This year, Lefty's series highlights a setting that reflects the close-knit communities of his childhood and the everyday moments that continue to inspire his work.
“My work documents cultural heritage that’s slowly being overshadowed by contemporary life,” says Lefty.
“For this year’s Chinese New Year ang pow art, I wanted to push that exploration further, drawing on elements from the 1970s and 80s – echoes of a childhood era that continue to shape my artistic memory.”
Lefty adds that the continuous “loop” formed by the five designs carries a deeper meaning: a hope that these cherished traditions endure for generations to come.
Tangerine dream
KL-based digital artist and illustrator Michael Chuah marked his second year of running his gallery in GMBB with a special ang pow design. The illustration features tangerines alongside his signature character, Yuurei Neko Sama – a cat turned ghost – and its frog companion.
“Being part of a creative community like GMBB has opened many doors and helped me make so many new friends,” says Chuah says.
“Last year, I contributed an illustration for one month of the GMBB table calendar. This year feels a bit more special – I had the chance to design the red packets in a Chinese painting style, something I’d never tried before. The result isn’t the typical bright-red envelope; the base is a soft yellow, giving it a nostalgic feel.”
An elegant gallop
Fresh off designing the book cover for Janet Tay’s Early Mornings At The Laksa Cafe, illustrator and graphic designer Betty Qui – better known as @bad_luck_bettyy on Instagram – has embraced full festive flair with her ang pow design.
Her packets capture the spirit of the Fire Horse this year – energetic, enthusiastic, and majestic.
“I balanced that energy with softer touches – the floral frame, the bonsai branching from the window,” says Qui.
“Originally, I wanted the ang pows to resemble old bank notes, but that didn’t quite happen. Instead, I added horseshoe patterns and curvy lines in the background to echo the flow of horse hair.”
Qui's ang pow series, along with other festive creations, is available at Tsutaya Books, Bukit Jalil in KL until March 1.
Serving up the classics
In a collaboration with Bata Malaysia, Kedah-born artist Lihua brings together the flowing elegance of Chinese calligraphy and the soft, dreamy hues of Western watercolours in a design that truly captures the spirit of Chinese New Year.
The series celebrates the season’s joy with a lion dance, reunion dinner, firecrackers and the God of Wealth.
It comes in a set of five packets: four individual designs and one that unites them all into a single, harmonious composition.
Let's get loud
If you’re tuned into the Otak-Otak universe of Shelhiel and Mulan Theory - the M-pop duo behind KTV Baby and other retro, thrashy underground cuts - this ang pow bundle lands with layers of inside jokes.
Created with illustrator Teebai, it comes as a cheeky set: a red packet series, sticker pack and even a firecracker for good measure.
They’re unlikely to linger for long, especially with hyper-pop striking a chord with younger audiences.
