k a w a i i (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)
The squeaky mice are not only taking the lead in the next 12 zodiac cycle but the new decade as well. Do you know that 2020 is the 20th year of the 3rd millennium, the 20th year of the 21st century, and the 1st year of the 2020s decade? This year is also a leap year unfortunately it hasn't been that kind to us since the outbreak of the Coronavirus at the start of the year. We can only hope that the pandemic will come to an end soon as everyone around the world prays and continues to practice social distancing. Let us take our mind off from the reality for a bit, sit back and enjoy the lovely designs that surrounded us during CNY.
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We have a head turner mice set this year and it's non other than the stunning 8pcs Vanke set that I was so lucky to win from their FB giveaway. The set comes in two set of designs, 4pcs with die-cut casing while the other 4pcs with pull out inserts. I started chasing after Mitsubishi mice set the moment I saw them being shared on FB by other collectors. After several failed attempts to trade, finally got a set from Apryl (xoxo). Are you a fan of their series? Find them (click) here.
Adding on a little more of the pinkish vibe is Skechers mice in their pink sweater and I just love the way they have designed them holding up an item to represent each of the blessings. We have good luck 好运, good fun 好玩, good comfort 好鼠服, good food 好吃 and good living 好住; gotta love that shoe eh (grin). Oh give them a click for a short trip back in time.
Here comes Midas Touch, a favorite series of mine with their unique semi-circle-rocking-zodiac shaped holder. This year their three happy mice takes on the cheese challenge, sure looks like a whole load of cheese-some time. Stockaholics three cutey mice below are just too adorable to be handling any stocks, yes they handle financial portfolio management (grin).
SWEET squeaky TREATS
Everyone was so excited when a collector posted Magnolia trio for exchange. No one knew there was one to begin with so business was exceptionally good even though they were small in size. I only got them after a few attempts and they are indeed tiny in my hands. I know some collectors do not collect small size angpows and I kind of laughed at myself for overacting but they are cute, really cute. The next icy treat is from Walls. I could not resist these adorable hamsters at first sight and was hunting for them at the supermarket only to find out much later that the 4pcs set is available at selected stores only. They were not available at my area so the next best thing to do is trade! While the second version which is baby Mickey and Minnie pair was distributed in the local supermarkets here. The irony is that different stores had different purchase requirement from RM10 to RM35 minimum spending. Lots of segment and tier marketing involved and it's definitely not fun especially for the collectors. I realized that this is the current trend as there are many more products that are sold with different promotions at different areas.
Another ice cream treat is from Nestle and while I know there is red packet with purchase I just could not find the promoter so in the end I had to trade a set back. This Mickey trio also has a story behind it as I was supposed to trade a second set for a friend but the collector cancelled our deal few days later. Tips for the newbies: Do not cancel the exchange once sealed even if you have just got the packets from someone or somewhere. Just put yourself in the same shoe, disappointment is not a nice feeling. Anyway there are two more ice cream red packets, just continue the journey and look out for the single designs below. More Mickeys and Minnies are joining the 2020 celebration... Which ones have you picked up from your local stores? Family Mart has two designs, yes two, each separately launched without any advance notice so many collectors where surprised that there is a second design. Tsum-tsum was a hit two years back and can be easily found on red packets then. Sinquyo is one of my two Tsum-tsum this year... find the other one from DMF Aesthetic at my single gallery below or hop over to my 2018 Baby & Friends for more if you are a fan.
Kellogg's also came in two separate pack, Mickey and Minnie were separated in their normal size cornflakes box and another 12pcs complete set that comes in their bigger box which again is not available in every stores. Kit Kat is the easiest to get and I believe everyone would have at least end up with a set or two. Joining the Disney angpow channel is Padini 5pcs set that is also the same design as it's sister companies Vincci and Brand Outlet. This Disney edition is a special release on top of their usual single design printed every year. Shell Disney was actually one of the first few sets that another kind collector kept for me, thanks Sook Man and I'm really glad we finally met to do the exchange.
A collector told me that there are just too many Mickey theme this year and she is probably right but I still continue to collect them whenever I get the chance. Hence adding on another trio from Maybank with a glimpse of the dragon or is it a sea monster? Hop over to my financial corner to find out where did this Disney set came from. We also have Mickey & Minne from Shimino and Skinz Sanctuary, both from the beauty line. Shimino is thicker in paper while Skinz is printed on normal paper. Let's see how many more Mickeys I can add on by end of the year > <
MOG took on just the mickey head on it's cover casing in blind embossing while added hot stamping on the single rubbery texture piece and finally with the same mickey as the flap secure. How did I get them? I apparently won from Ooppa facebook giveaway where the prize was supposed to be a design by Ooppa instead of MOG. I had to send my representatives to their Sunway Pyramid outlet twice and one of them was planing to try out their eye-wear. Unfortunately their service did not bring them any sales that day. I of course private messaged Ooppa to ask why the prize is different as advertised, unfortunately they have went silent on me since ╮ (. ❛ _ ❛.) ╭ What do you think of the three golden blind mice from Whoosh? I find them quite lovely as they have this unique textured art-lines and they stood out instantly with the yellow, pink and purple background, beautiful!
Ecolite possum like rodent is definitely one of it's kind and this family of six is adorable. The inner packet can be used to deliver short messages (greetings) too, does reminds me of those writing pads that I used to collect when I was a teenager. This set comes in an all red die-cut casing (click here for the casing view over at my FB album). Fun Facts: The possum is actually a tree-climbing marsupial that lives in Australia, and a distant cousin to the North American, opossum. not a rodent. Marsupial is an animal that has a pouch like koalas and kangaroos.
I always look forward to Midas Touch red packet series because they have their very own distinctive designs and this year's rocking ratty is no exception. It's a cheesy race with lots of fun. Do hop over to catch their piggy and doggy over at my Facebook page, they are so adorable.
Even though just a pair, we get ten "looks" from Fictionist Studio vibrant ratty pair. Just slide the insert upwards to get those eyes rolling!! Thanks Mei Fern for grabbing me these catchy fortune mice.
Even though just a pair, we get ten "looks" from Fictionist Studio vibrant ratty pair. Just slide the insert upwards to get those eyes rolling!! Thanks Mei Fern for grabbing me these catchy fortune mice.
While Brew House four mousy below may not be from Disney they sure have the signature mickey ears popping out and this year family is definitely a continuance series from last year's piggies, see the resemblance? Another lovely continuance from 2019 is the zodiac series from Go Fun Kee. I was so happy when I got Mr Piggy from Mei Fern last year. This year even though I won the beautiful rat from their FB giveaway I had to wait for an East Malaysia collector whom collected them on my behalf to mail them over. The reunion is sure worth the wait, they are gorgeous!
Eu Yan Sang was a pleasant surprise this year with their two different theme sets, the six chubby gerbils and another 3pcs family celebration, just scroll further down for it. Another full body face set is Total Pro-Pack; both the mouse and the background comes in six different colors. Not only that they have also printed a traditional family Chinese New Year celebration that included prayers to the ancestors on the reverse side. Next we have Iocando also bringing out their five color Jerboas for a fun filled CNY time.
Tlime for some dental care with Austin Dental and One Morning. Both have some similarity in terms of envelope casing, flaps, the mice of course and the most obvious of all are those front teeth. One Morning has my vote for the more vibrant prints, joining set and bigger teeth!!
Continuing the mice theme with the elegant red ones; Loccitane is going red and gold with it's mouse flying high in a hot air balloon. While the actual red packet is all red, the yellow casing gives the set a more sunshine finishing look. Cload was one of the first creative companies that released their design to the collectors back in November. Their golden zodiac this year is shining bright in a screen folder as compared to their more adorable doggy set back in 2018. Which one do you prefer?
Before we meet the teddies we have the googly eyes mice pair from Morinaga which I actually won them on one of their Facebook live event. Those 3D eyes are really "watching" us and I didn't even noticed that there is a female with flower and the male with a hat until I uploaded them > <
The golden line rats are enjoying a big block of cheese, although using just the red this 6pcs set from SPAO sure looks fine. Do you recall another design using the same golden line art for their mice? Click here to find them. The fabric casing is up next and we have the beautiful elegant die-cut mouse in red from Cisco while HP went with a yellow casing and red insert instead. Verdict: Cisco is much classier for sure!
Another IT company TMT Thunder Match joining the rat race with their little gray pals lion dancing shouting Heng, Ong and Huat!!!
The next pair is a real cutie Malaysia Airlines illustration by a friend of my beautiful flight attendant bff. Joan was so thoughtful to have not only supported my hobby but her talented artist pal as well. I am sure Joan's friend will agree that we absolutely love having her as our buddy. Tiny Button is one of my few teddy bear themed packets this year. Just like the previous year 2019, I was quite into the bear-bear motif, do you remember any of them? Hop over to my 2019 Baby & Friends corner for more of the cuddliness.
The next pair is a real cutie Malaysia Airlines illustration by a friend of my beautiful flight attendant bff. Joan was so thoughtful to have not only supported my hobby but her talented artist pal as well. I am sure Joan's friend will agree that we absolutely love having her as our buddy. Tiny Button is one of my few teddy bear themed packets this year. Just like the previous year 2019, I was quite into the bear-bear motif, do you remember any of them? Hop over to my 2019 Baby & Friends corner for more of the cuddliness.
While Tiny Button teddies are all about the heads, Chicco teddies are bigger but still not full size as the duo are missing their legs. E Excel teddy is definitely full size but hiding under a pretty cool dragon head. Find the other teddies over at my YOY page (click here) and I also have more full size teddies below.
Ah I have totally forgotten about the bear in relax mode Rillakuma and her friends Korilakkuma the white bear and Kiiroitori her yellow pet chick by Dove Sunsilk. These cuties are born in 2003 and has been featured on stationery and merchandise since. Another teddy joining the family is Brown and his friends from Line brought to us by Bio-essence.
Besides the rabbit from the LIne gang above we have our sweet Merries white bunnies joining us with a beautiful glossy garden set of four. Definitely different from before and I like this new look!
Done with the bear-bear, below we have the biggest bee this year and it has to be TeezBee with their three big and thick jolly musketeers in yellow, red and pink, delivering plenty of golden coins and sycee to everyone. The bees from One 2 Image continues to buzz with honey everywhere.
Done with the bear-bear, below we have the biggest bee this year and it has to be TeezBee with their three big and thick jolly musketeers in yellow, red and pink, delivering plenty of golden coins and sycee to everyone. The bees from One 2 Image continues to buzz with honey everywhere.
Look who's holding it's head up high and looking into a better year ahead. Hush Puppies is all dressed up for a fun and colorful time, all six of them above is adorably delightful. Thanks to a collector who is actually just a few minutes drive away. Sometimes it's worth the time to meet collectors especially seniors as they usually are quite generous in giveaways. Just a tip to the newbies, always take it easy and never be too picky, you will be surprised with the extra coming your way ^ ^
Vive is splashing colorful blobs over their 8pcs set and I quite like the style especially the cover casing which is vibrant and catchy. This is probably my favorite CNY set from them so far... while my favorite of all actually is their 2019 Raya set which I have not got the chance to upload to my Facebook album yet (oops) > <
Have not been to Genting for many years and Skytropolis was promoting aggressively their indoor theme park during CNY. Many collectors made a trip up the mountains just to grab this delightfully jolly 8pcs set that featured the animal friends and the unofficial guardians of Resorts World Genting: Tabby the Tiger, Allie the Elephant, Joe the Orangutan, Geno the Dinosaur, Malaysian Sun Bear Benny the Entertainer, and Callie the Dragon. It's a happy and colorful jungle party indeed.
Oh look more googly eyes and there are five pairs all looking joyful and a little silly, in a happy fun way. Just like the previous years Nickelodeon presented their popular cartoon characters, this year in a orange theme as compared to pink in 2019 and red in 2018. Muar Yuen Chen Siang four color coin purses set is quite delightful, definitely a rare design and a keeper.
Taking a sweet and soft colorful tone with the mice theme is Kim Offshore, a series that I was able to trade with the lady boss herself since 2015. Sadly she didn't revert to our incomplete trade since 2018 and so I have missed out the next two years' edition. Even though without the screen folder, these mice were a lucky trade for me because I got them from another collector whom I believe is probably related to the boss. Do you find the design familiar? Hop over to my Brands & Jewels and see if you can spot something similar there.
It was a really colorful surprise from Camwell this year, taking a change of color with their floral mice set of four. I am definitely a fan! Tashi Delek, also playing with a set of pastel colors, has a collection full of fingerprinted mice, a rather unique illustration that might not appeal to every collector. Well, I like them very much actually. The paper material is rubbery and those spiral print artwork is one of a kind.
Serving next is a unique noodle bowl theme that features 3 different noodle dishes by Go Noodle House. Not only each bowl has their own different ingredients, the noodles form 3 different auspicious Chinese characters and the envelope can be opened up all the way for the complete view, definitely a keeper!
BMS is smaller in size but continues with a familiar road map motif from last year, incorporating giant bottles, bowls, cups, rice bucket, beans and mushrooms with the mountains and yellow river. Can you spot the tiny mouse on each of this 3pc set?
Besides BMS, also featuring tiny communities with up size traditional Chinese snacks, fruits and traditional food basket/carrier is Sarawak Energy 5pcs set. Another version of a 3 tiered wood and cane woven basket is known as Bakul Siah that is used in Peranakan weddings. Take a closer look and you will surely notice the five different auspicious fruits/nuts in each piece. There is another set with similar giant size food and snacks motif, come back soon to find out. Below we have SC Seven a really colorful community set that has lots of details from shops to bridge, river and boats, mascots, lion and dragon dancing, adults and kids, cranes, swans and fishes.
I stumbled on this festive 4pcs set from Goodnite International and was thrilled to trade it back. Lots to see from the reunion dinner with Chinese buildings backdrop, lion and dragon dancing under the fireworks to children playing firecrackers. From a good night festival to a bright morning celebration we have Macau Imperial Tea up next. I was lucky to have met an easy going collector who traded me this yellow set with buildings background, dragon and lion dancing. Did you notice that the dragon, lion and even the people are the same as Goodnite? I wonder now if both are from the same printing company. Another delightful yellow pair I have just added below is from Tender Soft which I am glad that I had hunt for it. Good paper and printing quality plus that they have the biggest dragon parade so far. Another adorable set with both lion and dragon dancing is Fipper and yes I am missing the other yellow set which is pretty hard to hunt down.
Another one of my lucky trade is Kiehl's, a big set that is made up of eight individual designs with buildings, landmarks and lots of mice. I am sure you would have noticed the skeleton and probably wondering why, especially on red packets. Well "Mr Bones" skeleton was an actual human skeleton used by the founding family during consultations to educate patrons on various ailments and helpful remedies. As for the motorcycle, it's actually a Harley Davidson that is displayed in stores as an expression of Kiehl's brand personality that is exploring and adventurous. Besides the big golden dragon dancing in Kiehl's set and the few sets before there is another joyful set that features not one but two dragons dancing on poles... look out for the kids performing the longwu (龙舞).
Michelin town is next with a purple theme. Plenty of modern buildings with people gathering to celebrate the new year. Can you spot the two Michelin man? How about the tiny mouse? Yes there are a few of them roaming the town ( > < ) Also carrying the purple shade is Air Asia with their brown paper packet since 2018. I must confess that I have not uploaded their 2019 which I hope to do so before the 2022 hunting began. Well at least that's the plan (lol). My favorite design from them is actually the 2017 rooster, a rare and bold design that locked my eyes at first sight.
Continuing the brown paper look is Nestle Milo slim and looking pretty and fit pair with splashes of pink blossom while Koi The is taking a tea break with a trio of red & brown illustration. Adela definitely caught me by surprise with a building set of 5 even though printed on normal paper, the motif is a popular one among collectors. Can you spot the twin towers in both Air Asia and Adela? There were slightly more twin towers featured in 2019, remember any? Hop over to my 2019 page and find them under the buildings and cars section.
Starting off with my first two single building design from Inside Scoop (check out the glittery view over at my facebook album here) and Nam Heong both shining in gold while joining the architecture exhibit is the colorful Perut Rumah with it's two adorable lions up front and Marco Polo traditional Chinese stone bridge. The one with the 3D buildings is from the KTV house that has been around since 2000, ah my young adulthood days. Red Box took a break from the Pocotee gang and painted a mini Red Box town with lots to see.
Homesoy is quite a cheerful celebration trio. One of my favorite things about buildings is that there are many details to appreciate, all you need is to zoom in! The festive celebration continues with their Raya edition of the kampung village flavor.
Magnum 4D (not the ice cream ><) below has finally stepped away from their past designs offering collectors a new look. Even though paper material is still the same, the kampung feel is strong with the traditional front door and windows up front and a reunion table behind. What surprised us all is the lovely family that pops up under the flap, bravo! Ah Huat also joined in the fun with the kids popping out from the windows and Ah Huat himself welcoming guest at the front door. I had joined their Facebook contest, twice and didn't win, in the end got the set from a lovely promoter who kept aside for me and so I bought their cocoa drink for my hubby > <
Magnum 4D (not the ice cream ><) below has finally stepped away from their past designs offering collectors a new look. Even though paper material is still the same, the kampung feel is strong with the traditional front door and windows up front and a reunion table behind. What surprised us all is the lovely family that pops up under the flap, bravo! Ah Huat also joined in the fun with the kids popping out from the windows and Ah Huat himself welcoming guest at the front door. I had joined their Facebook contest, twice and didn't win, in the end got the set from a lovely promoter who kept aside for me and so I bought their cocoa drink for my hubby > <
The heart warming reunion dinner theme is next and Ecobrown family is quite a delightful trio, their first set I believe and I definitely contributed to their CNY sales this year. The story behind this is that my mom went to a few supermarkets but just could not find their promoter so in the end Ecobrown Facebook admin advised to get their promotion pack online which I did but not before confirming and reconfirming with their admin that the angpows are still available ><
Adding on some purple vibe from Zen House reunion pair, two different versions of Ribena pair as well as TC Boy family of four round table theme and they are indeed cheering on the new lunar year with smiley eyes and a big happy smile! Big Bath big family is quite adorable, all eight of them happily tucked in a box.
Another family dinner reunion but a repetitive one with different Chinese characters on the top, Kow Hock. A little disappointed in the chosen motif but still nice to continue the series although their FB giveaway is no longer as generous as previous years now. Below a reunion dinner set all the way from East Malaysia, My Dobi designed by designspace. Everyone was trading for this so naturally I joined the band wagon as well.
Next we have the round table reunion theme with Homepro happy family of six while Eu Yan Sang trio extended their reunion meal to a bigger celebration with lion dancing and guests visiting. Purple Cane's tea party of four is enjoying one of our famous traditional snacks, kuih kapit. Also known as Semprong, Asian Egg Roll, Sepit, kue Belanda, or Kapit, (Love letters in English) is actually an Indonesian traditional wafer snack (kue or kuih) made by clasping egg batter using an iron mold (Waffle iron) which is heated up on a charcoal stove. These biscuits may have been brought to parts of Malaysia and Singapore from Penang and Malacca by the Peranakan Chinese. I can't recall any red packets with this kuih kapit making illustration so this pair is definitely a keeper. Be sure to hop over to my YOY page to catch their past year designs.
Lim Tayar finally brought back the colors after their last three years' plain red themed packets and the collectors are simply enjoying the 6pcs lousang dish, a really meaningful and beautiful set. Look closely and you can find all sort of stuffs on the dinner table, loving the details. Speaking of dinner table we have the biggest cookie table from Oreo with their happy family of six enjoying their tea. Another popular Chinese staple recipe is the bun or baozi 包子 and we can definitely find some adorable ones on the 4pcs Bao Zhan set. I still prefer their previous years family theme which I have collected 2017 & 2019 but missed out on both their 2018 sets.
Ah here comes our no.1 staple food the rice and these rice bowls motif are at best side by side. Both Joico and Maxxan are serving us golden rice, wonder if there are anymore out there...
Nope we are not in the year of rooster, just these colorful cockerels decided to visit or maybe they are just here to hunt for the mice? LOL well its actually Oloiya the chicken BBQ house and they are quite a catchy flock, definitely my favorite from them so far. Their 2018-2019 series were not too bad but these crowers win... big and bold compared to the much smaller breed in 2017 (grin).
Nope we are not in the year of rooster, just these colorful cockerels decided to visit or maybe they are just here to hunt for the mice? LOL well its actually Oloiya the chicken BBQ house and they are quite a catchy flock, definitely my favorite from them so far. Their 2018-2019 series were not too bad but these crowers win... big and bold compared to the much smaller breed in 2017 (grin).
Presenting my first set of Chinese Gods this year from Fortune Passage that I won (finally) after participating in their Facebook giveaways for 3 years. They sent these out in a handwritten traditional red envelope just like what we use to do twenty years back when we would send greeting cards instead of posting family wefies on Facebook and Instagram. Next Cai Shen Ye is from Jin Ye Ye which is quite a Jolly set, not a real fan but still traded a set back since I've already collected them since 2018 and this 4pcs set is actually the nicest among the three years.
SDS 2019 little girl and the fortune god is back, this round with the domesticated species of South American rodent, a.k.a the adorable guinea pigs. Can you recall their roosters and monkey set before? Pureen has also featured the fortune gods but in the form of mice. While the idea is cool the execution probably can be better. Having said that once we have their last year piggies side by side, it's not that bad (grin) but still nothing compared to my two favorite sets from them, 2017 & 2018 (find them at my Baby & Friends page).
Paper by Takeo, printed by Percetakan Seasons and designed by their very own student, Raffles College 3pcs mice and god of fortune set has more of a traditional outlook. My Brain My Talents Fortune God is the biggest for sure paired with the lion dancing kids and can you spot their mouse?
Face to Face fortune god brought us plenty of golden sycee and coins while the white rat enjoys a bowl of delicious noodles. Look out for Mr DIY below as they have used the same (rat) face. Going small is Acson with their adorable tiny fortune gods and they are all over the pink and red pair dancing joyously.
GSK family is a joyful 6pcs set that comes in a box of eight which means the little boy and girl are twins and just like last year each piece has a different product brand printed behind. Korea Wallpaper played with the size of their angpow this year giving collectors a larger 4pcs set that comes in a big hard cover folder. However they are no longer giving out for free and the set was sold for RM9.90 during CNY. Carrying the same concept as before with their sample wallpaper inside while illustrating the spirit of reunion. Unlike previous years hunting ritual, I traded a set back relatively easy. Well they did manage to include the zodiac, not obvious but they are there. How many of them can you see? If railway is your thing, besides Korea Wallpaper's bullet train we have the Kluang Railway Station which has been in operation since 1915 featuring their famous Kluang Rail Coffee. This 6pcs set that feature a rather rare looking rodent is printed by the Kluang Parliment office.
No need to run away from any of the mice coming our way cos they are here to bless the new year! CR8 flying squirrel which is also from the rodent family is gliding gracefully to catch the golden coins while the people celebrated new year the CR8 way! I simply adore the little white mice playing at the Boehringer garden and I couldn't make up my mind which view to upload so both it is. The top one has a closeup view and feel of the beautifully illustrated garden while the front and back view below just completes the set.
Ippudo has a really catchy mice party trio. While they are all standalone designs, the color tone and illustration keeps them very much aligned and they have cleverly extended another set of senary from Equatorial Hotel. I have not been able to complete my EQ set since 2018 (missing another pair of doggy). 2019 I managed to get the four EQ piggies but failed to get the two Ippudo noodle snackers. While this round I managed to get the Kampachi zodiac series (only in 2021) there are still another 3pcs missing to complete the 2020 set of nine.
The four field mice from Caring, big and well illustrated, make a beautiful set, a must have for collectors.
The four field mice from Caring, big and well illustrated, make a beautiful set, a must have for collectors.
A combination of triangles and semi circles is the face of Apostrophe mice. Not their best designs and definitely did not leave me a good impression this year due to their choice of distribution. Long story short, after supporting their red packets for many years, they have not made it any easier to continue, well at least for me. Will this be my last from them?
Here comes the cheesy mice duo from Tayaria, small but full of flavors. The triangle shaped face opens up to blessings for the new year and did you notice the adorable two front teeth? I do like KYB choice of design, full of mice, all eighteen of them ready to greet the new year. Isuzu happy gerbils are all smiles delivering a pink blessing and another red and gold pair to the collectors. I love both, the sweet single and the elegant floral duo that comes with a mouse door casing.
Here comes the cheesy mice duo from Tayaria, small but full of flavors. The triangle shaped face opens up to blessings for the new year and did you notice the adorable two front teeth? I do like KYB choice of design, full of mice, all eighteen of them ready to greet the new year. Isuzu happy gerbils are all smiles delivering a pink blessing and another red and gold pair to the collectors. I love both, the sweet single and the elegant floral duo that comes with a mouse door casing.
The purple-licious ones are up next with ISEC red, purple, pink and yellow mice and they are just delightful and classy at the same time with their die cut casing, take them out and they become happy floral rodent. LETS is also spreading a little purple cheer in their 6pcs mice team which is one of their three sets released this year. The other two sets are more traditional type and you can find them over at my Facebook album. Indomie is small in size but adorable with their 5pcs thick glossy paper and they look pretty matching with the rest of the purple family series. Thanks to Mei Fern again for sharing the yummy bunch.
I missed out on Aiken floral pair last year and got them only during this CNY from a pretty lady pharmacist whom I got to know during my weekend groceries shopping. The Aiken mouse came months later from a bundle trade that I had offered to newbies in order to clear down my extra packets. If you are a new collector and would like to get a little more than a 1:1 swap just inbox me via my Facebook Messenger. I still have lots to let go. Moving on the five smaller chubby ones from PCG and they are looking pretty sweet in their individual soft shades. I must say somehow they look more attractive on hand.
Bubble tea anyone? Below we have more pink tone from Tea Co, bubble tea house from Miri, Sarawak. Co is short for control or in mandarin 茶控 Chá kòng which literally translate to Tea Control. The three happy mice is sipping, snoozing and running towards a prosperous year ahead. Next we have a little more purple splash from BlackBall. Those googly eyed dessert balls and their mice companions are happily delivering us their authentic bubble tea.
Bubble tea anyone? Below we have more pink tone from Tea Co, bubble tea house from Miri, Sarawak. Co is short for control or in mandarin 茶控 Chá kòng which literally translate to Tea Control. The three happy mice is sipping, snoozing and running towards a prosperous year ahead. Next we have a little more purple splash from BlackBall. Those googly eyed dessert balls and their mice companions are happily delivering us their authentic bubble tea.
Next is Daia the cleaning agent with their seven lab rats. They are small mammals of the order Rodentia which are bred and used for scientific research hence the name laboratory mouse; They look adorable in this 4pcs set and so are the twins from Starbucks and KCC Paint. Take a closer look if you think KCC are the same. It's a pair of red and pink! The white sixes of Yomeishu are delightful each carrying an auspicious item on it's back.
It's time for a bowl of fluffy and light rice, the staple food for almost every Chinese family. Do you know that rice is the staple food of more than half of the world's population and that nine out of every ten people in the world who eat rice are Asian? Above is Songhe Rice 松鹤米 with their four chubby mousy. They did not print out their brand name on the packet just their signature crane logo so it might be challenging for new collectors in the future to identify for their records. Besides Caring, we have Happy Grains happily sharing their wheat with everyone in this darker tone pair and a smiley face behind, their motto, putting the power of seeds in a cup in every hand, powerful! Another addition to the rice family is Tong Seng Huat from Miri which belongs under the Liansin Group. I just realized their mascot Jimmy the chef has the same name as my hubby ^ ^
Are you a comic fan especially a local one? If you are one or you've seen their cartoon illustration of the typical everyday Malaysian stories, you would have enjoyed a few good laughs. I know I have and the cartoonist is quite on point most of the time. Bro Don't Be Like That by Vortex trio is pretty much delivering us another short funny sketch while Vortex also has their own trio in blue incorporating the mice in the lucky coin, trophy and heart. Can you spot them? Ps: I actually won both the set from Vortex FB giveaway but they left out the funny guy and didn't send to me so I traded the set back...
Mr DIY still managed to give collectors their Raya edition despite the pandemic. While they are smaller in size, the vibrant floral prints did send many chasing after this 4pcs set including myself. Their CNY edition was a horizontal 4pcs set filled with similar colors as their Raya packets, giving collectors two different mice and floral illustration. I prefer the white mousy of course as well as this year's sweeter tone as compared to last year yellow and red. Do you remember their previous years' design and which was your favorite? Here is my pick (click here), I remembered that everyone was so eager to get the two separate designs then.
Astro four little mousy are adorable each wearing a traditional Chinese form of bodice known as 肚兜 Dùdōu, a sexy fashion-wear in today's world. I didn't trade for them earlier as there were more difficult ones to chase after. By the time I realized I have not got them in my collection I got a little carried away and ended up trading two sets from two different collectors (lol). Just like Astro, Yomie big mousy ear foursome is all jolly and happy. They have a single design from Klang Valley, another set from Kedah that you can find it at the children section further down and the one right below from the other outlet, i.e. I believe this is from Johor.
Also traded two sets back (but from the same collector) is Mitsubishi Electric pair of happy grey mice bringing us a big giant 鼠, the Chinese character for mouse together with lots of golden coins for this CNY.
Have you noticed the head accessories that are featured on red packets? Well here are a few that I have picked up this year. Giordano emperor and empress mice both wearing their head gears from the imperial days while Blue Toms hip hop rat has a modern fortune head gear that is looking playfully cool doing the dab, a dance that is believed to have originated from Atlanta among a group of rappers in 2015.
Continuing with the big heads and big ears / head gears are Aeon Big five Cai Shen Shu 財神鼠 which I traded and picked up personally from a nearby collector followed by Tesco Ong Mali trio that my cousin sister in law got through her father and finally the one I actually spent to redeemed, Eggette chicks, stacking high up celebrating the new lunar year in their mousy eggshells.
Continuing with the big heads and big ears / head gears are Aeon Big five Cai Shen Shu 財神鼠 which I traded and picked up personally from a nearby collector followed by Tesco Ong Mali trio that my cousin sister in law got through her father and finally the one I actually spent to redeemed, Eggette chicks, stacking high up celebrating the new lunar year in their mousy eggshells.
Lego mouse is having a Lego picnic with it's Lego friends, a pair that I try not to miss so as to continue the series that I have collected over the years. Believe me that they look extra nice together so hop over to my YOY page to find them. Both Avis and An Xin have given us a cute 4pcs gerbil set wearing the dudou, a traditional undergarment worn during the Tang Dynasty. The same little rodents can be seen representing another company...
Jayamas three little nibbles wearing the dudou above are having a blast lion dancing however I can't say the same with the trading experience that came with it. Long story short, collector was easy going at first and so I didn't mind offering her better quality packets, after dealing two pairs she got picky with the subsequent ones and finally asked if I wanted to buy from her instead (-‸ლ)
8TV is showing viewers lots of fun and cuteness in their pink and red pair. Those little chubby gerbils which are actually embossed are truly having a blast.
Bai Zi Gui grey mice pair above seems to be celebrating the new year at a cold place with it's winter cap and scarf on while United Wealth three mice also in grey (and probably just as warm) put on the fortune hat instead. AA Pharmacy mouse pair may look a little funny with those uneven size of eyes and ears, they are kind of cute and catchy hence I had to hunt them down. Even though they may look like the average kind of packets it still took me a few attempts before successfully trading a pair back. Say cheese to Pixie and their cute mice pair. There is just so much twinkle in the eyes, adorable.
Perfect Planet cute mice piece that can be joined to the lion and kids making a lovely pair with the ancient Chinese city gate background. JS Blinds came to me unfolded and this sweet pair is just my type. The fortune rat (not cat) from One Doc / Hair Doc is cool, love the improvisation and the quality of this pink and yellow pair is not bad too.
Meet Hanna & Kent new plushie Baboo (Baaboo) together with his new girl friend mousy. The pair is quite a charming addition to my collection and I am glad to have traded them back.
Below we have the Best Dim Sum happy family greeting everyone at the main door as well as Happy Fresh and their boy-girl and god of fortune team, both 3pcs set, both with the same mice illustration as Perfect Planet. IMGTE blue mouse and it's family below is all ready for the new year; From house cleaning on the 28th to the reunion dinner on the eve followed by the first day of CNY angpow giving-receiving in the morning and lion dancing at night.
Chin Swee Vegetarian is serving us Ratatouille, no not the french stew vegetables but Remy, the French rat chef that faces the challenge of cooking for human (grin). Our typical house mice both from YSP Shine and GDEX are here to cheer the new year in six auspicious gestures and color followed by the adorable twelve little gerbils in six small size ap from H&L while from Onitek the awesome eight-some mousy that I am pleased to be able to add to my collection since I first traded their 2016 set. I remembered that I tried very hard to get their 2015 lamb set back then but just didn't have the right red packets to trade then.
Printing company Sitomi has two bright and sunny mice sets, the mushroom hut backdrop used by Master KYB and the other prairie house while Megalive three big golden mice can be found sniffing around behind the pagoda trio. Continuing with Sitomi below are their 8pcs kids themed set that comes in two (of the same) folding screen. They are pretty adorable and I am glad that the lady boss traded me these.
Just for our little ones we have a purple milk set from PediaSure, a set that got me quite excited and worried at first fearing I would miss the boat once again like last year. In the end it was Mei Fern to the rescue (xoxo). This 8pcs set probably caught my attention with the purple theme, a color that I adore very much these days. There are more milk brands with red packets this year, a pair of joyful boy & girl, the golden pheasant duo as well as a lovely blue trio, keep a look out for them.
I was definitely surprised to see such a joyful set from Unicef this year. Each piece with an auspicious theme matched with a slogan behind, definitely my favorite from them so far. The children from Dorra are just as happy and cheerful lion dancing. Education and learning is crucial for child development and so we have SMM with kids greeting the new year, a series that I have been collecting since 2015 (click to view SMM Education series: 2015 - 2020)
Follow Me is such a lovely set with a purple base theme. Each of the five children doing their own craft for CNY and can be joined together. Love the illustration and definitely a keeper. Herbaline family of four is also a delightful set. Got a pair from my BBF who has been helping me to hunt for angpows every year all the way from Selangor to Kuantan (xoxo). Even luckier to have found my missing pair to complete this happy family. Clever children are all ready to show their talent and skills, clever indeed... my first set from them.
We have quite a number of rice sets this year, starting with Ecobrown reunion dinner trio to the mice from Songhe Rice, the Happy Grains duo and finally the joyful Saza Rice pals. They are adorably fun and delightful in this 5pcs multi color set. I saw their Raya edition and had that on my to-trade-list earlier however the attempts were unfruitful. One collector even asked for two sets 6pcs in exchange for the horizontal 5pcs Raya set. Just to even out the trade I asked to add 1 single design, any design. She still stand her ground and so did I. Having said that as of now I have stopped trading for Raya ones. It's time to get back to my scanning ^ ^
Ah I thought I didn't have any leading lions dancing in my collection this year but my mistake cos I have forgotten trading this big beauties by A-Top earlier. And because they are quite rare this year I am extra delighted to have them. This lion heads are actually half casing holding the inserts that comes in 3 small and 3 normal sizes. Find the other main lion dance theme I have over at my YOY page (click here).
Crispy dino trio is lion dancing for the fans and what a delightful set as well, had to make a few trips to different stores to collect all three designs though. More yellow power next with M&M cheeky duo. I had fun putting the older series together so check them out over at my YOY page (click here). Continuing with the lion dancing theme we have Juice Work with two tiny little ones showing off their moves each on the Chun & Fu house. I like the way they have transformed the two auspicious Chinese characters into a colorful little hut complete with roof tops, windows and plenty of decorative props. You can almost peep through one of the windows to see the family at the dinner table. How many juicy cups and hamsters can you spot? This pair was not easy to trade as many collectors were holding on to them maybe due to the better quality and colorful design. In the end I traded a pair and got an extra pair from Mei Fern, double joy!
There are not many boy and girl pair this year but we do have a few to share. Seamaster Paint has their seahorses in ruby red and gold hot-stamping while the little boy and girl greets. Next we have Jointwell a standout among my collection this year with their flaps in the shape of the boy wearing a traditional round cap while the girl with her two hair buns.
Mamil boy and girl each with a heart shaped container filled with healthy nutrition for our little ones. There is another popular Dumex milk brand which is Dugro and this year we have a pair of green packets with two boys and two girls. So which Dumex brand is your pick? And do you remember Dumex Mamil 2013 & 2014 set? I was quite crazy over them then.
Donuts anyone? And more lion dancing coming our way... Dunkin Donut is a pair and both have the same design except for the flap, one comes with a free donut (grin). Here comes the little hairdressers from Signature Cut putting their cutting and grooming skills to work, adorable!
Donuts anyone? And more lion dancing coming our way... Dunkin Donut is a pair and both have the same design except for the flap, one comes with a free donut (grin). Here comes the little hairdressers from Signature Cut putting their cutting and grooming skills to work, adorable!
Another snack that I had hunted during CNY was Mister Potato and while I did manage to catch the promoter once, I was too late again. This big lobster set was all out of stock hence had to trade in the Chinese FB group. After many attempts later that I successfully exchanged a set with a collector whom doesn't mind swinging by my house to deliver them. Unfortunately only after scanning the set I noticed that one of the lobster piece color is not the same as the other three. Did you notice both Dunkin Donut and Mister Potato has the pagoda in the background and lion dancing up front?
Since we are on snacks, potato chips to be exact, here's a surprise visit from My Chef's Potato. I definitely didn't know they existed until Mei Fern delivered them to me and what a jolly bunch of potato heads they are. Zoom in and check out their names and flavors ><
Health Lane took on a horizontal layout as well as a new 'old' look for their CNY packets this year. These five pieces set in the olden days featured the living hall, kitchen, dining, the street market and lion dancing at the foyer. One of my other favorite from them is the 2018 lion dancing trio which is also in landscape.
Health Lane took on a horizontal layout as well as a new 'old' look for their CNY packets this year. These five pieces set in the olden days featured the living hall, kitchen, dining, the street market and lion dancing at the foyer. One of my other favorite from them is the 2018 lion dancing trio which is also in landscape.
Besides Michelin and Tayaria, I have three more tyre makers, Continental, Hankook and Falken while I am still missing Maxxis. Collectors were rather confused with Continental's design this year as most of us thought it was a single design until the inserts were removed from the casings. There are four different Chinese characters found in the casing, 招財進寶 Zhao Cai Jin Bao ushering in wealth and prosperity. Hankook definitely given us a lovelier set this year with children from the olden days playing at the car workshop.
Here is the third and last design that I managed to gather from Yomie series, quite lovely with the kids dressed in ancient clothing. Look at what Jiu Ji Gong brought us as well, such a lovely village set with kids dragon dancing and olden houses in the background as well as a second design which is a pair of lion dancing. Another festive trio is Art In Card with their lion dancing in an olden village settings as well.
It's the kitty corner and we have Snappy Tom with their catchy piece of the big dreamy eye kitty all suit up for a grand lion dancing performance. Below is Fiffy which I think is a kitty too or maybe not... I can't find it's origins so here we are (lol). I believed they started featuring Fiffy as a set in 2018 which I have missed out. This year the mice joined and is their second zodiac appearing after the adorable chick-in-egg back in 2017. We definitely have another kitty from Touch & Go and this blue tomcat is having a blast with the fortune mice. Touch & Go also printed another set with DeliverEat and the trio is a cheerful and appetizing one indeed.
We have Darlie featuring the famous Cookie Monster, Big Bird and Elmo from Sesame Street. This was available for redemption at 99-speedmart but not an easy mission to complete well at least for me that is, as I have to hunt down Cookie Monster and Big Bird separately. Next is Pocotee & Friends all dressed up in their mouse suit for a cheesy reunion meal at Amitabha Malaysia
(ʃƪ'⌣') Below we have a growing family of the single mice and friends while above are some of the popular cartoon characters for the small and big kids (ahem).
(ʃƪ'⌣') Below we have a growing family of the single mice and friends while above are some of the popular cartoon characters for the small and big kids (ahem).
The Shanghai lady vs the anime girl: Cellnique sophisticated lady with her chihuahua is definitely a charmer and I can only wish that they did a set instead of just one single design. Claz'room anime mouse girl is a different beauty altogether and I am a fan of their design every year, ganbatte!!
Here comes one of the more popular theme with Top glittering cheongsam pair above while below we have the elegant Dr Oetker and a favorite of mine this year Mini Cooper, just click on them to admire the older dresses that I have collected over the years, new ones coming soon.
PS: I couldn't decide which layout is the best for my Mini pair so I decided to use all three, see if you notice the difference (here, my dresser and over at my FB album)
" b a j u "
✿ f l o r a l ✿
This is definitely my no.1 floral-Koi set in 2020. Percetakan Tenaga blew away our hearts with this 4pcs set that can be joint continuously. Just look at those bright and lively prints with just the right vibrant color combination. After one year they still look refreshingly gorgeous.
A lovely and shining 4pcs set, Antalis has a pair of golden fish and another of the floral motif but nothing is as nice as their treasure box set from Hong Kong. Hop over to my overseas corner and see for yourself.
Meritus Pelangi Beach Langkawi reminds me of the motif that the banks would normally take on, the sweet birdie and blossoms. The pair of blue wing - yellow belly finch stands out instantly among the pink blossoms. QL Foods gave us two floral versions, the 6pcs golden floral that comes in a gold folding screen while it's trio version has a little more color.
Meritus Pelangi Beach Langkawi reminds me of the motif that the banks would normally take on, the sweet birdie and blossoms. The pair of blue wing - yellow belly finch stands out instantly among the pink blossoms. QL Foods gave us two floral versions, the 6pcs golden floral that comes in a gold folding screen while it's trio version has a little more color.
Reckitt Benckiser is a simple but quality set of six with a folding screen that feature good hygiene care for a clean, healthy and happy family. Also a 6pcs set is Marrybrown and they have chosen a more abstract presentation of the nature with trees, leafs, branches, orange and the plum blossom, all these joined by the yellow illustrated mountains.
Similar to Marybrown, Fu Kitchen also took on the leafs as well as adding on hearts and feathers in 5 different colors, looking delightfully sweet even though they are small in size. Brands continues with another 4pcs floral set carrying a softer tone this year and making a lovely continuance match with their 2019 design. My first set from Mon Cheri and it's a sweet cherry red addition to my collection.
myths of the crane
KDK took a step up from their duo and single designs in the past to a picturesque Chinese lake view with traditional building structures set in a tranquil nature creating a beautiful sanctuary for the auspicious fish, mystical cranes and the peaceful swallows. Needless to say that I am truly happy to be able to add this soft and elegant 4pcs set into my collection. Emart below cut back a piece from their 2019 4pcs teddy set to a more traditional 3pcs set this year. The trio didn't gain much popularity compared to their previous series. Do you remember their 2017 chicks and 2018 poker cards? Well my favorite from them so far are the teddies and the 2016 butterflies.
Another pairing of the koi and crane is Each a Cup on a brown background with a center blue circle. I got two packs of the fish design from Sook Man and hunted the beautiful crane separately to complete this lovely duo. Besides the giant koi and crane Heritage Food added on the deer to their big bright trio.
I do have mixed feelings with this year's Parkson duo, while the floral motif is always inviting especially when they have also included the crane and the blue-white pottery also known as 青花 qīng-huā, the overall color and end result was not as appealing. Fun fact: The origin of this decorative style, i.e. white pottery decorated under a blue pigment glaze is thought to lie in Iraq. Craftsmen in Basra sought to imitate imported white Chinese stoneware with their own tin-glazed, hence added decorative motifs in blue glazes.
I do have mixed feelings with this year's Parkson duo, while the floral motif is always inviting especially when they have also included the crane and the blue-white pottery also known as 青花 qīng-huā, the overall color and end result was not as appealing. Fun fact: The origin of this decorative style, i.e. white pottery decorated under a blue pigment glaze is thought to lie in Iraq. Craftsmen in Basra sought to imitate imported white Chinese stoneware with their own tin-glazed, hence added decorative motifs in blue glazes.
Sushi King has walked away from their kids theme since 2014 and ventured into the mother nature theme for the first time. The 6pcs set comes in two separate pack, the pink and the blue that has the butterflies, the cranes, one in it's natural form and the other in origami style; All 3 design complete with a separate flap design which is actually the first for me; The mount Fuji flap is my favorite of all. Super Dining was giving us zodiac in the early years up till their 2013 snake and finally the 2015 goat. 2014, 2016 & 2017 designs were not consistent after which the pup came back in 2018 but again the pig went missing the following year. This year the rats are back and the collectors finally could see some form of continuance.
Dolly Zashka presented a bright colored 6pcs set with embossed illustration of different flowers and blessings from the wild. The peacock in green, crane in blue, parrot in green, fishes in yellow, butterflies in red and the deer in orange, all in this exotic set of bursting colors, a paradise for the exquisite collectors. Ogawa delivered two versions, the 3pcs VIP set and the smaller single piece design. I like the butterflies ^ ^
Bee Cheng Hiang is next with their version of the colorful pheasant which is actually perching on the cover casing. The red packet itself only carries the golden blossoms. Frisco Gold pair of the golden pheasant and orchids carries a pleasant exotic flavors. While below we also have another lovely milk brand in blue with the butterflies, peacock and fishes. This trio is definitely one of the best from Ensure Gold, though I have missed out on their 2019 cheongsam pair.
Bee Cheng Hiang is next with their version of the colorful pheasant which is actually perching on the cover casing. The red packet itself only carries the golden blossoms. Frisco Gold pair of the golden pheasant and orchids carries a pleasant exotic flavors. While below we also have another lovely milk brand in blue with the butterflies, peacock and fishes. This trio is definitely one of the best from Ensure Gold, though I have missed out on their 2019 cheongsam pair.
Nefful is next, a set of eight that brings the 山水畫 shān shuǐ huà landscape to our modern world with lanterns, fishes and the auspicious golden mandarin gift from the golden mice. This set comes in two different paper, the rubbery scenery and the glittering mice, absolutely delighted to be able to trade this set that has both the scenery and the zodiac. Check out the next set that also has the scenery and zodiac...
After their gorgeous crane trio last year which I have yet to upload >< Serene Aesthetics is back with another triple beauty dose, this round with abstract floral front and back, and the twelve zodiac inside. That's not all, their VIP set comes in big folder with the same floral design and rubbery material. A million thanks to Mei Fern for sharing this beauty with me, I am truly lucky and grateful. One of the softest color set this year has got to be from Authentic Tea House with their 4pcs flower and leaves illustration that comes in a light olive green box. This set does have a dreamy misty look which may not be a popular CNY flavor for the older folks.
Taking a detour from the CNY packets to visit the floral celebration for Hari Raya with this white garden trio from Naelofar that I quite adore. There is something magical about a white garden as the calm relaxing appearance has a freshness and purity effect. I was feeling a little lost with my Raya collection this year when Hanisah knocked on my door. She was generous to offer me the Bomba Raya set in exchange for a past year Kenanga pair that I posted in the FB group for trade. I threw in some bank freebies that included the past year CIMB private CNY and she returned the favor with this beautiful garden set. I am also a fan of their 2018 floral set which I traded back with another kind Malay collector then.
Hurix's also keeping their set sweet and soft by bringing us five different flowers illustration. They didn't look as nice as they are when I first saw them but they do have a more lasting beauty effect on me. Opulence did a floral die-cut effect trio in orange, pink and red, definitely an improvement from their single design in the past. Marzia Clinic is also taking on a similar die-cut effect design with a soft ocean blue, looking lovely indeed.
Next we have a few singles that are just as appealing as the pairs and sets: Herbalife last two zodiac featured the dog and monkey after which they printed a single floral in 2017 followed by a floral pair in 2019. This year they are back to a single design taking on the calming ocean blue that glitters beneath the die-cut floral flap. Definitely different every year and I hope to see the zodiac back again next year. Senz, Shopee and Compo Health following closely behind with the beautiful birdies, the latter standing out in maroon with the graceful blue swallows. Naiise is definitely a "nice" floral piece especially with the front-back joining design that makes any single like a beautiful pair.
Sasa is surely my type of design and paper quality too. This vibrant floral pair with the beautiful birdie immediately calls out to me and so is Tinytype which is also a head turner for me. The bright colors and the floral texture can put a smile on my face any time. Smaller petals with the yellow window casing is like the sun cheering on a beautiful blue sky day for Breezway, love it!
Kose has also chosen the big flowers in a delightful pair especially with the purplish blue petals standing out among the fragrant bouquet of mother nature. Kiluna by Emily is also going purple with her trio while another bold colored pair follows, using a darker shade of blue and red as the background De Wan brought us the highlights of our beautiful national flower. Kiluna gave their Raya edition a softer look with their minty and pistachio pair while De Wan brought their parrot out into the dark pine woods.
After Malaysia Airport's beautiful cheongsam set in 2019 that got many collectors going after, this year with a similar box casing is a single Koi pair in maroon. Needless to say that the dresses won and yes I need to quickly update my 2019 album soon > < I just love any piece with the sweet pink tone and Royal Brunei caught my attention with a pair of pink-maroon floral duo. My only other packet from them is their 2016 Raya packet which I like very much too.
I have always like the shade of blue, a color that considered beneficial to the mind and body. It slows human metabolism and produces a calming effect hence we have Beaufix soft and soothing blue pair filled with beautiful blossoms. Marie France added a cover casing this year but is much softer in terms of the color tone as compared to their 2019 bright yellow & blue duo while another favorite of mine is their 2017 maiden set that may look kind of weird at first glance but will grow on you as time passes. They have never printed anything more than a two pieces set so I hope next year they might be able to give us collectors a surprise treat maybe? Moving on we have Cosway that continued with a similar die-cut effect motif from it's last year sycee and rice bowl pair to the mandarin orange and pineapple fruity duo, both years with floral backing but on thinner paper this time round. I definitely prefer the pairs as compared to their 2018 single gold fish design.
From the motor industry that took on the floral and auspicious fu character, we have Toyota with a die-cut effect duo using just yellow and red. Lexus elegant pair below is definitely of better quality and stands out immediately while Mercedes even though just a singleton is as beautiful with bigger illustration that can be joined from back to front and so is Pennzoil simple and sweet mei hua piece. Petronas also went with the yellow and red theme and their fu that can be presented both up side down and right side up, nice.
Below we have two horizontal single piece with the auspicious fish motif. V Kool by Nvk Interior is all bright and yellow while King Horse gave us a rather unique illustration of a blue and red fish. How many fish themed packets did you notice so far? Any favorite? There is at least five designs above and plenty more from the banks and insurance companies. I say the financial team wins. Go check them out.
Let's move on to the Honda family I have with their goat, monkey, rooster, no dog nor pig and finally the rat. The consistent layout, paper quality as well as their logo placement makes them a beautiful series altogether. Besides the four wheeler we also have Boon Siew Honda for the bikers and one of my only two 2P collected this year from the automobile series due to the Covid-19 movement control order. The red piece has blind embossing while the green is all about the gold hot stamping, quite a lovely match.
Proton has never been on my list to hunt but this year's matching 2P gave me a reason to track a set down for my selective and limited multi-festive album. I also took the opportunity to trade a few missing Deepavali ones from the same collector hence kiling a few birds with one stone (lol). Mazda golden fu and mice is definitely a glittering piece while Hyundai golden ride is just as stylish. BMW below makes a lovely series too with their smaller golden circle illustration last year to a bigger tricolor circle this year. Even though the bamboos have reduced significantly, I do prefer this year contemporary look.
Keeping the same layout as before, i.e. previous year gold fish piece, Viva Home adorable little nibbles are glowing bright with more fortunes this year. Even though the other piece from 2019 is slightly smaller in size, they do look pretty good together. Bosch moved the colorful spectrum last year from the back to the flap and used the same beautiful tones for their fortune mouse up front. Taking a bubble tea break at The Alley with an all red trio featuring the mouse in three different style; Line mouse, hickory-dickory-dock and the golden rat with their signature reindeer antlers.
A few more sets from the tools and gadgets department; We have appliances from SenQ, wood lamination from Maica and more electrical gizmo from Sharp, a household brand that has been around since 1912. Do you know the first TV by Sharp was produced in 1953? SenQ rubbery trio is elegant with simple golden strokes of the mouse, fish and mandarin orange. Maica continued with their horizontal series using similar design from the past but took away their Maimai characters-features making them less popular among collectors. Having said that it's actually easier to trade, win win since I didn't manage to get their facebook giveaway. Sharp surprised many of us with a set of their popular appliances this year. Even though the 6pcs set only has two colors, the smooth and soft paper quality makes it all up.
After the sets we have pairs from Courts, Daikin and JE Success; Similar to Sharp, Courts laid out their appliances and furniture on a red & yellow pair while Daikin also in red and yellow gave the collectors a thicker pair of the golden birdies. I do appreciate that they printed their droplet mascot at the back of the packets, showing the blue pendant drop in action. JE Success has the thinnest paper among the three with a simple illustration of mountains, trees and the pagoda 塔 (Tǎ).
Just a few more designs from the beauty specialist before we move on to the Telcos. Do you recall any of the more prominent floral themes that we have seen earlier? We have Marzia, Serene, Sasa, Kose, Marie France as well as Innisfree tiny products forming the Chinese knot charm. The candy red single was a carry forward design from 2019 to a pair of baby blue and ruby red in 2020. I must say they look really lovely together. We also have the biggest set from Kiehl's and the delightful singles and Disney Mickey & Minnie themes too. Moving on to the more traditional tone packets with Dermalogica bamboo and blossom pair above and Nu Skin front flap duo. Don't forget to check out the YOY for Dermalogica.
Westin Desaru is the real mini size red packet which I believe may be the smallest this year or at least the smallest I have in my collection so far. They are so small until the senior collector traded me two pairs for my 2020 HP Malaysia fabric piece ^_^ Of course I didn't know how small they were until I have them in my hands (lol). Laneige on the other hand stood out in brighter colors displaying a spectacular firework show. Atomi too is going with the more neutral tone in a pair of blossoms and mandarin oranges. The pair comes in a hard cover casing.
telco
This year the telecommunication players are taking on new looks for their red packets. Maxis went back to a 4pcs set (from 6pcs last year) with similar paper quality and print finishing from their 2018 lion dancing trio. The set is rather plain using just Chinese characters as compared to their previous years designs. Digi however gave us collectors a new look and is probably my favorite among the telcos. We have peanuts, egg rolls, orange juice and prawn crackers, this 4pcs CNY snacks set with a pineapple cover casing is refreshingly creative.
The purplelicious packets are up next with XOX and Celcom. XOX gave focus on it's brand logo in a 4pcs horizontal set that comes in a red cover casing while Celcom sent out three big rats, i.e. big size packet with the rats carrying telecommunication symbols and icons. The rodents have my vote and so is U-Mobile another design I favor. Using their corporate colors this mice pair is bright and catchy... if only they were soft and rubbery > <
Do you remember which year that the main mobile carriers were doing lion dancing? Well this year we have Mcalls, YES and VIVO and I do enjoy the upbeat rhythm from the drums, cymbals and gong. Mcalls continued to give us their brand logo but instead of the die-cut layout from last year, this year they have used it as the background for the lion and dragon dancing as well as the reunion meal and gathering. Do you remember their 2018 & 2017 reunion sets? YES also did another year of lion dancing away from their floral designs since 2016. Introducing V.Friends by Vivo, the phone not the pizza house (grin). Meet Vigo, Zoey, DD and Jeek. They are having a really jolly lion dancing time. Samsung never disappoints the collectors with their red packets. They decided to do a reunion theme this year with a front side flap layout and a bright persian blue backing.
Psst: to the lion dancing year (click here) ^ ^
The auspicious number eight is up next and Tiger has taken the double digit eight as their motif for their VIP edition that comes in two different casings or are there four? We can identify four sub themes in this 8pcs set which I believe is the four different artists, i.e. Nestwo, Valenum Studio, Soo Fang and Nat Andrea. Hence I am not sure if I have just the two edition from Nestwo & Soo Fang or there are two other casings to complete.
BK8 is an online gaming provider, definitely not my usual choice of trades but I was rather bored that day and cast out my extra Citibank set to see what I could catch... and so this pinky 8s' made it to the top as they do stand out in the crowd. Coincidentally I've received the other VIP gold version that is bigger in size from one of my mom's contact. Unfortunately just two designs out of the complete five (sigh).
sdr / rAYA / GREEN PACKETS
Besides the very few multi festive sets earlier on, here are a couple more of the Raya packets that I have managed to collect this year. It is getting tougher to collect every year but I guess that is probably part of the fun and trill chasing after them. Sampul Raya Bomba caught my attention with the fire fighting heroes in action. The kampung feel is strong in this one > <
The purple Cadbury is back this Raya too despite the pandemic with yet another kampung theme but a little simpler than the rest. I still like their 2016 set the best while 2018 is not too bad as well. This year 4pcs set came in a gift pack that sent many Malay collectors hunting to the extend that they were helping each other buying the gift pack and mail them out later. Some I know even willing to forgo the chocolate ^ ^
The purple Cadbury is back this Raya too despite the pandemic with yet another kampung theme but a little simpler than the rest. I still like their 2016 set the best while 2018 is not too bad as well. This year 4pcs set came in a gift pack that sent many Malay collectors hunting to the extend that they were helping each other buying the gift pack and mail them out later. Some I know even willing to forgo the chocolate ^ ^
Texas Chicken Raya set is definitely my pick over their CNY golden menu. I just like colors and the kampung celebration makes it a more joyful set. Started to collect Caring Raya packets back in 2016 and I recalled that I was attracted to the chocolate brown and yellow pairing then. My favorite is still their 2019 floral pair while I believe that many still prefer the 2020 Baju Melayu motif. Overall the Caring series is definitely a keeper.
"Riuh Raya" is Nestle Professional theme for their green packet set and the 4pcs set is a parade of people celebrating the new year. While the motif used for their CNY is unrelated the colors from both sets are just as lively and bright. Come back soon for the CNY set.
Selectively I have managed to add the following singles to my 2020 Raya album and while Snappy Tom and Whoosh Eyewear both have their CNY edition, the designs are quite independent. Do you recall the joyful Snappy Tom lion dancing piece and the beautiful golden mice trio from Whoosh? The Raya ones are so much simpler right? Given the fact that businesses were almost at halt during the MCO period, it's still pretty amazing that we have any to begin with. Gene Martino reunion meal motif is quite lovely too which was a mixed up by the collector. I actually traded for something else but this was equally good to have. I quite like Syahirah when I saw it being shared in the FB group but did not expect to trade with my limited bullets this year and so this piece was a surprise freebie, yay!
Selectively I have managed to add the following singles to my 2020 Raya album and while Snappy Tom and Whoosh Eyewear both have their CNY edition, the designs are quite independent. Do you recall the joyful Snappy Tom lion dancing piece and the beautiful golden mice trio from Whoosh? The Raya ones are so much simpler right? Given the fact that businesses were almost at halt during the MCO period, it's still pretty amazing that we have any to begin with. Gene Martino reunion meal motif is quite lovely too which was a mixed up by the collector. I actually traded for something else but this was equally good to have. I quite like Syahirah when I saw it being shared in the FB group but did not expect to trade with my limited bullets this year and so this piece was a surprise freebie, yay!
For more of my latest collection, please visit my facebook page or
get the links to my collection by years via my facebook album here. (๑‵●‿●‵๑)
View the complete red packet albums in facebook by years:
2021 (MY), 2020 (MY), 2020 (SG), 2019 (SG), 2019 (MY), 2018 (MY), 2018 (SG),
2017 (MY) , 2017 (SG), 2016 (MY), 2016 (SG), 2015 (MY), 2015 (SG), 2015/2016 (HK),
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2000-2004, 1990s
2021 (MY), 2020 (MY), 2020 (SG), 2019 (SG), 2019 (MY), 2018 (MY), 2018 (SG),
2017 (MY) , 2017 (SG), 2016 (MY), 2016 (SG), 2015 (MY), 2015 (SG), 2015/2016 (HK),
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2000-2004, 1990s