Many companies reopened last week after the holiday officially ended. But with Lantern Festival now formally ending the holiday season, the fireworks have finished and families have for the most part said farewell to departing members at the crowded rail stations and airports. Even the very enjoyable Winter Olympics, a coincidental addition to the holiday this year, has ended. Spring Festival is over – bring on the hong bao.

Hong bao, which means “red bag” and in its modern form is an envelope with money, is the traditional New Year’s gift adults give to children or young unmarried adults. (Local practices differ. I’ve heard lots of different combinations and permutations.) But it’s also a pretty common practice here in Guangdong Province to give hong bao to workers returning from holiday as an enticement to get them back. Given the labor shortages here these days, companies not already on the stick had better get their acts together.

Giving hong bao is a lot of fun and saves the agony of shopping for individual gifts. One of my clients makes it a big production for returning employees. The president, CEO, Board chair, and a few other senior executives all wear Tang Dynasty clothing, roll out the red carpet in front of the head office, and stand outside, often in the cold, for an hour or so personally greeting every employee returning to the office. It’s a lovely touch. The money given is symbolic, but employees look forward to the chance to exchanging new year greetings with the “big potatoes.”

About mid-morning the same day, it’s also that company’s tradition for the unmarried adults to race around collecting hong bao from anyone in management. Think “Halloween-on-steroids.” Lots of fun if you’re not in management. If you’re in management, well, let’s just say that you want to be prepared for the onslaught.

The holiday season is over, folks. Back to work.