OMG. Maxis may have just created the coolest ang pow of the year

Every Chinese New Year, most corporate companies try to outdo each other with promos, CNY ads, and…. free ang pows!

But for this year, it seems like Maxis has won the ang pow game BIG time.

See, if you celebrate CNY, you’d be familiar with the sight of torn ang pows, all thrown away after being emptied of its contents. The fact that Malaysian urbanites produce about 1.25kg waste a day is pretty spine-chilling already, considering each person shouldn’t be producing more than 80gram waste daily. So when it comes to the festivities, how can Malaysians be less… err… sampah?

By planting their ang pows!

Our friends at Maxis have an answer for Malaysians who feel guilty about wasting paper during Chinese New Year. Instead of giving out standard ang pows, they’re now giving out Plant-a-Blessing Ang Pows where you can actually put into soil and care for it till it blooms.

Trust us, you’ll wanna watch the accompanying ad. Try not to squeal at the adorable child-gangster:

OMGggg so cute right the little boy?! None of CILISOS staff are parents but we were all super geram (the good type) watching him play the typical kiamsiap Chinaman. FYI it was directed by Eric Yap of Superwonderful Films, the guys behind Maxis’ previous Merdeka campaigns like ‘Uncle San’ and ‘It’s OK. We are Family’.

Anyway, the concept is pretty meaningful la actually. As each ang pow is made from paper embedded with seeds, the giver can write a personal wish or blessing so that the receiver can nurture those words in the form of a plant.

“Sometimes we focus too much on the money inside an Ang Pow, and less so on the spirit of giving, of wishing happiness to those we love. This year, we thought these Plant-A- Blessing AngPows could help remind people that wealthy are we who receive gifts that money cannot buy（心中有爱，福到花开）.” – Sulin Lau, Head of Marketing Services

As for the type of plant, Maxis told us that the seeds are ‘Black-Eyed Susan Flowers’, which are actually adorable yellow flowers that resemble sunflowers. They were chosen ’cause they’re pretty, easy to grow, and yellow flowers are ‘Wong’ (to bring you prosperity).

FYI – there is a chance of the seed not turning into a plant. They’re pretty fragile, so some may not grow. To give them the best chance to bloom, keep them warm and moist… and if you like old people advices, sing to them in the morning too.

How to get these ang pows? Not Maxis subscriber then how?

A set of 5 ang pows is free with any new phone purchased through the Maxis Online Store (until 11 February 2017). But if you’re not thinking of changing your phone, you can also get it from the MyMaxis App. Just download the MyMaxis Deal pass and redeem your free set of ang pows. For more details, click here. While stocks last ok, don’t scold CILISOS if you terlambat.

Not with Maxis then how? Plantable seed paper is a pretty popular DIY project (particularly for Mothers’ Day and weddings), so there are plenty of sites out there with step-by-step guides on how to create your own. Just turn paper into papier mâché, spread it out thinly, sprinkle seeds, and let dry.

Hopefully, with a little bit of love, effort and sunshine, this Chinese New Year will see your blessings grow alongside your blooming plants 🙂