What to send
The peony is the traditional flower of prosperity and honour, and it is the right choice for almost every Lunar New Year message. Its fullness carries the meaning on its own.
Red and gold is the expected palette. A camellia with a peony covers it without needing decoration, and a lotus works for the side of the family that prefers calm to celebration.
- For parents: a peony with a camellia
- For grandparents: peonies, and keep the note short
- For a sibling abroad: a lotus with cherry blossom
- For a business relationship: a single peony, formal and correct
What to write
Write in whichever language you actually speak with them. The format handles any script — this is the one place where a translation would flatten the message.
The traditional wishes are fine and expected: health, prosperity, family. Add one specific line about them — the dish they always make, the fact that you called last week — and the message stops being a formality.
If you cannot go home
Say it plainly. “I could not make it this year” followed by something about what you will do when you next see them is more honest than a message that pretends the distance is not there.
Send it at their midnight, so it is waiting when they wake on the first day.