today's ceremony (something i had to do a year ago)

A traditional Chinese gift to the attendees upon entering is a white envelope, usually enclosing a small sum of money (in odd numbers, usually one dollar), a sweet and a handkerchief, each with symbolic meaning. Chinese custom also dictates that the said sum of money should not be brought home. The sweet should be consumed the day of and anything given during the funeral must not be brought home. The repetition of 3 is common where people at the funeral may brush their hair three times or spit three times before leaving the funeral to ward off bad luck. This custom is also found in other East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures.

(from Wikipedia press for the full article)

more:

Guests were given small white envelopes containing a coin and a piece of candy. This package is called bak gim or "white gold." And it symbolized money or a gift from the deceased. The candy was to be eaten immediately after the funeral to sweeten the memory of the event. The coin was to be spent on something that would bring happiness to offset the solemn time.