呵呵，it's never too early to say “恭喜发财”，if from your true heart. But the most propriate time should be on the first day of the Chinese New Year, when you greet people. ^_^

Anytime to say " Gong Xi Fa Cai!" is not too early. ;) 任何时候说“恭喜发财”都不会太早啊，我就时常跟朋友们说。

no, it's up to you, 用这句话非常喜庆, so it is best use it when celebrate Spring Festival, also you can get money from your parents if you are still a child or you have grown up, we usually speak it 特别是初一的时候

it'a never too early to bless other ppl...i mean, god stands by ur side all the time, and u got showered with his glories~ so why not just spread it out? Plus, money is what most ppl are worshiping~

I'm not a Chinese person, but I'm studying in Taiwan. The Taiwan people usually say "gong xi fa cai" in the Lunar Chinese new year. It is the same at your country, they say this sentence at the start and end of Lunar new year. You can say that with the person who is working, because it is the wish for wealth. I think because you are Chinese - American, so you also can keep this culture, it is very interesting, I think so!... And this is wiki's explaining: 恭喜發財 (traditional, Pinyin gōngxǐ fācái, simplified 恭喜发财) Happy New Year (Congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!) Retrieved from "http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%81%AD%E5%96%9C%E7%99%BC%E8%B2%A1" Best,