The practice of gift-giving is important in Chinese culture. It is important to get something heartfelt and wrap it neatly. Be sure never to roughly stuff the gift into a cheap plastic bag, however colorful that bag may be!
The Chinese New Year is the perfect time to get your loved ones something special. We present to you the most traditional New Year gifts
Choosing a New Year gift for your friends is based mostly on the intimacy of your friendship. Choosing alcohol, tobacco, flowers, tea, or fruits is common. If you want to be more adventurous, you will need to be more circumspect.
- Alcohol: If your Chinese hosts drink alcohol, preparing a nice bottle of alcohol could be a nice choice.
- Tobacco: If your male Chinese host smokes, find out what he likes. He will appreciate a nice carton of whichever brand it is.
- Tea: You can never go wrong with tea when it comes to a Chinese festival! A tin of tea is the best way to go, really. Splurge on a fancy box of oolong or green tea from a respectable teashop – they’ll give you the best quality tea at the best price
- Fruit Basket: The fruit basket is a ubiquitous symbol of Chinese New Year around the streets of Shanghai at least. But one local told me that if she's going to a good friend's she doesn't bother with the basket as she (and the friend) will suspect the fruit at the bottom is no good. Yet, a fruit basket looks beautiful so I still go for this one. You can buy the components yourself and put them together with a red ribbon. Fancy imported exotic fruit will look more impressive, but I've seen folks taking a large bunch of bananas or a box of oranges to friends' houses as well.
- Flowers - Cut flowers aren't normally a traditional gift for hosts in China but abroad they are. However, during Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) the flower markets are bursting with special arrangements for the season. Small orange or kumquat trees are very traditional as are flowering plum and other shrubs. Lucky bamboo is always nice and orchids are also very popular. Check out any flower market or shop and you'll be able to find something large or small. If it's the Year of the Tiger, maybe you could find some tiger lilies to bring. Your hosts will appreciate the pun.
2. Gifts for Seniors
On New Year, you usually give gifts to your grandparents, parents, teachers, etc. Instead of alcohol and tobacco, it is more popular to choose a New Year gift benefiting the seniors' health. So anything you can think of that will make the seniors feel healthier and bring pleasure to their life is okay.
- Hat, Gloves, Scarf or Clothes: If you are familiar with your hosts, you can prepare a hat, a pair of gloves, a scarf or some clothes as a gift for the seniors in your hosts’ family.
- Comb or Foot Bath Massager: In traditional Chinese medicine, massage is a gentle and effective way to repair one's body. A high-quality comb can be used to massage the head, and a foot bath massager will improve the blood circulation of the feet, which will bring the seniors warmth in a cold winter.
It’s vacation time for the kids and you can pick up some amazing gifts like school supplies, clothes, toys, books, and candies as well. The kids will love it if you hand them a red envelope full of good wishes and cash.
The key point to choosing a New Year gift for your hosts' children is to select an item which can express your good wishes to the children, either for their healthy growth or for their cleverness.
- Candy: Take some candy with you during Chinese New Year; so that you can give some happiness to the kids you come across.
- Red Packets: If your Chinese hosts have children, do not forget to prepare some red packets (hongbao).
- School Supplies: Visiting your Chinese hosts with some school supplies like a writing pen, a school notebook or a nice box of painting brushes (if the kids are keen on painting) will give the kids a pleasant surprise.
- Books: Books such as enlightening reading materials or one of the world's great classics, ideally chosen according to the child’s interests, are also highly recommended, and will represent your best wishes for their future.
- Toys: A good-quality toy is also a nice gift for your hosts' children, such as a Barbie doll for a little girl, and a remote control car for a little boy. A chess set or other game is a good gift for a teenager
- Clothes: If you are quite intimate with your hosts' family, you can buy their children a set of clothes as a gift. It can be a practical gift.
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