Cultural Perspectives on Gifting: Traditions Around the World

The universal practice of giving gifts transcends cultural boundaries, serving as a powerful means to express love, friendship, gratitude, respect, and admiration in diverse cultures worldwide. This shared tradition unites us all, regardless of our cultural backgrounds.

At birthday celebrations, weddings and festivals, people give presents symbolizing luck, prosperity, and longevity.

However, there are different cultural perspectives on the art of giving. In Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, and China, giving money, known as hongbao, is commonplace during festive seasons such as the Chinese New Year or weddings. Generally, these monetary gifts are given with the best intentions for the year ahead.

In China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and many other countries in East Asia, when offering a gift, expect that you will be refused once, twice, or maybe three times. This is done to avoid creating a perception of greed or impatience. It is a sign of politeness if you refuse a gift being offered at least once. Also, when the person finally accepts, you’re expected to thank them. In Asia and the Middle East, presenting a gift is equally important. The left hand is considered unclean due to cultural and religious beliefs, so the right hand should be used to give and receive gifts, except if the gifts are too heavy, then two hands are required. Also, in East Asian countries like China, Thailand, and Vietnam, it is considered proper to accept gifts with both hands, palms up. In Russia, thank-you cards are impractical as small gifts to your hosts after dinner or overnight are well appreciated.

In East Asia, Brazil, Italy, Peru, and Switzerland, scissors, knives, and anything pointy or sharp represents severing ties and relationships.

You don’t give an umbrella as a gift in China, Hong Kong, Italy, and Japan because it means you want the relationship to end. Also, avoid giving a green hat in China and Hong Kong, as they communicate an unfriendly message that your wife is cheating or your sister is a prostitute. Straw sandals, handkerchiefs, and clocks are taboo gifts in these two cultures because they are associated with mortality. Brooches and handkerchiefs are also considered taboos in Italy for the same reason, and in Japan, a potted plant is thought to encourage illness. Also, understanding the significance of numbers in gift-giving in East Asia is crucial. Even numbers, particularly four, are considered unlucky due to its phonetic similarity to the word for death in many Asian languages. This cultural nuance underscores the importance of being mindful of local customs when selecting gifts, especially when it comes to numbers. It’s a sign of respect and consideration for the recipient’s culture.

Etiquette experts worldwide agree that gifts should always be wrapped, but the colours of the gift wraps should be carefully chosen so as not to communicate the wrong message. For instance, vibrant and auspicious colours like red and gold are often used for celebratory gifts in Asia. White, black, and blue gift wraps in Asia should be avoided because they connote mourning. While yellow paper wraps are cheerful colours for celebratory gifts in India, in China, if covered in black writing, they are used exclusively for gifts to the dead. In South America, bright and lively colours like red and green are often used for gift wraps. At the same time, black and purple are avoided because of their association with death and religious ceremonies. In Italy, bright and warm colours like red and orange are often used, while purple is simply considered unlucky.

At African Gift Shop, we stock an array of gifts for every occasion. Our gifts are globally accepted and well-received in many world cultures. Our handmade gifts are exceptionally crafted to appeal to your aesthetic and practical side. We offer an eclectic range of African-themed gifts, from handmade bags, sneakers and boots to our hoodies and bracelets. To shop from our bouquet of hand-crafted gifts, please visit us at www.myafricangiftshop.com.

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