Gifts are a big part of the holiday season in the U.S. But what about gift-giving in other cultures? We asked our e-Tutors to share some tips on gift-giving in their respective cultures. Here’s a quick quiz to see how much you already know:
1. True or False: In Japan, you should always bring a gift in a gift bag and give the gift right away when you visit someone.
2. In which of these countries should you wait to open a gift until later (i.e. not in front of the giver)?
a. Spain
b. China
c. Japan
d. Germany
3. True or false: In Brazil, Christmas gifts are traditionally given on Christmas Eve.
4. True or false: In China, money is a common gift for weddings and birthdays, and the money is often given in a white or black envelope to represent luck and prosperity, respectively.
5. In which country, is it considered inappropriate to give someone a clock, especially an older person, because the phrase “to give a clock as a gift” sounds just like another expression which means “to bid farewell to someone at a funeral”?
5. Match the word for gift or present with the language it is in:
1. regalo a. Portuguese
2. purezento b. Spanish
3. presente c. German
4. Geschenk d. Russian
5. podarok e. Japanese
Answers:
1. False; it’s best to bring the gift in a normal bag so as not to announce that you have a gift and to give it towards the end of your visit.
2. China and Japan (b and c)
3. True
4. False: White and black envelopes are not typical; red (luck) and yellow (prosperity) envelopes are best.
5. 1. b, 2. e, 3. a, 4. c, 5. d
