Global Holiday Gifting...and Getting.
How to Give Gifts that Are Culturally Appropriate Anywhere in the World.
Each December for the last few years, I’ve been updating and sending out my latest “Guide to Global Gifting” for the holidays, and I am delighted to do so again, right here on my Substack. Yes, it’s that time of year, and despite that it may feel like we just took down last year’s decorations, it’s time now to put them back up, gather your holiday cheer, and, first things being first, get those gifts off to your international colleagues and friends as soon as possible! Like everything else global, global gifting for the holidays takes a little extra time, and a little extra thought, one of the first thoughts being to make sure that those gifts are culturally appropriate, or else all your best efforts could be accidentally undermined by the unintended faux pas of a gift that is a big cultural “no-no”!
So, with the 2023 holiday season now upon us, here are some important cross-cultural considerations when sending gifts to your international friends and business associates:
Please consider: Style can be as important as substance. Sometimes the wrapping is as important as the gift, as color, style and design can carry different meanings in different countries. For example, in East Asia both white and black are colors associated with funerals, so a gift presented in a white box is typically not appreciated in East Asia. However, red means health, wealth and happiness in East Asia, so red or gold wrapping is much preferred. And no gift to Asia, no matter how small, should ever be presented unwrapped.
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