Gift Giving and Cultural Meaning - Essay Example

Gifting and Culture Gift Giving and Cultural Meaning The act of gift giving can be traced back to the origin of humans. Giving was traditionally used to attract mates. In todays world, gift giving is usually done during various occasions such as during baby shower, Christmas, weddings, Valentines Day, birthdays, and various other occasions. In such cases, a gift is regarded as something surprising given to another person, a group or an institution in appreciation as well as for other etiquette reasons. Various cultural diversities have different cultural ways and the underlying cultural meaning for the various gift they give out. In this essay, my main focus will be on the critical analysis of my cultural gift giving practices in the U.S and the gift giving practices in the Chinese culture. The U.S gifting season is also the traditional holiday season. This season begins during the Thanksgiving, moving to the Christmas and ends with the New Year Eve. The St. Valentines Day has also been included in this season by the modern media (Gifts and Ideas 1-3). The act of giving gifts to family members, friends and business associates is dictated by the American customs and culture. These are covered by well thought out gifts depending on the occasion. Due to the cultural melting of the American culture, there has been a lot of influence on the other minority ethnic groups in America such as the Hispanics, to also adopt and incorporate the modern American cultural elements of gifting and celebrations within their own cultural celebrations. Various gifts are given by the Americans as gifts to other during various occasions. The most common gifts given out include cards, flowers, food items, gift baskets, chocolates, cakes, wines, spa gifts and perfumes among other. The main reason for giving out these gifts is for appreciation purposes. Gift giving is also a common practice in the American culture during the Christmas period that usually marks the birth of Jesus. During this period, gift giving usually crowns the occasion, and it becomes the most important ritual performed. To begin with, there is the gift giving session done by the parents to their children where the latest gadgets are usually given out to them. Other people also buy different kinds of gifts such as CDs, jewelry, books and gourmet food among other gifts to their relatives, parents and lived ones. Another occasion in America during when gift giving is done much is during the mothers day that usually falls on the second Sunday of May, each year. According to the American culture, mothers should be given different kinds of gifts on this particular day. According to the mothers day tradition, mothers are supposed to be given red roses and carnations as gifts. Some children may go to an extent of making creative gifts for their mothers, or just buy them. In the US, mothers day gifting and making of gifts, and cake baking as well as making if various exotic foods form a major part of the Mothers day. Chinese people have very many kinds of gifts that they can give to their business partners, friends, and colleagues. To the Chinese, when the gift is from another country, it becomes highly valued more than locally purchased gifts. This is because the Chinese people do not always go abroad to purchase gifts. Hence, gifts from other countries are unique. Chinese also value regional specialties that either be from China as well as outside. Since many Chinese businessmen like smoking and drinking, when you make the gift product from abroad with alcohol or tobacco products from abroad is usually highly and warmly welcome in China. When one would want to purchase wines or cigarettes in China, they are supposed to choose those brand that are well known or those with expensive price tags to be acceptable as gifts. Other gifts commonly recommended in China include food items fruits, as well as health compliments. Other than these, seeds and packs of nut are also commonly used as gifts in China. They consider seeds from outlying areas as well as peaches to increase longevity, hence are also used as gifts. They also value teas especially the rare and older blends that have a valued due to their health benefits, as well as the Chinese traditional compliments are also valued and considered as valued gifts. Chinese people have an amazing culture of gift giving to their friends, colleagues and business partners. A new person in China will fail to understand why Chinese give gifts as well as their etiquette of gift giving. Chinese people have different times when they give gifts as well as the kinds of gifts they give out. The Chinese culture is steeped in Confucianism where respect, relationship and rituals are highly valued (Sean 1). The Chinese like maintaining harmony among themselves, in their families, with their friends and colleagues. To show respect to the elders and the society at large, and enthusiasm and commitment towards friends and colleagues, Chinese use gifts as enhancers. To build and maintain new relationship networks with various business partners or friends, gifts also play a major role in the Chinese culture. Gifts also are useful at work and meetings where they can be given to government officials or clients and prospective partners in business. Apart from work, the Chinese culture accepts and encourages giving of gift during special events including birthdays, weddings and holidays among other days. Chinese people do not consider gift giving as only to involve gifts, but also favors, and other types of assistance are also considered as gifts. In the Chinese culture, a gift is not just a gift, but the meaning behind a Chinese gift is devotion, commitment, friendship, and respect. When doing business with the Chinese, one would realize that their gift are mixed with meals, compliments, and karaoke. According to Lee Cronk, Indians understood gifts as a power to unite, similarly in the USA, gift giving has its cultural implications (Cronk 4). Here, gifts are given to show appreciation. When we consider any occasion in the US where gift giving is common, for example during Mothers Day, gift giving here is usually to appreciate mothers for their good work and position in the society. That is why, during this day, the mothers in the US are usually relieved of their daily duties and are treated with breakfast in bed. This is mainly to appreciate them for their tasks of giving birth and taking care of the family with a motherly heart. On the Christmas day, also gifts are given mainly to appreciate God for His love through the birth of Jesus to perform the work of redeeming humankind. On the other hand, in the Chinese culture, gift giving is more of introducing and maintaining a good and friendly relationship as well as showing respect to the elders, friends, colleagues as well as business partners. Most importantly, gift giving is considered in the USA as a way of showing respect, friendship and creating and maintaining of good relationships between individuals, their clients, business partners as well as friends and colleagues. On the thoughtful insights, it is very important to recognize that the act of gift giving is usually one that is considered important when planning to show gratitude as well as appreciation to others. It is also important to note that various cultures have their way of giving their gifts. At the same time, it should also be noted that the various cultures also have specific items they commonly recognize and value as gifts. While gifts are taken as gifts by many other cultures, some cultures such as the Chinese consider even favors and other forms of assistance to be considered as gifts. Gifts can also mean different things for different people in different culture, hence people need to study the act of giving gifts as it is practiced by various cultures t know how thy do it, what they recognize as gifts and when they do it. Works Cited Cronk, Lee. "On Human Nature: String Attached." Reagans Gifts (1988): 1-5. Print. Gifts and Ideas. USA Gifting Culture. 23 Jnuary 2015. Web. 28 May 2015. . Sean, Upton-McLaughlin. "The Art of Giving Gifts in China." The China Culture Corner (2013): 1-5. Web. . Read More