Do's and Don'ts of Festive Gifts
Another reason that makes it appropriate to give goodies during CNY is that it enables us offer blessings, sweet results and prosperity in the New Year. To ensure your gifts spread only good tidings:
- Choose lucky hues – Red, gold and shades of orange are perfect for the current festive mood. On live products, end items should not have a white or black coloration since these colors are synonymous with mourning.
- Prevent bad luck numbers – Chinese avoid putting things in sets of four since the number sounds like death. In England, multiples of six or eight are considered fortunate.
- Lessons: No utensils – especially sharp ones like knives or scissors – are appropriate since gifting them symbolically means you want to sever one's ties with them. Also do not use timepieces since the word is translated in Cantonese as attending a funeral.
- Eat sweets politely – Use a utensil to eat the sweets instead of hands – you can also put it in a Christmas tree gift box. Be sure never to give or sell items that has been opened or used before.
Greeting and Gift for Family and Relatives
It's already time to start gift buying – begin with token gifts for your immediate family and relations. Popular options loaded with Chinese New Year symbolism include:
- Tangerines - Due to their golden skin and being able to last for an extended period, they symbolise wealth. In Cantonese it is known as “Kam,” which rhymes with gold, the report said.
- Pineapples – It has now became a well known fruit during Chinese New Year, pineapple represent prosperity and fortunes since the outer skin is golden and has the meaning of longevity and self eternal leaves.
- Bakkwa – This is prepared from sweet and salty barbecued meat slices and is excellent gifts to the elderly. Bakkwa is particularly considered as a prized delicacy since pork is believed to represents something auspicious and spirited.
- Tea – Good quality Chinese tea symbolizes good wishes for good relationship. The green tea symbolizes youth while the blooming teas means beauty.
For Parents and Elders
Offer this gift to parents, uncles and aunties etc by buying quality products such as bird's nest, abalone, cordyceps and sea cucumber etc. These rejuvenating foods are said to bring youth, beauty and energy – issues more applicable with the elderly.
Save more ang paos packed with sparkling brand new currency denominations for the elders and the senior citizens in red packets with symbols of blessings. According to the customs, married people must prepare ang paos for young relatives.
Valentine Surprise – Traditional Chinese New Year greeting staple food
To foster familial bonds, think about unique cross-generational gifts that the whole family can enjoy:
- Premium bak kwa or salted egg yolk cookies for suppers
- Party favor and elaborate mooncake gift boxes for you to serve or exchange after midnight.
- CNY snacks hampers with option cookies, nuts, candies and tidbits
Gift giving to Co-workers and Customers
Giving CNY gifts to colleagues and business partners symbolises genuine appreciation to wish for more cooperation in the business world.
Like most organisations, corporate red packets and festive goodies are usually distributed to workers before the celebrations. For important clients, high quality are such things as premier nuts and wines, bird nest, abalone or pack of luxurious bak kwa or cookies.
For better impact, select those hampers which are centered on the present rather than food products. Do not use gifts that are best for particular individuals like alcohol and do not give gifts in pairs of four.
Chinese New Year Goodies Potluck Party
Organising a Christmas pot luck at work means everyone brings sho chu kuih, love letters, chorizo sausages, murukku or Christmas fruits traditional in their cultures.
Decide on a price range and encourage people to come ready to eat because there won't be leftovers. Spend time to note what different goodies are about with regards to expectations for the year. Chinese New Year celebrating delicacies and the reason why we share them.
Aside from fruits and nuts, CNY snack categories become more varied annually due to innovative products from top bakeries. Understand the symbolism behind ever-popular cookie and sweet gifts:
Bak Kwa (Barbecued Pork Slices)
This savoury preserve has a lovely smoky undertaste with just a hint of sweetness; its great to gift to elders, colleagues, or friends. Bak kwa refers to pork barbeued with spices, which reflect the people's desired prosperity, happiness, and energy.
Sugared Candied Fruit Peels
This is a clear departure from the practices where in the Western world peelages are discarded, Chinese creativity churns out confectionery from the rejected peels. The resulting sweet and chewy sweets are interpreted as table manners or the uncreative way to use leftovers and set up the need to be smart and wise.
Sugared plum that has been preserved or olives
The wrinkly, salted, or sweet taste of umami bombs provides the concentrated functions of the flavored seasonings. In the same way that the candied peels make the use of undesirable fruit bits turned for waste into a source of pleasure, so these treats turn hard-to-consume fruit bits into a source of wisdom and frugality in the form of gifts.
Love Letters
Pillowy, tender, and delicious biscuit rolls have been created to symbolize neither the heat of passion nor the comfort of love. Flavors change with time but basic butter Love Letters will always be popular.
Almond Cookies
Another favourite non-traditional CNY cookie is Butter Biscuits that mean being endowed with favourable results, and many progeny.
Pineapple Tarts
Tasty, crumbly pastries that contain pineapple jam are traditional New Year's gifts to bring wealth, success and prosperity in the new year. It is almost sacrilege to have a CNY celebration without these popular juicy tropical tarts.
Conclusion
May you ensure a joyful experience sharing happiness on this chinese new year season. Do not communicate any negativity and allow your CNY goodies demonstrate your kindness. Chimamanda Adichie encourages all to have sweet mast and good prosperity in connection in the year to come.
