Gift-givingVariesAmongDifferentCultures*Giftgivingisabigpartofanyculture.NomatterinWesterncountriesorinEasterncountries,peopleallpayattentiontogiftgivingandgiftreceiving.Theyallbelieveetiquetterequiresreciprocityandexchangeofgiftscanleaveadeepimpressiononeachotherandrenewfriendship.Differencesofgift-givingandgiftreceivinginWesterncultureandChineseculture!*InChina*GIFTGIVINGAsforChinese,weoftenpayattentiontothegiftofusevaluebutnotthememorableorspecialmeaning.Therefore,Chineseusuallychoosesomethingexpensiveasagift.What’smorethemoreexpensivethegiftis,theclosertherelationshipbetweenthegiverandthereceiveris.*Thegiftisofferedusingbothhandsandmustbegift-wrapped.*InChineseNewYear,Moneywillbegiveninaredenvelope.Itisusuallyusinganevennumberofnewbills.*TaboosinChinaDonotgiveclocksasgifts.Thewordfor"clock"inChineseissimilartothewordfor"death."Itisimpolite.Colorssuchaswhite,blueorblackareassociatedwithfunerals.Donotwrapgiftsinthesecolors.Red,yellowandpinkareseenasjoyfulcolors,whicharemoreacceptableforgiftwrap.*GIFTRECEIVINGChinesetraditiondictatesthatapersonshouldnotappeargreedy,sotherecipientwillrefusethepresentwhenthefirstoffer.Thegivershouldpolitelycontinuetoofferthegiftuntilltheoppositesideacceptit.*Iftherecipientdidnotopenyourgift,itdoesnotmeanthatheorsheisnotinterestedinit.Wealwaysopenthegiftafterthegiverhasleft.Nomatterwhetherwelikeitornot,wealwayssay"Ilikeitverymuch".*Sharpobjectsarenotsuitablesuchasknives,letteropeners,orscissorswhichimplytheseveranceofarelationship.Donotbragaboutyourgiftinfrontoftherecipient.*Westerncustomofgiftgiving西方送礼习俗*America*Smallgiftssuchaspens,businessdiaries,andmementos(纪念品)withcompanylogos(商标)areusuallysufficient.*InAmerica,lavish(浪费的),extravagantgiftsaredefinitelyout.Anappropriatealternativetoagiftistotakethedeservingpersontodinner,ortoanentertainmentorsportingevent.在美国,赠送贵重的礼物是行不通的,比较合适的礼物是带上你要感谢的朋友去赴宴或参加娱乐体育活动。*Whenvisitingthehome,itisnormallyappropriatetopresentagifttothehostess.*Agiftcanbesomethingsmallbutelaborate(精心制作的)forapersonwithwhomyouareclose.*Itisimportanttoavoidhighlypersonalgifts.*Giftsarenormallyopenedwhenreceived.*InAustralia澳大利亚Australiaisknownforitsfriendlyinformalityandlackofpretence.Somodestgifts,suchasabusinessdiary,apaperweight,oracoffeemugmightbepresentedasamementoofavisitofbusinessmeeting.Atatradeshow,T-shirts,ties,baseballcaps,orapinmaybeappropriatemementos.Anythingmorethanthesetypesofgiftscouldcauseembarrassment. 澳大利亚以其友好,不拘礼节及坦诚而闻名,所以在参加商务会议时,送上一个商用记事本、纸镇或一个咖啡杯再合适不过了。在商业展览上,赠送T恤衫、领带、棒球帽或者一个大头针最合适做纪念品了。若送比这些东西贵重的礼品反而会致人尴尬。*InGermany德国AWestVirginiaexecutive,visitingGermanyforthefirsttime,wasinvitedtothehomeofhislargestcustomer.Hedecidedtobegallantandbringhishostessabouquetofflowers.Heselectedadozenredroses. 一位西弗吉尼亚主管第一次去德国,其最大的客户邀请他上门拜访。他想献殷勤,于是给女主人带了一束鲜花,选的是一打红玫瑰。 Oh!Terriblemistake!Socialgiftgivingispopularandwell-establishedinGermanybuthascertaindo'sanddon'ts. 噢!这个错可犯大了!交际中送礼在德国早已司空见惯,为世人所接受。不过什么可送什么不可送可是大有学问的。*Flowersareoftentakentoahostessofadinnerpartyatherhome,buttherearethreetaboostoremember:First,redrosessignifyaromanticinterest;Second,danevennumberofflowerssignifiesbadluck,asdoesthenumberthirteen,andLast,alwaysunwraptheflowersbeforepresentingthem.ThisWestVirginiawasmakingwhatamountedtoapassathiscustomer'swife. 如果晚宴设在女主人家中,常见的就是给她送花。不过有三个禁忌一定得记住:(1)红玫瑰象征着心仪对方;(2)偶数鲜花寓意着倒霉,13朵也是如此;(3)献花之前不要包装。这个西弗吉尼亚人送红玫瑰让人以为他对客户的妻子有意思呢!*WhenvisitingaGermanhome,giftsthatreflectyourhomecountryarepopular,andyoumightwanttobringsmallgiftsforthechildrenofthefamilyyouarevisiting. 登门拜访德国人时,带上能反映你祖国特色的礼物将大受欢迎!也可以给主人家的孩子带上点小礼物。 GiftsarecustomarilywrappedandmanyGermansspendconsiderabletimedesigningelegantwrappings.Mostshopsoffergift-wrappingservices,too. 礼物一般得包装,很多德国人会花上一定的时间设计个优雅的包装。大多数商店也会提供包装服务。*InItaly意大利Whenyouareinvitedtoaperson'shomefordinner,itmightbenicetobringflowersoraboxofchocolatesforyourhostess,althoughitisjustasconsideratetohavetheflowerssentthenextday. Yellowrosescansignify“jealousy.”AndinItalyneversendchrysanthemums,sincetheysuggestdeath. 当你受邀至某户人家共进晚餐时,为女主人带上几束花或者一盒巧克力就可以啦,不过当然你要是第二天再送花的话,也可算是考虑周到了。 黄玫瑰寓意着“嫉妒”。在意大利人们从来不送菊花,因为这暗示死亡。*东西方文化的差异分析首先是礼品观念上的差异。中国人往往注重礼品的实质意义,即它的实用价值,而不喜欢中看不中用的东西。这主要是因为几千年来中国一直被人口压力所困扰,资源匮乏,社会生产力一直在低水平上循环,因此,我们尤其注重物质生活,注重物质的实用性。而西方人往往注重礼品的纪念价值。确切地讲,中国人送的是礼品,而西方人送的是纪念品。应邀去西方人家做客,可以给女主人送一束鲜花,给男主人送一瓶葡萄酒。*其次,中西方文化在送礼的目的上也显露出不小的差异。中国人送礼,往往目的性很强。中国人的礼,常常是在请求别人帮助前送出去的。过去,到某人家里提着几瓶酒,一定是有事相求。找别人帮忙时,礼物有时会提前送,为的是事情办得更顺利一些。而西方人注重的是送礼这一行为,以及礼物的象征意义。他们的礼物一般都不贵,而且一般是在得到帮助之后送,以
达诚恳的谢意。*而西方人注重的是送礼这一行为,以及礼物的象征意义。他们的礼物一般都不贵,而且一般是在得到帮助之后送,以表达诚恳的谢意。* 此外,在接受礼物时,中国人和西方人的反应截然不同。在中国,人们接受礼物时往往并不喜形于色,且不当面打开礼品,认为这样做非常不礼貌,而且会给人留下“贪财”、“贪婪”的印象,或让人感到对所接受的礼物过分在意。往往是在客人离开后,或回到家后悄悄打开礼品。而在西方,人们在接受礼物时,想到的首先是感谢。因此,为了表示谢意,他们往往会当面小心地打开礼物,大呼小叫地称赞一番,激动时还拥抱你一下,与你同时分享快乐*Thankyou!^_<*