Gift giving and acceptance

Gifts are given for a variety of reasons ranging from birthdays to holidays and as a way
of saying 'Thank you'. Many of us are used to giving and receiving gifts but there are a
few rules to follow in Chinese culture. When giving a gift, be careful that the gifts are
not over the top. If a gift is impossible to reciprocate, this would cause a loss of face and
place the recipient in a difficult and embarrassing position. This is due to the fact that
while Western societies tend to extend appreciation with a sincere thank you or a thank
you note, Chinese culture tends to reciprocate with a gift in return. Lavish gifts,
according to Millet (2010), can also be viewed as a bribe if it is during business deals.
During a business meeting, it is considered bad taste to give a gift to only one person. If
you only have one gift to give, it should be given to the most senior person. If you are
giving gifts to several people, the gifts should be different if the receivers are of differing
statuses within the company. This is due to the emphasis that the Chinese give to the
hierarchy in business dealings and other formal settings.

Gift (Asenat29, 2006)

Generally when you give a gift, you are to hand the gift to the person with both
hands. This shows a sign of respect as the gift is considered to be an extension of the
person. When you are on the receiving end of a gift, you are to gently refuse it a couple
of times before accepting it, otherwise it would seem like you believe you are deserving
of the gift and/or greedy. When you do accept the gift, you are to do so with both
hands. One final thing is not to expect the receiver to immediately open the gift as it is
thought that opening the gift might embarrass him or her or show greed.
Perception and respect is very big in Chinese culture and when these rules are not
followed, you are considered impolite and disrespectful.
I remember when I was a student, my parents would prepare gifts for the
teacher. Christmas gifts were not as bad but a gift at the end of the year would often

surprise the teacher. They would often open the gift in front of me and I remember
feeling embarrassed as it was not the norm to give gifts to the teacher at that time. This
culture of gift giving as a 'Thank you' has now become more widespread, at least in
Vancouver's school district, as class parents now organize class gifts for the teacher. The
'Iceberg model of culture' noted by Selfridge & Sokolik (1975) lends itself very well to
the act of gift giving and receiving. Like the top of an iceberg, the actions are deliberate
and observable but the underlying reasons are not explicit, creating the larger unseen
portion below the water.

The iceberg model also lends itself to the shift in Canadian culture. The Chinese cultural
influences on gift giving as a thank you is like the ice and snow that has accumulated on
top and is now a part of the Canadian cultural iceberg. This change in Canadian
behaviour, organizing class gifts, provide us with a view of how cultures are ever
changing, just like an iceberg.

Asenat29. (Photographer). (2006, December). Gift [digital image]. Retrieved from

https://www.flickr.com/photos/72153088@N08/6510934443
Millet, Joyce (2010). Cultural Savvy. Retrieved from
http://www.protocolprofessionals.com/articles_china_print.htm
Selfridge, R. & Sokolik, S. (1975). A comprehensive view of organizational management.
MSU Business Topics, 23(1), 46-61.