The art of gift giving-送礼有道

The art of gift giving-送礼有道
For the Japanese, gift-giving at its finest is a token5 of apprecia tion6, and at its worst, a competition. When you return a gift, yours must be better and more expensive. In turn, the gift you will receive will be better and more expensive than the one you gave. The value of the gifts increase successively7.
Although this may seem extreme8 to Americans, the notion of g ift-giving is not alien9 to us. We have all given or received gifts. The Ja panese just integrate10 it into a part of their day-to-day life. Because gift -giving is such an important social aspect of Japanese life, it’s important to be aware of some key factors. These pointers11 will guide you to kno w how and when to give and receive gifts.
Devalue12 the gift you give. The important thing is to act and s eem humble.You don’t want the recipient13 to think that you are arr ogant or proud. Denigrate14 your gift as much as possible. It doesn’t ma tter if the label on the box bears the symbol for Gucci15. The Japanese value the appearance of a humble gift-giver who tries to shun16 away fro m praise.
Praise the gift you receive. Although praising may seem obvious, overpraising the gift is the key. It’s also important to praise the fine ta ste of the gift-giver in making that particular choice for you. And don’t forget to give a thousand and one thanks.
Don＇t open the gift unless you are urged to do so. And when you do, you must take the utmost care in unwrapping it. Don’t look eag er, and be careful that you don’t tear the paper or cut the ribbon17. Aft er observing, praising, and thanking, be sure to rewrap the gift as if it ha d never been opened. Try to appear as if you take great pride in the val
ue of the gift. Humility is valued in Japanese society as a virtue18 and e ven as a norm19.
Choose perishable20 or edible21 gifts．In general, don’t buy t hings such as ornaments, vases, and kitchenware; it’s already assumed th at everyone has these things. To do so may imply that you don’t approv e of22 the other person’s taste. Also, most Japanese houses are very sma ll and don’t have extra space for useless junk23.
Offer something perishable or edible. Some suggestions include f ruits, smoked salmon24, canned goods, coffee/teas, jars of am, and oils. T hough not as common, fine wine or gourmet25 bottled drinks are options 26 as well.
Wrap all gifts attractively.Wrap anything and everything with good-quality paper along with bows and ribbons. Japanese gift-giving is a n art and it should be treated as such.
You should look out for27 the colors when choosing your ribbo ns. Red and white are typically used for Valentine’s Day, as red and gre en are for Christmas. Gold and silver are for weddings. Be especially car eful with black and white—use those colors only for funerals28. Because the Japanese can be quite picky29 and superstitious30, be aware about the implications31 of certain colors.
Although Japanese gift-giving may seem a bit strange and too rit ualistic32, it is nevertheless a significant aspect of the Japanese societal c ulture. If you keep these pointers in mind, you’ll be sure to impress any Japanese. Whether it be for business or pleasure, you will successfully e scape their stereotypical33 misconception34 of the baka-gaijin (stupid forei gner).
日本人专门爱送礼。

不只是专门场合才送礼，专门多日本人差不多把送礼看作一种社会责任和义务。

送礼成了人们日常生活中习以为常的情况，
例如送点小东西给邻居或者同意蔬菜商多给的一个萝卜。

若投之以桃，不人就会报之以李。

若想收到礼物，必须先送人礼物。

对日本人而言，送礼从好的方面讲是表达谢意，从坏的方面看是一种竞争。

还人家的礼，必须比人家送的更好更贵。

同样，你收到的礼物会比你送人的礼物更好更贵。

你来我往的结果是礼物的价值越来越高。

这种礼仪在美国人看来显得专门过激，然而送礼的观念关于我们并不生疏，我们都有这种经历。

日本人只是是把送礼化为日常生活的一部分而已。

既然送礼是日本人社交生活的一件大事，专门有必要了解一下其中的讲究。

下面这些点子将关心你了解送礼受礼的方法和时机。

谈及你的礼物要自谦。

送礼时言行举止一定要谦恭，不要让受礼人觉得你傲慢无礼。

言及自己的礼物要尽量自谦，就算礼品盒上有古奇标志也无妨。

日本人看重的确实是送礼人对颂扬退避三舍的谦恭态度。

颂扬你收到的礼物。

颂扬人家送你的礼物看起来谁都明白，但关键是要明白得夸张之道。

另外，夸奖送礼人选择礼物有品位、目光独到也专门重要。

再者，不忘了对人家千恩万谢。

不要打开礼物，除非人家督促你打开。

真要打开的话，千万要小心。

表情不要太急切，当心不把包装纸撕破或者把丝带弄断。

看完礼物、颂扬、谢过送礼人之后，一定要把礼物重新包好，保持原样。

言谈举止间要尽量表现出你对收到如此一件贵重礼品感到专门荣幸。

谦恭在日本被视为一种美德甚至行为规范。

选购不宜久放或可食用的礼品。

一样不要买装饰品、花瓶、厨房用品如此的东西。

这些东西人人都有。

如果你买这些东西送人，可能暗示你不赞同对方的品味。

此外，日本人大多房子专门小，没有余外的地点存放无用的东西。

赠送不宜久放或可食用的礼品。

比方讲水果、熏鲑鱼、听装食品、咖啡或茶叶、果酱和食用油。

另外，好酒或精美的瓶装饮料也可送人，尽管这些不是常见的礼品。

礼品不管大小，都要包装精美。

不管你送什么，都要用优质包装纸配上蝴蝶结、丝带包装好。

日本人送礼是门艺术，礼品包装理应如此。

选择丝带要注意颜色。

情人节一样用红色和白色，就象圣诞节一样用红色和绿色。

结婚选金色和银色。

选黑色和白色要专门当心——葬礼才用这种颜色。

日本人有时专门挑剔和迷信，因此选择丝带要明白某些颜色的含义。

尽管日本人送礼可能显得有点惊奇而且过于仪式化，但这的确是日本社会文化的一个重要方面。

若能记住上述要点，一定能给日本人留下美好的印象。

如此不管在日本是公干依旧旅行，你都能够幸免日本人对你抱有“傻老外”的成见了。

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