GIFTS FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

During the Lunar New Year, the Chinese would buy gifts to bring along when visiting the houses of their friends and relatives. The gifts are usually in the form of food and auspicious items. There is usually a strong symbolic significance in the gifts that were chosen. I usually buy toys for my younger nephews and nieces when they come visit my home during the New Year as I am not married and am not eligible to give ang pows or red packets to them. I try as far as possible to look for meaningful gifts like the happiness bears above.

Here are some types of gifts to give for red occasions like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, grand openings and festivals that are considered auspicious:

• SWEET STUFF - Candies, cakes, sweets. Anything sweet is often viewed as a wish that someone will have a sweet future. This is particularly true during the Chinese New Years time when a lot of sweets are presented and passed around.
• THINGS THAT MAKE COMPLETE CIRCLES - Circles are powerful symbols in the Chinese culture that shows completeness. Giving something that is round, be it a ball form like an Asian pear or orange, or a ring, is a powerful way to symbolize giving someone a fulfilling life, a completeness.
• FRUITS - This is a combination of the above two concepts – sweetness and completeness. Again, a powerful symbol of the thing you wish to give someone.
• THINGS THAT NUMBER 3 OR 8 - The number three is particularly significant in weddings or births as the sound of the word for three, "san", is homonymous with the word for beginning or birth. The number 8 is a lucky number and gesture of good will.
• NUMBERS THAT END IN ZERO - Zero in the Chinese culture is the idea of completeness, rather than emptiness as in the Western world. Thus, when giving monetary gifts, it’s often a sign of good luck to give things that are multiples of ten.
• RED WRAPPINGS - The colour red is for luck and can be seen everywhere during Chinese New Years and other auspicious occasions.
• THINGS THAT ARE GOLD - The colours gold and red are significant in Chinese culture. Gold is the colour of luck and things lavish.

Reference: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48137.asp