The Gift

• Bring fruits/good quality chocolate/flowers/cake/liquor if invited to someone’s home
• DO NOT give liquor to woman
• DO NOT give scissors, it represents cutting ties/”cutting off” relationship
• DO NOT give green headwear, it represents death (I have also read that another reason is that there is a Chinese saying, “戴绿帽子” (wearing the green hat) that means the wearer of a green hat has a spouse who is cheating on him/her)
• Giving gifts from home country are appreciated

The Gift [Business]

• DO NOT exceed $100, it will be reported according to ethics laws
• DO NOT be give/receive overly expensive gift

Wrapping

• Neat wrapping
• Red/Yellow are royal colors
• Yellow/Pink represent happiness
• Blue is a lucky color
• DO NOT use Green, White or Black
• DO NOT use dark color, they represent death

Cards

• NEVER use red writing, it represents death

Quantity

• 7 is lucky
• NEVER give a set of 4, the word for 4 is similar to the word for death in Korean (same rule in Japan & China) **I have also read that multiples of 4 are a no no too**

Price

• Rude to give expensive gift if you know the person cannot reciprocate equally.
• Give the gift of greatest value to the most senior person

Giving & Receiving

• Use BOTH hands to give the gift
• Gifts are not opened in front of the giver **If you are friends it is ok for the receiver to ask Do you want me to open this?