Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Understand a Cultures Customs Before Gift Giving

Gift giving has been around probably as long as the human race itself; although the ritual has been traced back to the Romans who would give each other a token meant to wish the recipient good luck in the New Year. This token was known as a strenae. According to tradition the strenae was originally merely branches plucked from the grove of the goddess Strenia who was the Roman goddess of strength and endurance. From these meager beginnings the art of gift giving has evolved and changed depending on cultures traditions, customs and religious beliefs in countries throughout the world.

Giving gifts is now surprisingly complex yet an important part of the human interaction and helps to define relationships and strengthen bonds on a small scale with family and friends as well strengthen or repair relationship and bonds on a major scale as those between countries. Gift giving is an art and as with any art it is meant to evoke delectation in its recipient as well as the person giving it.

When giving business gifts, the gift should reflect your thoughtfulness, good taste, attention to detail and most importantly show an understanding of the recipient's customs, beliefs and traditions. Rules and customs regarding the giving and receiving gifts vary from country to country and cultures within those countries.

Whether you are doing business in another country, doing business with a company in another country or doing business with a person with different beliefs than yours, it is important that you have an understanding of the recipient's customs, tradition, beliefs and company rules before you present a gift to them. To give an idea on how simple gifts given with the most thoughtful intentions will be perceived by other cultures.
  • If you wish to give a gift to a Chinese client, it would be considered poor taste to give them a clock as a gift. It would also be considered to be in poor taste to give an individual gift, instead a group gift should be given.
  • A gift of Lobster which is a very popular gift in the States during the holidays is viewed as a distasteful gift for people of the Jewish faith.
  • Giving a gift such a football (made of pigskin) or alcohol to people of the Muslim faith is also considered also to be a distasteful gift and against their religious beliefs.
  • To give a gift to the wife of an Arab colleague or client is considered to be in very poor taste.
  • When doing business in Singapore bear in mind that businessmen there are not allowed to accept gifts.
  • Countries such as Malaysian consider gifts given before a firm relationship is established to be a bribe.
  • In India you would not give a gift made of leather or any beef product because the cow is a sacred being to them.
  • Countries such as Japan, Indonesia and Philippines the exchanging of gifts is expected and has been part of their culture's traditions for centuries and is a sign of respect. The way a gift is presented to the recipient is as important is as important if not more so than the gift itself. When presenting a gift, to a Japanese associate or clients, whether shipping the gift or giving it in person, it is important to never allow it to arrive unannounced, make sure that the recipient is aware of its impending arrival. If giving the gift in person, it should be given at the end of your visit so that it can be opened later once you have gone.
  • When presenting a gift in person in Japan or Hong Kong, it is important that that you do so using both hands.
  • In the Middle East you would present the gift using the right hand.
  • In Singapore when presenting a gift to a client it is tradition for the recipient of the gift must turn down the gift three times before accepting it. It is important to make sure you offer the gift three more times to ensure that the gift is accepted.
  • It is usually in poor taste to give a gift that displays a company's logo on it. Clients in Spain, Portugal and Greece would not view this as a gift but a blatant form of advertising and find it offensive.
Gift giving has always had a central place in business practices, helping to build and strengthen the bonds between businesses. When considering the giving of a gift to a client or person it is important that you do some research to find out what would be appropriate gift for the recipient. This research is useful to prevent offending the intended recipient customs or religious beliefs, but also may help you to find out more about the person such as special dietary restrictions, for an example sending a person who is diabetic a gift basket filled with chocolates and candies looses the impact that was intended. One should never underestimate the impact that a gift can have on a relationship whether business or personal. Knowledge of the recipient will assist you in the selection of a gift that has a more personal touch creating a greater impact. Here are a few general gift giving etiquette tips that may help prevent awkward or embarrassing gift giving situations.
  • When giving gifts to people of a different culture, do some research to find out about the recipients culture, traditions and beliefs and use this information to create a more personalized gift.
  • When giving business gifts give gifts that reflect you as well as your company's image.
  • Never give gifts that display your company's logo (Items with a logo tend to be viewed as an advertisement not a gift).
  • Prior to giving a business gift check with the recipient's company to find if they have a policy on their employee's accepting gift and if there is an expense cap.
  • Have an understanding of the recipient's culture, customs and beliefs about receiving gifts and the proper way to give them that respects their traditions and culture.
  • When choosing gourmet products for business gift-giving, such as gift baskets, know the contents of the gift to make sure none of the items will offend the recipient's religious beliefs or customs.
  • For maximizing the impact that a gift has, personalize it by factoring in the recipients outside interest, customs and personal likes. Use your imagination and make the gift stand out (in a good way).
  • With any gift you give the gift should reflect the value you place on the relationship whether business or personal. The more important the person is to you the more attention that should be put into the gift you give them.
  • Remember that the note attached to the gift has as much if not more importance than the gift itself. Whenever possible handwrite the note and always make it personal and heartfelt
One thing to take away from this is that a person should never under estimate the impact that even the smallest of gift can have on a relationship whether business or personal and one should have an understanding of the person or company's customs, culture, traditions and religious beliefs before giving a gift. Gift giving is a wonderful thing and if done properly will allow a business relationship to blossom grow and flourish, yet if done improperly can cause a relationship grind to a screeching halt or destroy it completely.

Rick Inglett
Founder

http://www.arcanagiftbaskets.com

Friday, June 24, 2011

Quote for the Weekend

Yesterday is history.  Tomorrow is a mystery. 
And today?  Today is a gift. 
That's why we call it the present. 
~Babatunde Olatunji, also attributed to Alice Morse Earle

Happy weekend all!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

10 Idea Hadiah Pengantin

Musim cuti sekolah akan menjadi kebiasaan untuk kita memenuhi jemputan majlis persandingan. Sebagai tetamu, menjadi kemestian untuk membawa hadiah untuk mempelai. Tak kira di mana sahaja resepsi diadakan, di rumah, dewan, hotel, bandar atau kampung halaman. Pemberian ini samada dari segi barangan atau wang tunai adalah sukarela bagi tetamu.
Dua perkara penting yang akan memberi kelainan dalam pemberian hadiah ini adalah budaya dan perhubungan anda dengan pengantin. Yang penting, hadiah tersebut perlu menunjukkan keikhlasan anda.

Ok, mari kita lihat hadiah-hadiah yang boleh di beri kepada sang mempelai.

1.     Wang Tunai
Memberikan wang tunai adalah hadiah yang paling mudah dan ‘always right’. Ada juga hadiah wang tunai diberi sebelum atau selepas untuk perbelanjaan spesifik seperti live band semasa acara dan lain-lain lagi untuk meringankan perbelanjaan pengantin. Terpulang kepada anda samada pemberian dibuat sebelum, semasa atau selepas acara dijalankan.

2.     Barangan elektrik.
Ini mungkin hadiah yang agak popular. Selalunya setiap majlis akan menerima 2 atau 3 hadiah yang sama seperti periuk nasi elektrik, cerek, seterika, blender dan stove memasak.

Sekiranya ingin membeli barangan elektrik, disarankan membeli yang berkualiti supaya ia dapat digunakan dengan lama. Apa kata belikan hadiah yang jarang diberi seperti ‘vacuum cleaner’ atau ‘mixer’ membuat kek.

3.     Barangan dapur
Sekiranya ingin memberi barangan dapur, disarankan memberi barangan berkualiti supaya pengguanaannya dapat dimaksimakan. Ini termasuk set pinggan mangkuk, set periuk/kuali, alas meja atau set sudu garpu. Selain dari itu, barangan Tupperware dan bakul piknik juga boleh menjadi hadiah yang berguna.

Mungkin ia lucu, ada juga pengantin baru yang minta lesung tumbuk sebagai hadiah! Ok lah tu, ‘it is still considered barangan dapur right?’

4.     Barangan rumah
Hadiah untuk barangan rumah memang sangat popular ini termasuklah frame biasa dan cermin. Sering juga set cadar dan comforter menjadi hadiah bagi sang mempelai. Untuk kelainan, mungkin juga boleh memberi set tolietries untuk ditempatkan di bilik tetamu kelak.

5.     Barangan berunsur keagamaan
Sekiranya buntu, hadiah berunsur keagamaan juga boleh diberi. Bagi pengantin Muslim khasnya , Al-Quran, buku-buku doa, sejadah, tasbih, telekung dan kain pelekat juga boleh di beri. Bukan sahaja ia akan digunakan berulang kali, ia juga memberi pahala kepada si pemberi. Frame ayat-ayat suci Alquran juga boleh menjadi hadiah yang mudah dan cantik.

6.     Buku
Selain dari wang tunai, buku juga adalah hadiah yang mudah. Ia memberi ilmu, informasi dan inspirasi. Buku adalah ‘evergreen’ dan ia terus ‘memberi’ kerana sekiranya ia dikongsi atau di beri pada orang lain, ia terus menjadi panduan. Ia seperti hadiah yang boleh di buka berulang kali.

Tips : Contoh buku yang bersesuaian adalah seperti buku resepi, buku keagamaan dan motivasi untuk pasangan memulakan hidup sebagai suami isteri.

7.     Voucher Tunai
Voucher tunai juga adalah popular. Kami ada terilhat voucher-voucher ini di jual di pasaraya contohnya seperti Parkson dan IKEA. Selain dari itu, anda juga mungkin mahu melihat Groupon atau MyDeal kerana mereka mempunyai diskaun untuk pelbagai perkhidmatan dan barang dan boleh dijadikan voucher hadiah.

8.     Pakej berbulan madu
Tiket atau pakej boleh dibeli awal dengan harga yang berpatutan. Yang penting anda sebagai organiser perlu tahu tarikh yang sesuai. Kemudian selalulah melawat laman web penerbangan dan pergi ke MATTA Fair yang diadakan 2 kali setahun. Kos boleh dikurangkan sekiranya anda mengajak kawan-kawan lain ‘chip-in’.
Hadiah ini bukan sahaja boleh mendapat reaksi yang menggembirakan kedua mempelai, malah ia juga dapat meringankan masalah memikirkan ‘kemana’ untuk berbulan madu.

9.     Hadiah unik
Hadiah seumpana ini bergantung kepada bagaimana hubungan anda dengan bakal mempelai. Sekiranya anda rapat dan tahu hobi salah seorang dari mereka, anda boleh membeli sesuatu yang bersesuain dengan hobi atau personaliti. Terpulang kepada idea kreatif anda!
Contoh : sekiranya si isteri/suami meminati persembahan teater atau muzikal apa kata membeli tiket di Istana Budaya atau Dewan Philharmonik.
Walaubagaimanpun, sekiranya memberi hadiah umpama ini, sediakan resit sekali, manalah tahu pengantin mahu menukarnya ke hadiah lain. Selalunya hadiah begini boleh menjadi kejutan yang menggembirakan atau sebaliknya.

Sekiranya tahu yang pasangan adalah pengumpul 'perfume' yang tegar, mungkin boleh membelikan 'perfume' untuk pasangan ini. Anda boleh jenguk sini untuk idea perfume yang unik.

10.  ‘Personalised Gifts'
Sekiranya ingin hadiah yang istimewa untuk pengantin, boleh juga beri ‘Personalised Gifts' Seperti juga tuala yang di monogramkan, pelbagai barangan boleh di ‘personalise.

Contoh : Jahit monogram atau nama di tuala atau sarung bantal atau ukir nama kedua pengantin di hadiah seperti frame gambar, barangan pewter, perhiasan dinding, beg, pen dan macam-macam lagi. 

Untuk lebih istimewa, boleh juga ukir nama pengantin seperti berikut : En. Azli & Puan Elyna atau dalam ungkapan Inggeris, Mr & Mrs Azli. Mesti pasangan pengantin teruja terutama pengantin perempuan kerana inilah kali pertama dia di sebut sebagai Puan.
Contoh : Azli dan Elyna. Monogramnya akan jadi AE


Hadiah kepada pasangan mempelai perlulah praktikal dan dalam ‘budget’ yang ditetapkan. Yang paling penting ia menggembirakan pengantin dan membuatkan mereka mengingati pemberian anda.

Diharap perkongsian ini akan dapat memberi idea kepada anda untuk pemberian hadiah kelak.

Kongsi lah pendapat anda mengenai idea-idea ini...



Saturday, June 18, 2011

Quote for the Weekend

Each day comes bearing its own gifts.  
Untie the ribbons. 
~Ruth Ann Schabacker



Have a good weekend all!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Father's Day Gift Ideas

Father's Day is just around the corner. I have no doubts that you are now scrambling to find the perfect gift for dear old dad. With each passing year, it can become harder and harder to come up with great Fathers Day gift ideas. Does your dad seem to have everything? Are you having a hard time figuring out just what you should get him? Are you tired of the traditional tie gifts and ready for something new and unique?

I have done the homework, research and hard work for you. Here are some fabulous Fathers Day gift ideas that might be perfect for the main man in your life. All you have to do now is decide which one is the perfect fit. The internet is full of great gift ideas and the great thing about shopping on the internet is that it saves you a great deal of time, money, and hassles.

Thanks to the internet you have more choices than you ever had in a traditional "offline" shop, which means more chance to get creative and really find that perfect gift. Another great thing about the internet is that it makes shopping for your Fathers Day gift easy, quick, and safe. You save gas running to the various stores to look for that perfect gift. You save money because most websites will offer discounts or incentives, and you save time, because you do not have to get in your car, drive from store to store, and search through each one until you find that right gift.

If shopping on the internet just sounded like a great idea, I couldn't agree with you more. What is more is that many websites offer gift wrapping and shipping to anywhere in the country or world, depending on which site you use. At the same time, you could start your Father's Day shopping right now and have it shipped at a later date, so that it reaches dad at just the right moment. Starting your shopping now is a great idea, because you have already taken care of your gift and now you do not have to worry about it slipping your mind until the last minute. If you are like me at all, you tend to forget sometimes, even when you try not to forget. So here are some Fathers Day gift ideas for you to consider to get you started:

Fathers Day Gift Baskets
Fathers Day Gift Baskets are great because they can be themed to cover any hobby or interest your dad might like. These hobby gift baskets are perfect for getting something that your dad will really enjoy. And what's even more important your dad will know that you were thinking about his interests. For example, if Dad loves motorcycles, why not send him a motorcycle themed basket. Maybe your dad loves to golf, mine does too, so a golf gift basket might be the way to go. Of course, if you do happen to forget to do your shopping ahead of time, there are also some great gift baskets that make perfect last minutes gifts such as fruit or wine gift baskets.

Personalized Is Always The Way To Go
I am really big on personalized gifts. To me, they just make the day and gift that much more special. Some personalize fathers day gift ideas might include personalized key chains - with a name or monogrammed initial, money clip, holders for business cards, cufflinks, or even get their favorite tool engraved with their name or special saying. And dad will know that you took the time to select the perfect gift and how it personalized!

Jewelry Just For Dad
Some men like men's jewelry, my dad is not one of them, but my grandfather was a big fan of pocket watches and cufflinks. There are many great Fathers Day gift ideas when it comes to men's jewelry. Aside from a pocket watch or cufflinks, you might consider a personalized necklace, a ring, or even a great chrome lighter, which can also be engraved.

Golf Gifts
I could not leave out golf fathers day gift ideas. My dad is an avid golfer, just like dads all across the world. So, when searching for the right gift ideas, I just had to include golf gifts. The great news is that you have a wide variety of choices when it comes to golf gifts. How about getting dad a fabulous golf gift basket, which might include great snacks, a cup too keep dads drink cold, ball markers, note pad, tees, or a number of other things. Or a personalized putter set. There is an endless supply of golf gift ideas for Father's Day.

Of course, these are just a few ideas for great Fathers Day Gifts You know your dad best, the perfect gift is just waiting for you on the internet. Start shopping today and be ready when the day does finally arrive to honor your dad, the man who made the biggest impact in your life. Teddy Bryant is a writer and web designer at Arttowngifts.com where they make high quality affordable Last Minute Gifts their top priority. This online gift and art gallery features Fathers Gift Baskets including sportsman theme baskets and wine gifts.The company also offers a complete line of Personalized Fathers Day Gifts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Teddy_Bryant
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...