The holiday called the Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year is the main holiday in Chinese culture, which traditionally begins a new year according to the lunisolar calendar. This colour and lucky occasion reunites families and friends to share meals, gifts, and generally to usher in the new year. Since every organization is keen on positive client and business associates’ relationships, including well thought out Lunar New Year gifts may just be the right plus.
Learn why giving gift during the Lunar New Year is important in business and get tips on gifts known as ‘CNY goodies’ to choose that will make the right impact.
How Gift-Giving during Lunar New Year Corporate
Chinese Lunar New Year celebration goes hand in hand with traditions and symbolism and gift giving is one of the cultures. Lunar New Year gifts are therefore a perfect way that businesses can show their clients, associates and partners that they are cared for and appreciated. These actions help to build trust in the relationship which is paramount to building good business relationship.
Further, there is a significance of the given gift. It means that material selected should possess attributes such as good fortune, prosperity and longevity since these are considered valued back in China. The exchange of gifts between thevendor and the customer is also anindicator of acknowledging the support and business produce in a particular year. This tradition will help build and enhance relations of business with organizations as well as improve the image of the respective business in the Chinese community.
Selected CNY Goodies
Before going through the tips on choosing the right gifts for business partners for Lunar New Year celebration, you may find it helpful to look at the following articles that symbolize cultural values of the festival.
Traditional Snacks and Sweets
An excellent way to celebrate Lunar New Year is by offering traditional snacks and sweets, such as:
- Jiaozi (Dumplings): Since the shape of dumplings kind of looks like the kind of Chinese old currency, two pieces of it is eaten at the start of the new year so that a wealthy new year is achieved.
- Nian Gao (Sweet Rice Cake): Often referred to as sticky cake, this food item represents a higher year-by-year position or prosperity in commerce.
- Flower Cookies: Cookies in the shapes and marked with symbols that are principally meaningful in the New Year, for example, “huānyín shèngyì” (庆丰收), which means “Happy harvest” and symbolizes prosperity.
Red Envelopes with Money
Popular Lucky Money is also known as hong bao or lai see, are sealed red packets, the contents of which traditionally are new banknotes. When you give these red envelops to your business partners, you are actually wishing them a good and prosperous year. As anything odd is bad luck, an even number should be also given, for example, ten cupcakes.
Pandan Leaf Wrapped Stickies
They mean success and one’s ability to secure himself financially in Asian culture. The name for these sweet stickies is kuih peng kacang, which sounds like “progressively prosperous”. These scrumptious snacks are quite useful as a corporate gift since they show your business counterparts that we’re colleagues with a sweet touch.
Chinese Calligraphy Artwork
Well expressed good wishes blended with a regard for the worthy achievements of the recipient is a perfect testament to the traditional form of arts depicted in Chinese calligraphy work, which makes a worthy gift. It is better to choose such expressions as “龙腾虎跃” – leaping dragons and prancing tigers, the symbol of strength and wealth or “福禄荣华” – fortune, rank, glory.
Chinese Tea Sets
The Chinese cannot do without tea, and a traditional tea set represents Chinese orientation, tranquility, and sophistication. Present the counterpart with an elegant tea set and tea leaves to assure the building of long term business relationships. It is recommended that a combination of tea that stands for the certain lunar year be served, for example, chrysanthemum tea during the year of the ox.
Angbao for Businesses
An angbao, or ang pao, can be taken to mean a money envelope which is often handed over with a gift. This is a good way to show your concern and encouragement to a business partner or friend with the work he is doing. In its place, it is recommended to award gift certificates, inexpensive trinkets with company logos or simply thanking an employee with other products from your business.
Incense and Lanterns
The use of incense shows respect while red coloured lanterns are associated with prosperity and happiness. Presents of these things are an extension of your intention to cherish a business relationship and wished for better fortunes throughout the new year.
Conclusion
Lunar New Year is obviously a reason to remember contacts and working relationships, thus carefully chosen CNY delicacies can definitely signify good feelings, thank you and readiness for further cooperation. For it is imperative to keep up with tradition and symbolism while it is not only depriving oneself of an opportunity to pay tribute to the partners and associates, but also of an opportunity to build the truly trustworthy relations with the business circles.
Lunar New Year is another important occasion for Chinese businesspeople; thus, this year, treat your business partners to thoughtful gifts as a sign of your respect for Chinese traditions. Incorporating traditional CNY goodies into your gifts adds a meaningful touch, celebrating the festive spirit and honoring cultural heritage. That way, engaging in this important tradition would help you build strong relationships as well as establish your business within the Chinese for the long run. Hence, no matter if you go for such rather old-school conceptions as typical snacks or red envelopes or get more sophisticated recognizing people’s art, let this Lunar New Year be one of lightning success and harmony for everyone involved.