Every country has its own culture with people of different values and beliefs, but they all have one thing in common – they like to Give. But the way gift giving is perceived and handled can vary greatly across the globe. In China, gifts wrapped in red are supposed to be good luck, never give 13 flowers to someone in Europe, and when giving money in India it has to be an odd amount. In Sweden, birthdays are started out (start) with breakfast in bed and Japan gives the most extravagant gifts. Giving is universal, but traditions and occasions can be quite different and the importance of gift giving can also vary greatly from high to low by country and culture.
Starting with the country we live in, a country that values diversity, materials,
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In North America it is common practice to open the gifts in front of the giver and thank them right away. The only exception is at weddings where the gifts will be collected, but not opened until after the celebration at home. Another exception is examining money cards, since that can build pressure and make for an uncomfortable situation for the giver and also receiver of the gift.
Gift giving in the business world is similar to personal gift giving in the United States. Many companies like doing gift exchanges during the Christmas season. Popular gifts are items for the office, liquor or wine (for after office hours of course!). It is also suggested to stay away from gifts with religious backgrounds such as a Christmas tree ornament, since not all religions celebrate Christmas and it can’t always be known what religious beliefs one person
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South America has very similar giving traditions to the U.S. Some differences are the way Christmas is celebrated with a big get together on Christmas Eve and the opening of presents at midnight that day. Another difference is the very big emphasis put on religious holidays and ceremonies. There are some additional Christian holidays in some South American countries. For Christenings it is common for the Godparents to gift an engraved (with child’s initials and the date) gold medallion for girls and cross for boys. Money will then be gifted on the First Communion.
When looking at gift giving etiquettes in a business setting it is important to choose something inexpensive, but appropriate that will not get confused with bribery in South American countries such as Argentina. It is also important that the gifts are nicely wrapped and a card is enclosed in business and personal life. Then there are continents that have some different gift giving customs such
Many holidays and traditions are the same in the US and Spanish-speaking countries. The Institute of Language listed New Year as a “Celebration of the beginning of the year”, Easter as
Easter is as big of a celebration as Christmas is. Easter in the US, is celebrated by going to church for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and also on Easter Sunday. We recognize what happened each day leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion and when he had risen from the dead. Non-religious people in the US only do Easter egg hunts and hunt for candy from the Easter bunny. This is a very common activity practiced on Easter Sunday by most families in America. Just like Christmas, Hispanic cultures really only focus on the real purpose of Holy Week and Easter. Hispanics celebrate Easter by dressing up as creatures and people from brotherhoods, and roam the streets celebrating and devoting their love towards Christ. They also celebrate by burning Judas dolls in the streets, these are made out of straw. Hispanics also go to Church to celebrate these days and to recognize them. Hispanics and the US both celebrate Easter in their own and unique
Gifting technically does not mean buying an object and giving it to another person. The term “gifting” used at “Burning Man” refers to sharing an experience, one
How much money is one morally obligated to give to relief overseas? Many In people would say that although it is a good thing to do, one is not obligated to give anything. Other people would say that if a person has more than he needs, then he should donate a portion of what he has. Peter Singer, however, proposes a radically different view. His essay, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality,” focuses on the Bengal crisis in 1971 and claims that one is morally obligated to give as much as possible. His thesis supports the idea that “We ought to give until we reach the level of marginal utility – that is, the level at which, by giving more, I would cause as much suffering to myself or my dependents as I would relieve by my gift” (399). He says that one's obligation to give to people in need half-way around the world is just as strong as the obligation to give to one's neighbor in need. Even more than that, he says that one should keep giving until, by giving more, you would be in a worse position than the people one means to help. Singer's claim is so different than people's typical idea of morality that is it is easy to quickly dismiss it as being absurd. Saying that one should provide monetary relief to the point that you are in as bad a position as those receiving your aid seems to go against common sense. However, when the evidence he presents is considered, it is impossible not to wonder if he might be right.
The short story The Gift has many layers with in itself on different topics. The topics of discrimination, feminism, friendship, tradition, and power all can be seen in this story. Many literary devices can be seen in the story also. Such as: theme, metaphor, tone and symbol. This story unlike most as that I couldn't predict what was going to happen that made the girls leave the school. Just as it says in the beginning paragraph "No one expected Merceditas Cáceres, on the day Carlotta Rodriguez was expelled from the Sacred Heart, to hang her silk sash from the doorknob, drop her medal of the Congregation of the Angels in the alms box, and walk out through the schools' portico arm in arm with her friend, head held high and without deigning once to look back, with that gesture of paramount disdain so commonplace in those of her social class." (Ferré) Just like no one in the story would have expected the main characters to do this, during the story I could not figure out why they would have done it.
accept the gifts from their children with no hesitation, how eager they are to compliment and
customs and moral ideas differ from country to country and from age to age, but
We gained control of many things. But we had to let go of others” (97). In the book The Giver by Lois Lowry, no one has seen a rainbow after a storm, no one knew what colors were; what choosing was; what it meant to be an individual. Everyone lived in complete Sameness, and never learned what it meant to be an individual. By eliminating as much self expression as possible in Sameness and society, Jonas's community has rejected the individuality of a society where people are free to move society forward. In The Giver individuality is represented by colors, memories, and pale eyes.
worse. Since these people make very little money, their gifts come more from the heart
America is a land filled with strong nationalism; however, there was once a time where one living in America could not say that he was an American. The colonists in the New World did have nationalism, but it was for a land across the sea. In Robert Frost’s poem “The Gift Outright”, there is set forth a stanza concerning the history of America and how this nation came to be. Through his use of personification and other stylistic choices, Frost efficiently communicates and explores the forming of a nation and, thus, the creation of nationalism.
that person appreciated the gift and it would be almost like a gift to you.
Business casual is crisp, neat, and should look appropriate even for a chance meeting with a CEO. It should not look like cocktail or party or picnic attire. Avoid tight or baggy clothing; business casual is classic rather than trendy.
Generalized reciprocity is when exchanges are made that do not have a certain value. They are unequal at many times. These exchanges are usually gifts that are voluntarily given from kinsmen to kinsmen. The invoked notion that a transaction needs to be equal is repressed. An example of this kind of reciprocity is given by Mauss. Mauss states that generalized reciprocity were not only for marriage within the Samoans societies, but also with childbirth, funerals, and even puberty (Mauss 1963:8). In another society, the Japanese in Honolulu, Hawaii, generalized reciprocity had a different meaning depending on the recipients and givers. At a general level, gifts were given had meanings such as giving from the heart, think of others and they will think of you (Johnson 1974: 296). Among empirical level, usually formal functions such as weddings, funerals, births, and even graduations, the meanings of these gifts are keeping social networks.
Effective communication with people of difference cultures can be especially challenging. The way people interpret the world can be strikingly different between cultures. Intercultural communication occurs when a member from one culture produces a message that is absorbed by a member of another culture. How that message is understood by the communicating party is a vital part in intercultural communication. For example, in Cambodia it would be considered rude to discuss business in a social setting (Language, culture, customs and etiquette, n.d.). However, in the United States this is a common practice and is almost an encouraged event. Another important factor and consideration in intercultural communication is the importance of understanding cultures, values, history and beliefs. For instance, in Cambodia, if you deliver a present that is wrapped in white paper, this is considered to represent mourning. This is one of the many reasons why it is important to assimilate into a culture and be mindful of communication between cultures (Language, culture, customs and etiquette, n.d.).
The business world of the past encompasses a predominantly male environment with innate, discerned guidelines. Today, the business arena has changed with the civil rights movement and the entry of women into the workplace. The changes continue to evolve with other sociocultural issues. In order to be successful in the business world a masterization of business etiquette is imperative.