Dragon Lunar New Year Gift-Giving: 10 Dos and Don’ts for a Lucky Blessing

The Lunar New Year, often associated with the majestic symbol of the dragon, is a time of vibrant celebration, steeped in tradition and cultural significance. Gift-giving during this prosperous period is more than a mere exchange of presents; it’s a way of summoning blessings, respect, and heartfelt wishes for the upcoming year. But, how do you choose gifts that summon these good fortunes the right way? This article is all about dos and don’ts that you would find priceless.

The Symbolic Significance of Gifts

You can’t really gift good presents if you don’t know the meaning behind these gifts in the first place. To demonstrate how symbolism is important, remember that 2024 is the year of the Dragon. Dragons are mythical creatures that are seen as a sign of authority and a bringer of good fortune. When choosing a gift for someone born in the year of the Dragon, all of these have to be taken into consideration. This means gifts that make a bold statement, symbolise prosperity and fortune and colours that are vibrant like red and gold are what’s expected. If you don’t know all of this, then how would you ever choose perfect gifts?

5 Dos for Dragon Lunar New Year Gift-Giving

Here are five things you should definitely do when choosing a Dragon Lunar New Year gift:

• Select Symbolic Gifts

In Chinese culture, the importance of symbolism cannot be overstressed. Next time you are choosing a Lunar New Year, these symbolisms have to be the first thing on your mind. In other words, don’t just choose a random gift, choose something that symbolizes prosperity, health or longevity. For example, artwork featuring dragons or items in auspicious colours like red or gold are cheat codes for Dragon Lunar New Year gifting. Feng Shui items such as jade ornaments or wind chimes are also fantastic options as they are believed to bring balance and positive energy to the owner’s home.

• Embrace Tradition

To give Lunar New Year gifts that your recipient will appreciate, you have to embrace tradition whether you agree with it or not. Apart from the fact that it’s risk-free and your recipient is guaranteed to appreciate the gift, you also obey the first rule, selecting symbolic gifts. For instance, Hongbao is a traditional Chinese gift. They are basically red envelopes filled with money. It is believed that the red colour of the envelopes means red colour. Also, the amount of money given should always be in even numbers as odd numbers are for cash gifted during funerals.

• Consider Lucky Numbers

In many Asian cultures, one number that stands out is the number 8. It is a symbol of luck, especially since the pronunciation for it sounds like “wealth” or “prosper”. Opt for gifts that are somehow associated with the number 8. For example, gift in sets of eight, use denominations that include the number 8, e.g., $88 or $188.

• Demonstrate Respect for Elders

No matter what you do, respect for elders is always going to be of utmost importance. You can reflect this respect in your gifts by choosing gift items that elders will appreciate whenever you are gifting an elder. For example, healthy gifts like ginseng tea or a high-quality shawl are a surefire of showing elders respect by letting them know you care about their health.

• Personalize Your Presents

Finally, personalise your gifts to make them unique to your recipient. When it comes to Lunar New Year gifting, one way you can implement this principle is by gifting according to your recipient’s zodiac sign. If they were born in the year of the Dragon, for instance, then a dragon-themed gift would make a lot of sense.

5 Don’ts to Avoid Cultural Missteps

To avoid being misunderstood and having unpleasant gifting experiences, you need to understand the saying, “Ignorance is not an excuse”. Get rid of your ignorance so you won’t have to make excuses. Here are five things you should never do:

• Avoid Negative Symbols

Some objects just symbolize negativity in Asian cultures. Steer clear of gift ideas like that. For example, giving a clock is frowned upon in some cultures because the phrase “giving a clock” sounds too similar to the phrase “attending a funeral”. In Cantonese-speaking regions, shoes – which seem like a pretty normal gift – are similar in pronunciation to a sigh which implies tiredness or exhaustion. Even books are a tricky gift to give.

• Mindful of Numbers

Numbers might seem harmless too but not when you use the wrong ones in your gift. The number 4 is not very popular because its pronunciation is so similar to the word “death”. Many buildings in China, Japan, and Korea now skip the 4^th floor the way Western buildings skip the 13^th floor. Avoid this number in gifts, as much as possible.

• Cultural Appropriation Awareness

In today’s world, be careful not to cross the line from appreciation to appropriation. What this means is when someone uses the attire, symbols and other traditions of a culture in a way that the owners of the culture see as trivialisation or misrepresentation even though it might not always be intentional. To avoid this kind of situation, always approach other cultures with respect and an open mind.

• Avoid Sharp Objects

In many cultures, gifting sharp objects is not always the best choice and the Cantonese culture is no exception. It is believed that sharp objects sever ties and relationships. If you ever see a supposed Lunar New Year gift set with knives, scissors or kitchenware set, you know what to do.

• Careful with White Colours

In many Asian cultures, the colour “white” is a symbol of mourning even though it isn’t so in many other parts of the world. Gifting items that are white in colour might be misinterpreted as being insensitive. To stay safe, steer completely clear of white colours and go for more vibrant colours.

Navigating cultural nuances can be complex, yes, but if you can keep an open mind and be mindful of these ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’, then you are already well on the way to choosing the right Lunar New Year gifts.