Christmas and New Year are the best time to show your goodwill and express your gratitude for loved ones. It's this beautiful time of the year when you can give a gift as a token of your affection and appreciation, but are there any rules in giving or receiving gifts? Of course, there are.
Moreover, every person in every culture might have his own rules.
Getting ahead of myself, I would say:
Always use your common sense. (That is self-explanatory)
Act according to the situation (place and environment) and your relationships with the giver/receiver. (If it's your family, colleague, partner, acquaintance, friend)
Be culturally aware (what is appropriate in one culture might be unacceptable in the other). For example, in China, number 4 is associated with death. A watch, green hat or an umbrella won't make a good gift. In Russia, the number of stems in a bouquet of flowers should be odd. Danes love to unwrap their gifts in front of other people while being done in private in Asia.
When giving gifts, you should try to spend an amount you are comfortable with, not one that you assume another person is paying. (Spending excessive amounts on a gift may make the receiver feel uncomfortable)
Show your genuine appreciation when receiving a gift. (When you receive a gift, even if you don't give one in return, always show your appreciation, regardless of whether you like it or not. Find something about the gift you do like, maybe color or shape, or just the thought, and be genuinely grateful. If you are presented with the gift in person, smile and thank the gift giver. If you receive a gift by mail, call the gift giver as soon as you can to alert them that the gift has arrived. You should also send a hand-written thank-you note if it's possible.
Everyone is different, but always remember that a little THANK YOU goes a long way.
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