Giving alcohol as a gift

[Brian US]

Noticed a few threads about the drinking culture and giving gifts in China, but I wanted to know more specifics.

Just watched Wall Street 2 and the main character gives a bottle of "American 白酒" to some Chinese investors. This is followed with him saying something along the lines of 'I think you'll like it.'

My question is how appropriate is it to give alcohol to someone as a gift?

This is easy to answer if you know the person enjoys drinking, but consider the context of the movie scene. The character appears to give bottles to the elder boss and his younger female associate. Shouldn't you make sure the person even drinks alcohol?

Half my Chinese friends won't drink a drop of alcohol, where the other half with keep up with the 5+ drinks. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium. You either don't drink or you practice the art of binge drinking. I asked an American businessman who takes part in many government banquets about this. He explained it goes culturally that if you are going to do something, you might as well go all the way.

[roddy]

Perfectly fine gift assuming you don't specifically know the recipient doesn't drink. I think most gifts of that type never actually get drunk, just regifted, sold, or used as ornaments - hence the amount of packaging being just as important as the actual contents of the bottle.

To a woman . . . does seem a bit odd, but often it's not the thought that counts, it's the face-giving.

[889]

Two words: 礼品回收

[Brian US]

I was also curious about the drinking culture in general. The other thread on this topic talks mainly of drinking games. Most of the public drinking I see has people with close friends at a restaurant or at the KTV. When I lived with an elderly Chinese couple I never saw them drink. Yet, every so often I would see a trash can with some empty beer cans and/or a bottle of 二锅头.

[889]

I think there are some strong geographical differences. E.g., think Dongbei in deep winter.

[Brian US]

I think there are some strong geographical differences. E.g., think Dongbei in deep winter.

Is that what keeps those ice sculptors going?

[aristotle1990]

The thing about alcohol is that it holds its value, regardless of whether the recipient can hold it -- alcohol is in some ways the perfect gift. If you give him a bottle of fine wine, it'll likely sit prominently on a shelf somewhere for years afterward, its value in dollars (or RMB) and mianzi only increasing.

[crazy-meiguoren]

Interesting responses... but I've also posted on another thread that I'd be worried about giving alcohol to someone I didn't know very well. With my luck, I'd probably wind up sabotaging a recovering alcoholic's efforts to stay dry.

[mike39]

In terms of gift giving, it is best to give two (6 or 8, not 4!) bottles of BaiJiu. The practice comes from the chengyu: 好事成双 (Good things should be in pairs.) For bonus points, try to ensure that the BaiJiu is from the local area where you are staying.