Spring Festival

[YamiiSan]

I'm going to spend Spring Festival with my bf and I'm trying to figure out what to bring to all his relatives. I already decided to bring some sweets to his cousins but I am not sure what to bring to his parents and grandparents more than some Swedish snacks.

 

In Sweden we have a lot of sweet flavoured tea, Would they like that?

And what else to bring.. in Sweden it's quite common to bring bathing/showering things, decorations or some body mist and so on.. but I am already aware of that Chinese don't buy that much home decorations so I guess I can count that out.

Would like to hear any advice and experience from others..

[imron]

In my experience, Chinese people from mainland China don't particularly like foreign tea.  I mean sure, they'll be grateful for the gift, and they'll try it out of curiosity, but then they'll decide they don't like it as much as Chinese tea and either throw it out or give it to someone else.

[abcdefg]

Would like to hear any advice and experience from others..

 

Not an answer to your question, but factors that will affect the decision:

 

-- Does your boyfriend's family live in a city or in a rural setting such as a remote small town?

-- Are they affluent?

-- Are they cultured and sophisticated?

-- How casual or serious is your relationship with your boyfriend?

-- How important is it to get it right?

-- Have you asked your boyfriend for ideas?

 

Items used in bathing might not get much use if the bathing set up is primitive; more likely to be used if it is not. Sometimes, however, things that never will see use are still appreciated. In many ways, it's the gesture that counts.

[陳德聰]

If you refuse to ask your boyfriend what he thinks would be appropriate, then just go with some sort of food.

[YamiiSan]

I have asked him but it's still hard to find something good since he cant specifically say what would be good just a bunch of stuff that I should not get.

And the typical stuff we give in Sweden is not very appropriate or useful in China.

[陳德聰]

Then just go with some sort of food.

[abcdefg]

Food, liquor, sweets. Whatever you get, it needs to have a flashy wrapping. The packaging is important here for gifts.

 

Also be aware that they may not open it while you are there. It's often considered impolite to just tear into a gift immediately in the presence of the giver.