'T is the season to be jolly!
 At
this time of year, for some of us, we have come upon the season of gift giving.
Here in Thailand, highlights of the season are approximately on the dates of
December 28 to January 2. After that there is the Chinese New Year which is
in February. Christian groups and institutions, of course, would celebrate
December 24th as Christmas Eve and December 25th as Christmas. December 25th
is not a holiday so it will be work as usual. The exception is for schools
or institutions that are Christian. There will be no classes or work but students,
employees and staff are required to come for activities and celebration and
are sent home early. Thailand is mainly Buddhist and does not officially celebrate
Christmas. But of course, Thailand is a free country and there is religious
freedom and Christians are free to celebrate Christmas.
So what's in a gift?
Well, it depends. How generous the gift giver is and the giver thinks about
the recipient? For example, is the intended recipient the boss, a loyal customer,
a favourite teacher, wife or fiancée? The gift speaks much about how the giver
thinks of the recipient What would you give as a gift to your husband? Your
best friend?
Then there's purchasing power. The boss could not expect a gift from an employee
that is worth more than the employee's salary. It may raise suspicion instead
of good feeling. But of course, you would not dare give a gift to the boss
that is "cheap".
Trivia: The largest gift for the record
is the Statue of the Lady of Liberty. The official name is "Liberty
Enlightening the World". The gift was transported to the United States
in 1885, put together and was dedicated on October 28, 1886. The statue stands
46.50 m (151 ft 1 in) tall, and weighs 252 tonnes (225 tons).
Value of the gift
The word cheap in the sense of gift giving may mean many things. Cheap as
in low cost or low or both. Here in Thailand, it is common for businesses to
give "fruit baskets" or "gift basket" to loyal or outstanding
customers. Although the contents of the basket is not very expensive, the
value is in the meaning of the contents of the basket. For example, besides
assorted fruit (yes, it has to be assorted) the basket will contain small
jars of chicken soup, a carton of fruit juice, cake, pastries, and tea or coffee.
The meaning is of good health, prosperity and success. That's the value. The
added value of the "fruit basket" or "gift basket" will
be the size of the basket and the number of items in the basket. That will
speak of the generosity of the giver or the status of the recipient or both.
Why gifts?
It's undeniable, in any culture or anywhere in the world, everyone enjoys
giving and receiving gifts. Gift giving may have various causes:
- It is a custom, on occasions (birthdays, holidays, festivals, celebration,
etc.).
- One has more than the other.
- Something bad happened to the other.
- A gesture of love and/or friendship.
- A little something extra (business).
- A wedding.
- A funeral.
- A birth.
- Many more ...
It would be very hard to imagine a world without giving gifts. It will be hostile
and full of suspicion. We will not know love or generosity. All of us have
known to give gifts and to receive gifts. Gifts and giving has become a part
of us, it is universal.
Purchase your gifts from us
Our exotic leather wallets, handbags and purses make good
gift ideas. All
our products are reasonably priced yet have luxurious taste and symbolism,
crocodile leather, for example. Stingray leather is tough yet beautiful. Snakeskin
leather is the ultimate exotic because the snakeskin is from the sea snake.
For every purchase of a wallet or purse, we put them in gift boxes covered
with Thai silk fabric at no additional cost. You
might want to consider making a purchase soon, if you want to schedule or time
the arrival of the gift: it takes 5 to 10 working days to reach addresses in
the US or Europe.
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