There are some traditions that we observe during Chinese New Year time and one of it is GIFTING.
I learnt about this tradition since I was young from my mum who will always reciprocate every Chinese New Year and my dad who delivers CNY hampers to his clients as a sign of gratitude.
As for my end, my housemate who stayed with me in my university years and another friend from 10 to 15 years ago gifted me some really beautiful gift packages. My housemate curated and put together by herself some of these beautiful snacks. She sells these packages as gift ideas to us who are looking for CNY gifts and coincidentally my friend bought from her and my housemate delivered it with some of her other customised gifts added on. SO BEAUTIFUL, DON'T YOU THINK SO?? I think she is very brilliant in thinking of the perfect combination for it, must have given much thoughts to it. She did this alone with 2 small children, what a capable woman!!
She drove over to this side of the city where I am at with her little family and I finally got to meet her little daughter whom I super like! She is one of the most adorable baby girls I know. So happy! Her son whom I am a big fan of too said that the aunty he met that day was beautiful. My friend asked which aunty and he said the aunty in orange though I wore yellow. But my friend said it should be me because he met no one else with a similar coloured clothes that day hahaha. It was hilarious but it made this far aunty happy 馃ぃ
A month ago, my brother and wife also came over and gave me my super early CNY gifts unexpectedly. Really nice cookies and the bear is actually a container for cookies, simultaneously a piggy bank to store coins. Brilliant idea!
馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐馃崐
After I got married, I also start practising gifting as I also believe in it is more blessed to give than to receive so even if some relatives and friends do not gift us anything, I still would like to give so long I can afford to.
I usually think of what the other person eats or likes and I give accordingly. This year however, I buy some similar snacks for all of them: some assorted nuts gift packs which I know is very delicious, some dried fruit and vegetables snacks, some healthy cereal, raisins and dried red dates.
I try to browse food that are healthier this year, hoping they will like it too.
馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё馃Ё
Of course we give out red packets to the children too every Chinese New Year. The banks are packed with long queues just to change different notes to pack into the red packets.
I gave up on this bank and went to another bank which I settled everything in less than 15 minutes. Much shorter queue!
After some years, I realise I love giving gifts, hence why Christmas and Chinese New Year become my favorite festive season! Some people think it is much of a hassle but I like it and do not mind it. Are you someone like me too? 馃槀馃Ё