Chinese New Year w/ employees

[Gemini]

Hi all, I have an office etiquette question regarding Chinese New Year that I'm hoping someone here can help me with:
What would be traditional, appropriate gifts to give employees at Chinese New Year? I know about the red envelopes with one dollar bills for children, but that doesn't sound quite right for the workplace... I would only have four people to buy for. They all observe the traditional holiday. I've gone to websites but the only info I can find is that it's traditional to give gifts, but no info on WHAT would be appropriate. Any ideas???

[Heavenly]

I've always given sweets and tangerines to my friends who celebrate Chinese New Year (along with the red envelopes for their children).

Here is a website that caters to CNY gift ideas.  http://www.findgift.com/Holidays/Chinese-New-Year/

Good Luck!

[Gemini]

Thanks very much for that link, Heavenly!!! I'll keep the sweets and tangerines in mind, too. 

[dawbs]

I have no real clue, but redenvelope claims they have Chinese New Year gifts too:

http://www.redenvelope.com/giftcatalog/Ccat10471.jsp

[thebadchemist]

Yeah, tangerines and oranges are great. If you life in an area with a Chinese supermarket, check it out when New Year's rolls around. It's Feb. 18th this year, right? An Asian market should have plenty of goodies that you can buy. Potted chrysanthemums and paperwhites are always a good idea. However, watch out for the chrysanthemums. My family (we're descended from the southern Cantonese-speaking part of China) always had mums and paperwhites to mark the New Year. However, I brought a pot to my friend's Taiwanese parents and they're like, "Isn't this Japanese?" So... there are regional differences.

Sweets/snacks are always good. There are seeds that you crack open to eat the meat that you can buy bags of. There's a variety of Chinese candies, like a creamy, strawberry-flavored hard candy (red and gold shiny wrapper... can't miss it), chewy coconut strips, and those rice candies where you can eat the inner wrappers (I always found that kind of gross).

The red envelopes are for children and unmarried adults only. They're actually not a bad idea if you can't find anything else, but I wouldn't gift married people with them. I know handing out money in the workplace is a little odd to Americans, but a five in a red envelope is pretty symbolic and I think your co-workers would appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge the New Year.

Another thing to do other than gifts would be to take everyone out for dimsum. I'd avoid an actual gift (like an item in a box tied with ribbon) as it's not very traditional to give out boxed/wrapped gifts (as you would for a birthday) for Chinese New Year.

The big, broad, generalized rule of thumb with Chinese: you can't EVER go wrong with food or money as a gift. Keep it simple and you won't stray on any superstitions. Oh, actually, avoid giving things in groups of four. That means death. And don't give scissors or any other object that "cuts" off the flow of good fortune to the New Year. Avoid things that are purely white (mourning). There's more, but I'll stop here.

ETA: Depending on your co-workers and how traditional they are, if you give them something, they will very likely reciprocate. Just FYI, in case it's something that might catch you off-guard.

[Suze]

I've always given sweets and tangerines to my friends who celebrate Chinese New Year (along with the red envelopes for their children).

Here is a website that caters to CNY gift ideas.  http://www.findgift.com/Holidays/Chinese-New-Year/

Good Luck!

Ohh did I find a neat thing on that site http://www.isabellacatalog.com/prod.cfm/pgc/21000/sbc/21008/inv/900

OK its $149.00 But I collect dragons and would <valley girl voice> Just DIE if someone got it for me.

realistically though after looking through that site, I would probably go with one of those giant fortune cookies.

ETA - I really don't know anything about this gift giving tradition 

[blarg314]

Here they take us all out for a dinner shortly before the New Year's Holiday.  This year it's at a hot spring resort!

There's a special type of dumpling that's only eaten at that time of year, and there are all sorts of candies on sale.

Dim Sum is traditionally a brunch/lunch thing (originally breakfast, I think), so an office dim sum lunch might be a good thing.

Or, you could just give everyone firecrackers...

[hkkatie]

I think you've already received some great answers. We're living in Hong Kong now, so we deal with this every year. I agree that in general the lai see packets (red envelopes) are usually only given to children or unmarried people (usually younger than yourself), although here I know they are also given to service people (i.e. the doorman who greets you every day, etc. I have several friends in management positions who give them to employees). Anyway, you can never go wrong with food. Oranges, tangarines, boxes of chocolate, biscuits etc. I also agree with the person who suggested a dim sum lunch. I think they would be pleased that you took that effort for them. (Dim sum is a brunch sort of meal, usually served between 10am-1pm or so). Good luck!

[Gemini]

Thanks very much for all your informative, helpful replies!!!!! I truly appreciate the suggestions and info.

I did neglect to mention that an outing isn't feasible as three of these people are overseas and the other two (yes it's five now, not four ) are frequent travellers, so trying to organize something wouldn't likely work out. I plan to have customized baskets made with some of the foods mentioned here (plus perhaps some paperwhites... but no groups of four, and nothing which "cuts"), and arrange delivery for Feb. 18. For those who will be on the road I will have the baskets sent to their homes, so the families can enjoy. Does this sound about right?

Thanks again, you guys. You're lifesavers!

[Suze]

It sounds like a lovely gift idea.

For people who work for you or with you, I think that a food thing is the way to go.  Because they don't have to be gushy about something they don't like or will not fit in their house decor.

And food you "use up"

[freakyfemme]

How about red envelopes with Starbucks gift certificates in them instead of money?

[thebadchemist]

Thanks very much for all your informative, helpful replies!!!!! I truly appreciate the suggestions and info.

I did neglect to mention that an outing isn't feasible as three of these people are overseas and the other two (yes it's five now, not four ) are frequent travellers, so trying to organize something wouldn't likely work out. I plan to have customized baskets made with some of the foods mentioned here (plus perhaps some paperwhites... but no groups of four, and nothing which "cuts"), and arrange delivery for Feb. 18. For those who will be on the road I will have the baskets sent to their homes, so the families can enjoy. Does this sound about right?

Thanks again, you guys. You're lifesavers!

It sounds great. I think everyone will love the fact that you took the time to acknowledge the lunar new year!

[Gemini]

Hmmm... not sure if the Starbucks cards in the red envelopes would be appropriate? None of these people are single and/or children, so I think the red envelope would be a no-no even if it had the Starbucks card instead of money... but *I'd* like a red envelope with a Starbucks card!!! That will be my present to myself today. 

[ganjin]

We've been going weekly to the same wonderful Chinese restaurant for about sixteen years, and have watched one whole generation of the children grow up.   They always greet us by name, know exactly what we need, etc., and we feel right at home.

After about five years, we decided to take the employees a gift for the anniversary of the restaurant's opening, and have done so ever since.  I consulted a friend, and she recommended getting some of the lovely Clementines that I had on the table at the time, and said that fruit should always be given with leaves or some greenery, to signify freshness and "only the best for you."

So we went to an Asian grocery and bought three cases of the glossy-leaved Clementines, stacked them in a tower, wrapped it in red cellophane with gold satin cord, and they were most appreciative.    Everyone there had some to take home or enjoy at work, and they all mentioned their thanks at one time or another.

I was glad to know the hint about the greenery---that would have never occurred to me.

[thebadchemist]

We've been going weekly to the same wonderful Chinese restaurant for about sixteen years, and have watched one whole generation of the children grow up.   They always greet us by name, know exactly what we need, etc., and we feel right at home.

After about five years, we decided to take the employees a gift for the anniversary of the restaurant's opening, and have done so ever since.  I consulted a friend, and she recommended getting some of the lovely Clementines that I had on the table at the time, and said that fruit should always be given with leaves or some greenery, to signify freshness and "only the best for you."

So we went to an Asian grocery and bought three cases of the glossy-leaved Clementines, stacked them in a tower, wrapped it in red cellophane with gold satin cord, and they were most appreciative.    Everyone there had some to take home or enjoy at work, and they all mentioned their thanks at one time or another.

I was glad to know the hint about the greenery---that would have never occurred to me.

That's an example of a perfect gift for most occasions involving Chinese people. Hostess gifts, New Year's, anniversaries, etc. My mom also loves getting the greenery on the tangerines when she can find them, for the exact reason your friend stated. Besides, the presentation is always lovely, with the stack of tangerines and the leaves/stems sticking out. The Asian markets around here make a point of stocking fruit with the stems on around New Years. Another place to look is farmers' markets.