Giving Gifts and Receiving Gifts in Hong Kong

If you're lucky, some buddies will invite you over to their homes during special holidays like Chinese New Year's or the Mid-Autumn Festival. Know that an invitation to a home or a family gathering is an extremely rare and special privilege. Hong Kong homes are very small, so having an extra person over (and a stranger at that!) is a big deal. Show your respect to the family by bringing a gift to the hosts!

In general, the more expensive the event is for the host, the more substantial your gift should be. Bringing something is always better than bringing nothing at all.

Gift Ideas:

• Boxed cookies or a cake from any Hong Kong pastry shop

• The Ko Kei Bakery makes really great phoenix egg rolls, cookies, and crackers from Macau that make for nicely boxed for gifts. 
• Fresh fruit cakes and pastries can be bought at any bakery in Hong Kong

A small cake or dessert type item would be positively received.

• 
  Fruit
• Usually appropriate for more informal dinners or if you are closer to the host family.
• Something unique from your home country/state
• Trail mix, nuts, or vitamins for older people
• These are really expensive in Hong Kong. Especially macadamia nuts! If you can purchase them from your home country, sharing them with the host family or even local students will be really special. 
• Chocolate covered nuts or fruit would also be something special you can bring.
• In general, good gifts when visiting a home are the ones that the entire family can use.

For Weddings only:

• Give a red envelope with money, instead of a gift.
• Make sure the chinese characters on the red envelope does not have Chinese New Year phrases written on them
• Chinese New Year Envelopes typically say: 新年快樂 or 恭喜發財
• A long vertical red envelope with the double happiness characters "喜喜" is the most traditional for weddings.
• The dollar amount ranges from $500 HKD minimum to around $1000 HKD minimum
• Generally:
• $500 HKD min. - Regular Chinese restaurant
• $1000 HKD min. - Hotel banquet hall and/or if they are your good friend
• Use crisp, new, and unfolded bills.

A red envelope with the double happiness characters "喜喜" 

General Gift Giving Etiquette

• Give the gift with both hands for politeness
• Remove the price tag
• Boxed sets or nicely packaged items are more appreciated. Gift bags or wrapping paper will take you further if you want to make the best impression.
• Either present the gift to the individual personally in private or, to the whole group/family.
• It may be taken as rude if you try to give a gift to only one person in front of everyone else.
• Eight is a lucky number. Whenever possible, especially for money, quantities of eight are the best.
• If a card will be included, never use a red pen to write your message.

Receiving Gifts

• Receive gifts with both hands for politeness
• Do not open the gift immediately. 
• If a family takes you out to dinner, you will not be expected to pay. However, you can make sure to show a little modesty by offering to pay for the whole dinner or to chip in for your share. 

What Not To Do:

• Never give a gift in quantities of four because it the number four sounds like "death" in Chinese.
• Don't give sharp objects, clocks, handkerchiefs, green hats, straw sandals, bells, or cut flowers.
• Don't wrap gifts with white, black, or blue because it represents mourning.