With only a few days to the Chinese New Year, people have started gearing up for the festival. Before the festivities begin in full swing, it is of grave importance that you conclude all your gift shopping on time. Before you start your shopping, do you know what kind of gifts you should give to your Chinese fellows? If not, take a look at the list of the top 10 culturally appropriate CNY gifts that you should buy for a joyous New Year celebration.
Flowers
The perfect way to welcome the spring season is by gifting gorgeous bouquets. If you want to give a memorable gift, make a flower arrangement consisting of plenty of bright hues and mixed flowers. Just be careful not to pick chrysanthemums as in the Chinese culture, they are considered funeral flowers.
Lucky Plants
The Chinese tradition has certain houseplants that are considered to be highly auspicious. Say, the lucky bamboo, which is given as a gift of good fortune, signifies strength. The most famous Chinese New Year gift is the Kumquat plant because it is a symbol of prosperity. People proudly showcase this evergreen tree’s fruits, stems and leaves.
Gift Baskets
This spring festival, greet your near and dear ones by giving them elegant and vibrant gift baskets. Fill your CNY gift basket with traditional and exotic fruits like oranges, dragon fruit or with delicious goodies and beverages. Make sure to decorate such kinds of Lunar New Year gifts with the festival colours- red and golden.
Traditional Sweets
Be it Chinese New Year or any other festival, and everyone loves to receive sweet bakery items. Gift traditional pastries like the fresh flower rose cookie, sesame balls, beef tongue pastries, turnip cakes and Lotus seed shortbread. An assortment of such sweets can be gifted to people of all age groups.
Tea
Irrespective of age, all Chinese people love their teas. Hence, making a set of fresh, aromatic and healthy tea an ideal gift for the Chinese New Year. Buy a beautifully wrapped box of teas for your family, especially the elderly.
Cigarettes
Various international organisations encourage people to choose a healthier way of life. However, the Chinese have always maintained their tradition of gifting cigarettes. It is a trendy gifting item, especially around major holidays like the New Year. Thus, gift your smoker friend or relative a pack of the classic Chunghwa cigarettes.
Alcohol
Another excellent gifting option is alcohol. Gift your friends and family the most famous Chinese liquor, baijiu. Baijiu is known to symbolise health, longevity and peace. Other alcohol gift options for the Chinese New Year are red wine and beer.
Toys
The best presents for Chinese New Year to give small children are toys. They are happiest when they are left to play with their toys. With the New Year around the corner, many traditional toys like the lion and dragon are available. You can also gift your young cousins, nieces or nephews a game set they have been eyeing on for some time.
Home Décor Items
During the New Year celebration, people adorn their homes with beautiful red and golden coloured decorations. Décor items can also be given as Chinese New Year gifts to friends and family. Couplets for good wishes, paper cuttings for happiness and luck and paintings for New Year greetings are some of the gift items that are highly appreciated.
Healthy Food Items
This year, give your grandparents and parents a gift that is not just culturally appropriate but thoughtful as well as useful. You can either buy or make some healthy food items for your loved ones, especially if they are unwell. You can prepare tonic products like cordyceps, edible bird’s nest or ginseng.
Whether you are celebrating your first or nth Chinese New Year, it is always good to know what presents are suitable. Choose the aforementioned Chinese New Year gift ideas for a fun-filled celebration.
Gurnika Talwar is FNP’s marketing and creative content writer and has been with the firm since 2020. She is based in Delhi, India and has been in this field for 2+ years.
She started her journey as a freshman but since then has created content on several mediums. With blogging on gift ideas, food, gardening tips and whatnot as her primary goal, she has also curated content for social media and brand films. As a storyteller, she creates original, genuine, and relatable content to connect with the mass. Besides work, you’ll find her chit-chatting about movies or making sarcastic jokes.
The perfect way to welcome the spring season is by gifting gorgeous bouquets. If you want to give a memorable gift, make a flower arrangement consisting of plenty of bright hues and mixed flowers. Just be careful not to pick chrysanthemums as in the Chinese culture, they are considered funeral flowers.
The Chinese tradition has certain houseplants that are considered to be highly auspicious. Say, the lucky bamboo, which is given as a gift of good fortune, signifies strength. The most famous Chinese New Year gift is the Kumquat plant because it is a symbol of prosperity. People proudly showcase this evergreen tree’s fruits, stems and leaves.
This spring festival, greet your near and dear ones by giving them elegant and vibrant gift baskets. Fill your CNY gift basket with traditional and exotic fruits like oranges, dragon fruit or with delicious goodies and beverages. Make sure to decorate such kinds of Lunar New Year gifts with the festival colours- red and golden.
Be it Chinese New Year or any other festival, and everyone loves to receive sweet bakery items. Gift traditional pastries like the fresh flower rose cookie, sesame balls, beef tongue pastries, turnip cakes and Lotus seed shortbread. An assortment of such sweets can be gifted to people of all age groups.
Irrespective of age, all Chinese people love their teas. Hence, making a set of fresh, aromatic and healthy tea an ideal gift for the Chinese New Year. Buy a beautifully wrapped box of teas for your family, especially the elderly.
Various international organisations encourage people to choose a healthier way of life. However, the Chinese have always maintained their tradition of gifting cigarettes. It is a trendy gifting item, especially around major holidays like the New Year. Thus, gift your smoker friend or relative a pack of the classic Chunghwa cigarettes.
Another excellent gifting option is alcohol. Gift your friends and family the most famous Chinese liquor, baijiu. Baijiu is known to symbolise health, longevity and peace. Other alcohol gift options for the Chinese New Year are red wine and beer.
The best presents for Chinese New Year to give small children are toys. They are happiest when they are left to play with their toys. With the New Year around the corner, many traditional toys like the lion and dragon are available. You can also gift your young cousins, nieces or nephews a game set they have been eyeing on for some time.
During the New Year celebration, people adorn their homes with beautiful red and golden coloured decorations. Décor items can also be given as Chinese New Year gifts to friends and family. Couplets for good wishes, paper cuttings for happiness and luck and paintings for New Year greetings are some of the gift items that are highly appreciated.
This year, give your grandparents and parents a gift that is not just culturally appropriate but thoughtful as well as useful. You can either buy or make some healthy food items for your loved ones, especially if they are unwell. You can prepare tonic products like cordyceps, edible bird’s nest or ginseng.
Whether you are celebrating your first or nth Chinese New Year, it is always good to know what presents are suitable. Choose the aforementioned Chinese New Year gift ideas for a fun-filled celebration. 
