Courtesy of Mish.
Earlier today I received a nice email from Mike “In Toyko” Rogers regarding my post Do Gift Cards Make Any Sense? Is it Time to Ban Christmas Presents Altogether?
Mike writes …
Hi Mish,
In Japan, even though Christmas gift giving is not customary, we do have a custom called “O-Kaeshi” (Honorable Return).
What “O-Kaeshi” means is that when you receive a gift, then you are obligated to give one back. The Japanese take it to extremes as when a gift is given then another is returned and then another given back for the one that was given back and the cycle continues.
I have put my foot down and told my wife and our friends to “Stop!”
It’s really absurd when a Japanese visits a foreign country and then feels obligated to buy some souvenir junk for the folks back at home (I mean, how many Hawaii refrigerator magnets – that are made in China – do we really need?)
When I tell the Japanese that we are to “stop it” (and I can because I have an executive position at work) they seem to always be relieved. Cultural and social pressures are not to be under-estimated.
Anyway thinking that you have to buy presents for the aunt you don’t like or cologne for the uncle you don’t even really know not only a waste of money, but philosophically inane.
It’s Better to buy gold or silver for the immediate family for yourself.
Thanksgiving is a better holiday than Christmas away because, at least, there’s no “socially required” gift giving.
Mike
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