The significant man in your life needs as much care as you do. Please him this holiday season and demonstrate your respect and support by presenting a gift basket to Germany filled to the brim with his favorite sweet and savory treats. Perfect for sharing with business colleagues or family members this gourmet hamper provides something to everyone’s taste.
For Valentine’s Day, Anniversary or other significant occasion send that special someone in your life a gift screaming about your passionate feelings! A trio of red long-stemmed roses, cuddly teddy bear a box of gourmet chocolates is a classic romantic idea for those who appreciate style and elegance.
“Extremely positive experience. Packages delivered on time for a birthday event. GiftBasketsOverseas ensured that a substitute package was available when the one ordered was not, GPO subsequently successfully completed two separate deliveries (on the required date) and confirmed and followed up with me in Australia via email and phoned the recipient in Washington State. Strongly recommended!
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The holiday of love, Valentine’s Day, is celebrated with enthusiasm throughout the world. Most commonly observed Valentine’s tradition is expressing one’s love with an exchange of romantic gifts , flowers and cards. However in some countries the holiday has its own unique customs. With this said let’s get familiar with the most unusual Valentine’s Day traditions around the world.
Valentine’s Day in Japan: Worshiping Men
Japanese Valentine’s Day is all about spoiling men and not the other way around like in most Western cultures. In Japan, women are expected to give romantic Valentine’s gifts, mostly chocolates to the important men in their lives. This tradition was started as a marketing campaign by Japanese chocolate companies in 1950s and quickly gained a big popularity. To this day gifting different types of Valentine’s chocolates helps express the nature of one’s relationship without the need for words. For example, there are four main types of chocolate gifts each carrying its own message. ‘Obligation chocolate’ meant for men without any romantic interest like bosses, colleagues, male relatives and friends. ‘Ultra-obligatory chocolate’ which are given out of courtesy to distant acquaintances. ‘True feeling chocolate’ given to boyfriends, lovers or husbands. And lastly ‘Friend chocolate’ presented to female friends.
One month later on White Day (March 14), men are expected to return gifts to women who gave them chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Traditionally such gifts are supposed to be at least two or three times more valuable than received ones. Not returning the gift is perceived as the man placing himself in a position of superiority. And returning a present of equal value is considered as a way to say that you are ending the relationship. Originally only chocolates were given to women on White Day, but now it’s accompanied by jewelry, flowers, plush toys, lingerie, clothing, etc.
Valentine’s Day in South Korea: White Day vs. Black Day
Just like in Japan women in South Korea spoil their men with chocolates on Valentine’s Day. In return, they receive gifts on ‘White Day’ from men. However, the custom doesn’t end there. Koreans have taken Valentine’s traditions a step further and introduced a “Black Day” observed on April 14.
On this day those who did not receive any lovin’ (chocolates or gifts) on Valentine’s Day and White Day accordingly, go to a restaurant with other single friends and eat a dish of so called black noodles. Some refer to this custom as a celebration of the single life, while for others it is more a consolation dinner or mourning of being single.
Valentine’s Day in Taiwan: Going in Reverse
In Taiwan, the Japanese and South Korean tradition of Valentine’s and White Day is reversed. Meaning that men give romantic gifts on Valentine’s Day whereas women return the favor by gifting men chocolates on White Day.
Valentine’s Day in Denmark & Norway: Love Poems and Easter Eggs
The tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day didn’t become popular in Scandinavian countries until more recently. However, the locals introduced their own quirky custom of celebrating the holiday their own way. “Gaekkebrev” are funny little poems or rhyming love notes that men send to women anonymously on Valentine’s Day. Using a given clue like the number of letters in the senders name, represented by a dot for each letter, a woman must guess who her secret admirer is. If she guesses correctly she receives an Easter Egg on Easter later that year but if she makes a mistake it’s her who has to give the sender an egg on Easter.
Valentine’s Day in Finland & Estonia: Viva La Friendship
Valentine’s Day in Finland and Estonia is more a celebration of friendship rather than a romantic occasion. Even the name of the holiday literally translates as a “Friend’s Day”. On this day people exchange cards & gifts with the greeting of “Happy Friends Day”.
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Big, bold, bright flowers practically overflow from this exotic flower basket to Denmark. The colorful arrangement of sunflowers, lilies, gerberas, and assorted seasonal flowers are artfully arranged in a keepsake wicker basket to please the eyes and soul of your dear recipient. When you need to brighten up the day of your dear family member, friend, colleague or business client, send this cheerful surprise and get ready for a splash of positivity!
“Good morning Daria and the whole GiftBasketsOverseas team,
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When you need to send a personal or corporate gift that says Congratulations, Thank you, or I Miss You choose a hamper that is tasty, stylish and suitable for any occasion. An assortment of sweet treats put together by our food experts in a keepsake gift basket to Finland will satisfy any palate and sweeten the day of your dear recipients.
Chinese New Year also known as Lunar New Year, is one of the most significant holidays in China as well as Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand that occurs between January and February (this year falls on January 31st). The festivities last for over two weeks and are accompanied by numerous interesting traditions and superstitions. Let’s get familiar with some of them.
Preparation
Preparations for Lunar New Year begin about a week in advance. People start making festive food in good time, because traditionally, it’s not allowed to cook during the first five days of the New Year and all sharp utensils like knives or scissors are put away as they can cut away good luck. A week prior to the celebration is also a time to buy gifts for Chinese New Year and prepare decorations. But the most important step in getting ready for New Year celebrations is cleaning the house that is believed to sweep away bad luck.
After the cleaning, people start decorating the house to welcome the New Year. Most of the decorations are of red color symbolizing good fortune in Chinese culture. The most popular New Year decorations include lantern, upside down fu, dui lian, number “8” which rhymes with the word ‘wealth’ and brings good luck. Other traditions include placing flowers, symbol of rebirth and new growth, and mandarins, fruits of happiness, all around the house.
New Year’s Eve Dinner
On New Year’s Eve, Chinese families traditionally gather for a festive meal and stay up late in order to welcome the New Year. Right at midnight people launch loud, banging fireworks to celebrate the coming of the New Year and scare away the evil spirits.
Many of the foods served during Chinese New Year have symbolic meaning attached to them. For example, oranges and melons are popular because their gold color suggests wealth. Dumplings resemble ancient gold and silver ingots and serve as a symbol of riches. Hard-boiled eggs, fish and chicken are all associated with prosperity. Long noodles represent longevity, and the Chinese eat them whole, as cutting them up might lead to a short life. Since red is also so much associated with the New Year, red foods and fruit often appear on festive tables during this time of year.
The first day of the New Year is generally a quiet day in China. The cooking and cleaning have already been done, and most people stay at home or visit friends and relatives. When out visiting, many Chinese bring the hosts small Lunar New Year gifts, like sweets, flowers and red envelopes.
Red Envelopes
Since Chinese New Year is a popular time for gift giving, another common tradition is to give special red envelopes with “lucky money.” Usually such gifts are given by adults, especially married couples, to young children and single people to bring good luck, health, and longevity.
The money given in an envelope can be a token amount, such as a few dollars, or a more substantial gift, and it has symbolic as well as monetary value. For example, the amount should be an even number, and the numbers 8 and 88 are considered especially lucky because the word for “eight” in Chinese sounds like the word “prosperity”.
Send Lunar New Year gifts all over the world to everyone, from family members to business associates. Check out the newest gift catalog at GiftBasketOverseas.com and wish someone special a New Year full of fun, joy, and prosperity!
This sweet gift to Indonesia of grand flavors contains a wonderful and unique selection of sweets and chocolate to any taste. The solution to your entire personal and corporate gift giving needs this delicious surprise will make any holiday sweeter for those who know and appreciate good flavors and high quality.
M. J. ORTELLI”
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