What do you do in the gift department?

[Ming7]

I am just wondering what you guys do when you and your wife return to China in the gift department. In our planned return trip I suggested that we just show up at the market as her mother is shopping and step up beside her and say, you never know who you will run into at the market these days or just show up and knock on the door. I love surprises. I use to surprise my parents like this when I was in the service.

 

She says that this won¡¯t work. So she informs them that we will soon come to see them. Now my wife has a wish list for the whole neighborhood.

Older brother wants an $2,700 laptop, baba wants a new stereo system and a new car preferably a new Mercedes but a BMW would be acceptable.

 

Now my poor wife is now asking me if I would like to go to China and just do some sight seeing and not go to see the folks at all. I told her no that she needed to see her parents as they were getting old.

She is very stressed out.

 

I have a friend that is a doctor and has a Chinese wife and she told my wife that she does not go back to China for this very same reason. Everybody wanting to much.

 

Or do you guys just buy whatever you want them to have and take it to them? I can not afford to spend $75,000 every trip back to see mama and baba.

 

Larry

[tonado]

Even $1000 in gifts is too much. Some of us are barely surviving in America.

[Shenzhen K-1]

Even $1000 in gifts is too much. Some of us are barely surviving in America.

 

AMEN to that, gas is going crazy, housing industry in the tank, and winter coming!! If I go back we will bring "reasonable" gifts, but $75K??

 

Can I have a loan we may be family??

[C4Racer]

Even $1000 in gifts is too much. Some of us are barely surviving in America.

 

AMEN to that, gas is going crazy, housing industry in the tank, and winter coming!! If I go back we will bring "reasonable" gifts, but $75K??

 

Can I have a loan we may be family??

 

Loan, heck I can always be adopted!!

 

As Tony said, many of us can't do elaborate gifts. Our family understands this and only cares to see us when we get the opportunity to visit. In fact, they are the ones who tell us, don't come so often as it is "Tai Gui Le". Even so they love it when do come for a visit and accept whatever gifts we can afford. Last time we went I think the total of gifts came to around $500.

Edited November 30, 2007 by C4Racer (see edit history)

[jbray]

We had the same problem... When she asked her family what they wanted her to bring, her younger cousin wanted an IBM Thinkpad ($2500). We ended up going for his second choice and got him 10 hershey bars... Yes, they can buy those in China, but they can also buy IBM Thinkpads...

 

For most people, we bought them vitamins and dietary supliments.

[Shenzhen K-1]

We had the same problem... When she asked her family what they wanted her to bring, her younger cousin wanted an IBM Thinkpad ($2500). We ended up going for his second choice and got him 10 hershey bars... Yes, they can buy those in China, but they can also buy IBM Thinkpads...

 

For most people, we bought them vitamins and dietary supliments.

 

Nice thoughts, but does it really have to be 10 Hershey bars?? B)

[Don]

We had the same problem... When she asked her family what they wanted her to bring, her younger cousin wanted an IBM Thinkpad ($2500). We ended up going for his second choice and got him 10 hershey bars... Yes, they can buy those in China, but they can also buy IBM Thinkpads...

 

For most people, we bought them vitamins and dietary supliments.

 

Vitamins and fish oil and other supliments they want are really the top of our list. They really like them. Most of them can see big health improvements using them. Many pills are fake in china and they really like the american version. Plus, the American Ginseng is also very much desired. Just like wifey had to learn, we are not rich here. It cost a lot to live in america, she must explain that to everyone.

 

Instead of an open ended what do you want, maybe giving them an A, B, or C is better.

[Ming7]

You guys are very lucky. I never said that everyone was going to get their wish list fulfilled.

[yuehan123]

This is our second trip back to China after getting married. The whole coffee beans we brought 18 months ago are still sitting in the already opened bag. And they are quite stale. Mom's response- 'too expensive to drink.' huh? it's a gift! The American ginseng is still in the original package and some of it is looking moldy. Dad's answer- 'that's for old people, I won't use it.' He is in the 70's.

 

Try duty free gifts of booze, cigarettes or candy. Better yet, ask them.

 

Anyway, the best gift is our return.