The gift-giving season is here! Now is the perfect time to reflect on what kind of Christmas gifts you can get for your friends or even business partners – especially if they come from different cultural backgrounds. Customs and beliefs are varied in each culture, and that includes some taboos which you should bear in mind when choosing your gifts. To save yourself from making cultural mistakes, here are some gift-giving taboos to avoid from around the world.

1. Gifts with Morbid Connotation
Giving a clock to someone is considered a bad omen in East Asian culture because it suggests that they are running out of time on earth. If you buy flowers for your dinner host in Europe, avoid lilies, chrysanthemums and white roses as these flowers are only acceptable at funerals. Avoid giving brooches and handkerchiefs as Christmas presents to your Italian or Brazilian friends as these items are also associated with funerals.

2. Gifts that Bring Bad Luck
Avoid sharp objects such as knives, scissors or letter openers as they symbolize severed relationships in most countries. Four of anything is considered bad luck to East Asian people, while 13 is considered unlucky in some other cultures too so avoid giving gift sets of four and bouquets of 13 flowers.

3. Food and Liquor
While wine makes good gift in Denmark, don’t bring a gift of wine in France as the host usually prefers to make the evening’s selection. However if you are visiting your Muslim friends this holiday, liquors and food containing pork are the absolute no-no. You should also be sensitive that Hindus don’t eat beef (or use cattle products). If you travel overseas, it’s not wise to give someone food from your country that their country is famous for. For example, don’t give chocolates in Belgium, wines or cheese in France and beers in Germany.

4. Gift Wrap and Presentation
There are taboos in colours too so we should give it a thought when choosing the gift wrappings. Black and white are associated with death and funeral in most cultures. Pink, violet and yellow are associated with death in Morocco while purple is considered a symbol of bad luck in Italy. On the other hand, giving an unwrapped gift is discouraged in East Asia.

5. Gift Giving Etiquette
In most Asian and South American cultures, wrapped gifts are not opened immediately when received. Whereas in Austria and Belgium, your gift will be opened in front of you rather than private hence you should do the same.

For christmas gift ideas that are guaranteed not to offend regardless of which part of the world you are in, opt for coffee table books and nifty gadgets. If you are looking for a more practical gift, we recommend the sleek Citysafe CS200 anti-theft handbag for her, and the rugged Metrosafe LS450 anti-theft backpack for him.