If you receive a gift for the festival
- Thoughtfulness in return gifts and celebration gifts -
On your child's first festival, you may receive gifts from relatives, friends, and neighbors. When this happens, it's important to give a gift in return.
It would be nice if you could casually but carefully express your gratitude to those who watch over your child's cute growth.
In this article, we will introduce the basic etiquette for returning gifts for the Children's Day festival, as well as some tips for giving gifts that convey your feelings in a natural way.
*If your parents have given you gifts for the festival (hina dolls, carp streamers, May dolls), here is what you can give them in return▶▶
■ What are the celebrations for the Children's Day?
The original meaning of "naikaiwai" is "sharing the joys of family members with those around them."
The Children's Festival (especially the first festival ) is celebrated as a time to wish for the healthy growth of children, and the modern style of giving gifts in return is to express gratitude for the celebrations received.
■ Is it necessary to give a gift in return? When should I give it?
There is no rule that says you must give a gift in return for a gift given on the Children's Day.
However, it would be polite to give a gift as a thank you for the celebration.
Timing of return gift:
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The guideline is within one to two weeks after the festival.
■ Estimated price and how to choose
The standard rate for a return gift is about one-third to one-half the value of the gift received .
Adjust the gift depending on the celebration and your relationship with the gift giver.
Examples of popular gifts:
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Assorted sweets (baked goods, Japanese sweets, etc.)
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Practical items such as towels, dishcloths, and soap
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Seasonal gifts (such as those with cherry blossom or carp streamer motifs)
Gifts with a gentle atmosphere that do not burden the recipient leave a good impression. Since this is a celebration in which small children are the main focus, adding a little "cuteness" or "seasonal feeling" will make it an even more heartwarming gift.
■ Gift wrapping etiquette
Inscription on the gift wrapping paper:
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The inscription should read "Congratulations on the birth of a child" or "Congratulations on the birth of a child."
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It is common to write your child's name (it is more polite to add furigana) .
Mizuhiki:
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Use a red and white bow .
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It is a gentle way of tying that can be used for any celebration and can be repeated many times.
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For wrapping paper and gift tags, choosing seasonal flowers and soft colors will create a warm impression.
■ Add a message
To avoid the gift being too formal, adding even a word of thanks will make a much better impression.
Example:
"Thank you very much for the warm celebrations on the occasion of our first festival.
Although it is a small gift, we would like to express our gratitude to you. We hope that you will continue to watch over XX's growth with kindness.
*Although punctuation marks ("[," and ".") are often not used at celebratory occasions, it is best to try to use natural expressions without being too formal.
■ Summary
Gifts in return and celebrations for the Children's Festival are not just formal occasions, but are an opportunity to gently express gratitude .
Rather than worrying too much about the amount or etiquette, what's most important is to properly convey your gratitude.
It would be wonderful to give a small but heartfelt gift to someone who wishes for the healthy growth of a child, and exchange warm feelings with them.