The culture of wrapping gifts is important in different countries. Presents become too symbolic and denote the attitude of the givers to the present receivers. However, present package plays great role in the meaning of the present as being appropriately prepared, present wrap may show the receiver passionate and loving attitude, or, vice versa, disrespect and cool relation.
Asian countries pay much more attention to wrapping gifts than other countries in the world. Europeans give a credit to pragmatism, and Americans prefer to rely on professionals in wrapping presents. However, no matter which country we are talking about, it is obvious that wrapping gifts has become a tradition all over the world.
Paying attention to traditional peculiarities, history, national characteristics, and other factors which influence human attitude to presents, packaging styles in various parts of the world are different. Considering the USA, Europe and Asia, we may easily check the differences in packaging systems.
Packaging styles are closely related to traditions and the history of the countries. Specific history and differences in the attitude to gifts help us consider the peculiarities of the packaging system of the parts of the world mentioned above.
Dwelling upon the difference in wrapping gifts, Atkinson, Delamont, and Housley (2008) say that “a Western perception of the practice prepares us to regard wrapping as a means to obscure the object inside, whereas in a Japanese view it would seem that the function of wrapping is rather to refine the object, to add to it layers of meaning which it could not carry in its unwrapped form” (p. 122).
Thus, the USA, Europe and Asia have various packaging systems which may characterize their attitude to presents in general.
American gifts are usually put into boxes which are wrapped. American people pay much attention to presents and their wrapping. One can never receive a present without appropriate packaging as it is not accepted. However, people do not pay much attention to wrapping procedure.
They prefer to use specific services where professionals search for necessary box of the appropriate size, select a paper and wrap a present in a proper way. It is possible to see American presents just put in the boxes with a bow, without being covered with a wrapping paper. A card is an obligatory attribute of the American presents. Either the occasion or the name of the sender is stated on such a card.
Talking about Europeans and their culture of wrapping presents, it may be stated that people in these countries are the most pragmatic among other nations. Paper boxes are the most common packages used for presents.
Europeans do not bother themselves with searching for the boxes of the necessary size, they do not search for specific wrapping paper which may denote something, and they do not spend hours on the process of present wrapping. Most Europeans just buy a paper bag and put a present there. The main problem is to choose a print on a paper bag which should correspond to the occasion.
Asian countries pay much attention to human relationships, to their cultures and traditions. Presents wrapping is not an exception. It should be stated that there are a number of different wrapping systems in Asian countries. However, no matter which packaging system is chosen, Asian people pay much attention to colours. White, blue and black colours should not be used for wrapping gifts.
At the same time gold and red are considered to be lucky colours, therefore, they can be an excellent choice for present wrapping. If a paper wrapping is chosen, a paper quality should be on the highest level. It is inadmissible to wrap presents with a low quality paper in Asian countries. Furoshiki is a new direction in wrapping gifts in Asian countries.
The main peculiarity of such method is that the presents are packaged with fabrics. Asian presents are usually wrapped in a special manner as apart from Americans, Asian people consider wrapping a tradition which should be followed. Each present is unique and Asian people try to do all possible to make each wrapping process sacred.
Asian countries have many traditions and almost each colour, technique and bow on the present denotes something. Asian people are the best in wrapping presents as they put their souls in choosing a present and wrapping it to make sure that the receiver is satisfied. Additionally, the procedure of giving presents is also particular in Asian countries.
Thus, it is possible to define three specific gifts wrapping systems in the world. Americans prefer to hide their presents in the boxes or in the wrapping paper.
This is one of the main reasons why they use packages while presenting gifts. Europeans are less obscure and use packages just to be pragmatic. Thus, they use paper bags. However, it does not mean that boxes and wrapping paper are not utilized. Asian people are the most traditional and rigorous about wrapping presents, as both a present and a package play important role in present giving.
References
Atkinson, P, Delamont, S & Housley, W 2008, Contours of culture: complex ethnography and the ethnography of complexity, Rowman Altamira, New York.