RE: Why do I feel so awkward when someone refuses a present from me?
March 5, 2019 at 11:10 pm
(This post was last modified: March 5, 2019 at 11:12 pm by fredd bear.)
Depends on the culture and your relationship with the giver. Eg In Japan, one bows politely ,says thank you, and opens the gift later, in private. Japanese society has a complex system of reciprocal gift giving, as well as things it is impolite to give...... Just hope you never become involved, it can be a nightmare.
here in Oz, I was taught that the minimal polite response is "thank you".
"You shouldn't have" is false modesty and disrespects and often annoys the giver. To refuse a gift is churlish.
In my country there is often an implicit reciprocity with gifts, especially with family.
Gae Bolga is right I think; each country has its own customs of reciprocity, whether in goods or favours* .This often seems unrelated to Christian
values.
Think of Don Corleone's 'favours'. Real life is a lot like that, differing only by degree.
here in Oz, I was taught that the minimal polite response is "thank you".
"You shouldn't have" is false modesty and disrespects and often annoys the giver. To refuse a gift is churlish.
In my country there is often an implicit reciprocity with gifts, especially with family.
Gae Bolga is right I think; each country has its own customs of reciprocity, whether in goods or favours* .This often seems unrelated to Christian
values.
Think of Don Corleone's 'favours'. Real life is a lot like that, differing only by degree.
