68 CultureShock! China
It is common to give gifts during different holidays and
special occasions. During Chinese New Year, you should
give red envelopes with a token amount of money to
children, as well as to people who provide you service and
support throughout the year, like your housekeeper, driver
or doorman. During Mid-Autumn Festival, it is customary to
give moon cakes. When someone has a new house, a fruit
basket signifies wishes for good luck.Group Fun
Chinese love to socialise in groups and there is no better
way to do this than an outing. Popular outing destinations
are karaoke bars, sports halls with badminton nets or ping
pong tables and bowling alleys. Groups of friends will often
take day trips to nearby parks or tourist destinations for
hikes, sightseeing or shopping expeditions. An important
ingredient to any outing that requires travel is snacks. Almost
immediately after getting on a train or bus in China, you
will see everyone around you start unpacking and nibbling
through an unending quantity of snack food.
Most companies have annual outings. These are typically
day trips to nearby destinations where a combination of
skill building and sightseeing is undertaken. Companies that