tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post3343075121504060052..comments2024-03-18T07:07:53.346-04:00Comments on Ask a Korean!: How Much Money to Give for Cash Gift?T.K. (Ask a Korean!)http://www.blogger.com/profile/07663422474464557214noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-37897543561936820412014-02-15T21:39:26.567-05:002014-02-15T21:39:26.567-05:00I agree with this. Thought guitard was merely repo...I agree with this. Thought guitard was merely reporting on his friend's case, not trying to make any point, as it seems. I understand parties, especially marriages, are bloody expensive and a little financial help is always appreciated, but to expect a certain gift, I mean, literally expect, not hope for one, in which case, the certain amount of money (which is even quite high), that's.... weird. Actually, I went to a couple of marriages here in Korea too, and giving money looked to me like not a present, but paying the tickets, or something like that. And btw, the style might differ amongst wedding offices, but what I saw wasn't an attendant opening the envelope right away, it was the guest him/herself to write their name down with the amount of money they gave. The envelope was also to be picked right there. Just for details.<br /><br />Also, in Croatia giving money as a wedding gift being a neccessary thing isn't the tradition either. Of course, money or present, it is an untold expectation always, but it is really more of a free choice for the guest. As GAWJ said, their very presence is the important thing. Yes, the married couple, at the end, is the one to sacrifice their wallets and bank accounts, but that's the only real thing they do count with.<br /><br />Actually that is one of the many things that worry me if my boyfriend (Korean) and I (Croatian) get married. This isn't really a cultural difference, it is also about the economical situation. I don't want my Croatian family to look rude or to be unable to attend the party because of this tradition, but I personally find it rude too to tell my family "you're invited to our party, but you must pay". On the other hand, I can't ask my boyfriend for the two of us alone to carry all of the expenses of a such a costly wedding as ours would be. The flight ticket only is aproximately a thousand Euro and we've both got big families...Dac X Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293064862842657519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-91363972584359144722014-02-13T18:01:03.038-05:002014-02-13T18:01:03.038-05:00I wasn't trying to say anything based on what ...I wasn't trying to say anything based on what I thought - I was simply reiterating what a colleague said. I actually told him that for the sake of getting his marriage started off on the right foot, he should just accept that fact that Americans don't handle these matter the same way he was accustomed to doing it based on eastern European ways. And since he earns a comfortable 6-figure income, he should just bite the bullet.guitardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08834660057701936471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-59799875900044738362014-02-11T22:00:38.092-05:002014-02-11T22:00:38.092-05:00@guitard: I'm not sure if you're trying to...@guitard: I'm not sure if you're trying to say that guests should pay for the wedding reception, but that's one of my peeves: people who throw parties and expect their guests to foot the bill. If your friend wants to spend $150/guest, good for him. But for him to only want to invite people who'll pony up at least that same amount of money says more about him than a guest who may gift the couple with $50 or whatever they choose to. Weddings aren't that exciting, except for the couple getting married and their families. I was grateful that my friends chose to spend their day off with us. Their presence literally was the best present they could've given us. <br /><br />That said, when my father passed away, my mother received very nice cards and cards filled money. She had nothing but kind words for each person who remembered my dad.Go Away With Jaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12499275802461787852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-4208368870848220872014-02-11T17:28:17.560-05:002014-02-11T17:28:17.560-05:00An American colleague of mine is getting married s...An American colleague of mine is getting married soon. He immigrated from eastern Europe when he was a young child. He is marrying a nice girl from the midwest - who is American through and through. They've decided that cash gifts are the way to go, but he knows many of her friends will only be giving gifts of around $50. Since it's going to cost $150 per guest, he told her not to invite friends who won't give at least $150, but his fiance is putting her foot down and saying she won't do that.<br /><br />I told him about how straight forward it works in Korea - where literally the first thing you do upon entering the wedding hall is fork over a white envelope - and someone immediately opens the envelope and records into a register how much you gave.<br /><br />He said it's similar in many eastern European countries - although it's handled a little more discreetly. He said he wished Americans handled the matter the same way Koreans do ...guitardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08834660057701936471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-41784966732012783212014-02-11T15:31:29.002-05:002014-02-11T15:31:29.002-05:00I mean when my Korean husband wouldn't know ho...I mean when my Korean husband wouldn't know how much to give at a Korean funeral either so he'd ask his family for advice.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350674087064023462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36405856.post-63228501745463309852014-02-11T15:28:09.334-05:002014-02-11T15:28:09.334-05:00I recently found out that in a Chinese funeral, I ...I recently found out that in a Chinese funeral, I had to give an odd number amount, never even numbers. But even then, that's a bit fuzzy what is considered odd or even is not clear cut. Even my Korean hisband would have to ask around because he didn't know either. Also, at the Chinese-American funeral, if donations specifically state that it will go to a church instead, my family would give less. Also, some churches have online websites that have links set up for the family so giving in person is not necessary. I don't think Koreans do these things though.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350674087064023462noreply@blogger.com