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Beware Businessmen Not Bearing Gifts

Posted on by Terri Morrison
  1. Your Singaporean client looks less than thrilled when he sees the gorgeous hand-tooled cowhide boots you had made especially for him. True or false: Your client is probably a practicing Hindu.
  2. True or false: Wine would be an appropriate gift for dinner at a French client's home.
  3. Local handicrafts, wines and liqueurs, gourmet items, and illustrated books from your home country generally make good gifts. Match the following liqueurs with their places of origin.
    A. Bacardi Rum 1. Jamaica
    B. Tia Maria 2. Curaçao
    C. Grand Marnier 3. Puerto Rico
    D. St. James Rum 4. Martinique
  4. All of the following flowers are bad selections in most business or social settings, except:
    A. Roses for a Uruguayan hostess
    B. White flowers for a citizen of El Salvador
    C. An even number of flowers for a Japanese associate
    D. Dahlias or chrysanthemums for a Spanish friend
    E. Yellow flowers for a Mexican contact
    F. An odd number of flowers for a Chinese colleague
  5. True or false: A gift should always be wrapped in its country of origin.
  6. True or false: In Asia, the recipient of a gift will place the gift aside, rather than opening it in the presence of the giver.
  7. What is the only appropriate gift businessman John Doe has presented?
    A. A knife with a handsomely carved and inlaid wood handle to a Honduran client
    B. A finely made compass, mounted in a highly polished case to a prospect from Qatar
    C. A purebred dog to an executive from Oman
    D. A beautiful clock to a Chinese contact
  8. Sport-related gifts are often appreciated. Of course, you need to know your client's sport. In the Caribbean, you'll find golf, tennis, snorkeling, and fishing, but other sports are present as well. Match the following popular sports and their countries:
    A. Cricket and polo 1. Aruba
    B. Soccer and baseball 2. Barbados
    C. Bowling 3. Curaçao
  9. A US government official hosted an important delegation and decided to have special, personalized leather book jackets covering copies of the Koran at each delegate's place setting. When the Middle Eastern officials saw the gifts, they refused to sit down. Why?
    A. Because their names were spelled wrong
    B. Because the copies of the Quran were wrapped in leather, possibly pigskin
    C. Only a Muslim is allowed to touch the Quran and the copies had been defiled

Answers

  1. True. It is taboo for Hindus to eat beef or use products made from cattle.
  2. False. A citizen of France, your host is probably a serious oenophile, and has taken great pains to carefully select the correct wines for the occasion. Unless your charming little vintage is of interest because it is from your home state, it implies that you know more about wine than your host does.
  3. A, 3; B, 1; C, 2; D, 4
  4. A. Roses are a popular flower in Uruguay. All the others signify death, romance, or bad luck.
  5. False. It is the wrapping paper of the recipient's native country that is important. And airport security may ask you to unwrap the package while you're in transit.
  6. True. To open a gift in the presence of the giver is to risk embarrassment. Also, it would be unseemly to appear greedy and impatient.
  7. B. The compass is a thoughtful gift for the prospect from Qatar, who is probably Muslim. It will help him or her to turn toward Mecca to pray -- no matter where she or he is. The other gifts are busts. Knives symbolize cutting off a relationship in many parts of the world. Dogs are viewed as unclean according to Islam. Clocks connote death to the Chinese.
  8. A, 2; B, 3; C, 1
  9. B. Islam prohibits pork products.

Giving Global Gifts – Gaffes to Perfect Presents

Posted on by Terri Morrison

By Terri Morrison
© Copyright 2025, All Rights Reserved

Gift giving is a revered tradition in many parts of the world. But there is an art to obtaining the right item, in the correct color, properly wrapped and perfectly presented. Just as an appropriate gift can seal a personal or professional relationship, an improper one can easily damage it.

Gift gaffes occur everywhere – even in the USA.  For example, if you’re ever invited to the White House, what type of gifts shouldn’t you give the President? Food, drinks and combustibles (items which may release fumes) are unwise, as are any products which are applied to the skin (colognes, etc.). In order to protect the President and family, the Secret Service categorically destroys those items. It’s also probably wise to avoid giving live animals.

The Elephant in the Room

In 1984, Linda Conlin, (formerly president of the World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia) worked in the Chief of Protocol’s office in Washington, DC. One of her “biggest” challenges came when the president of Sri Lanka visited President Reagan at the White House and brought along Jayathy, a baby Asiatic elephant. While elephants are highly symbolic for both Sri Lankans and the US Republican Party, handling the unusual gift was a nightmare of paperwork and quarantine questions.  Ultimately, everything was resolved, and Conlin found the pachyderm a home in the National Zoo.

Taboo Gifts

Besides live gifts, you should avoid items that are taboo in certain cultures. See if you can match the gift faux pas with the religion or region:

A. Pork products                                                                 1) Hindus

B. Beef products                                                                  2) Parts of Latin America

C. Alcohol                                                                            3) Muslims

D. Knives                                                                             4) Muslims and Mormons

Answers:

A.   3) Everything from Canadian bacon to hotdogs is prohibited to observant Muslims.  No gift baskets with bratwurst for your Middle Eastern friends.

B.   1) Many Hindus are vegetarians, and they revere the cow as a sacred animal.

C.   4) Neither Muslims nor Mormons consume alcohol. Be aware that alcohol may be present in colognes, perfumes, and specialty food items (i.e., chocolate cordials and Dijon mustard).

D.   2) Knives can symbolize the severing of a relationship.

Insensitive Gifts

Make sure your gift was not manufactured in an environment that is historically controversial for the recipient. For example, don’t give a South Korean executive something made in Japan.

The wrong color of flowers or wrapping paper can insult international associates as well. Never send white flowers to an Asian client. They are associated with funerals. Also, do not expect your Asian client to open the gift in front of you, lest they appear greedy. And in many parts of the world, remember to offer your gift either with both hands, or just your right.  The left hand is considered unclean in the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and parts of Africa.

Consider the Recipient 

The list of potential blunders could go on, but let’s try a few culturally-appropriate gifts. Illustrated books, historic items or traditional handicrafts from your home state or headquarters are advisable. These act as invitations to come and visit. Many executives and dignitaries will also enjoy memorabilia from your local universities and sports teams (soccer, football, baseball, etc.), or prestigious golf club hats and towels. When guests actually visit, find out their hobbies, buy tickets to games, shows, concerts or museums – and accompany them!

The Gift of Charity

There are other, more altruistic ways of delivering gifts as well. Benjamin Franklin was one of the most prosperous men in the thirteen colonies at the time of Independence. In his will, Franklin bequeathed extraordinary gifts of 1,000 pounds each to Boston and Philadelphia. Conscious of his working-class origins, the money was to be loaned (at 5 percent annually) to married men under the age of 25 who had completed apprenticeships, and wanted to start their own businesses. When paid off, the money was returned to the fund.

Franklin was prescient enough to realize that the need for such loans might eventually vanish. So, long before the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s 50-year clause, Ben’s bequest had a time limit too: after 200 years, the cities could spend the remaining money on infrastructure. Boston ultimately accumulated some $5 million, while the City of Brotherly Love had a little more than $2 million. In the scope of time, perhaps philanthropy is the best gift of all.

KBSH AudioBook Recording Session

Posted on by Terri Morrison

Lauren wrote the new Preface and I wrote the new Introduction to KISS, BOW OR SHAKE HANDS. It will be out later this year - along with a re-release of the big red book. Thank you readers for over 500,000 copies sold!

This may be a tad premature, but I loved being in a recording studio with Lauren Swartz, CEO and President of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia on my first Audiobook!

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Crossword Puzzles: Canada

Posted on by Terri Morrison

Oh Canada!  Try your hand at a crossword puzzle about our northern neighbor, and one of the top trade partners with the USA.

Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Drake, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Gordon Lightfoot, Alanis Morissette, Stan Rogers, Shania Twain, k.d. lang, and Bryan Adams are just a few famous Canadian musicians that could have been listed in this crossword. 

If you send TerriMorrison@getcustoms.com the name of another famous Canadian musician, athlete, or author,

you will be entered to win a signed copy of Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands!

(One winner each month)

Subscribe for more Crosswords.

Click here to reveal the puzzle.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

Posted on by Terri Morrison
  1. Globe-16The domestic cat known as Sphynx was first bred in Canada. Which of the following is true about the Sphynx?
    A. It is too wild to be a proper housecat.
    B. It is the national pet of Canada.
    C. It appears to be hairless.
    D. All of the above
  2. True or false: The Chartreux, with its brilliant orange eyes and blue nose, is a breed closely associated with France.
  3. Match the following cats with the special characteristics of their breed:
    A. Korat (Thailand) 1. Goes limp when picked up
    B. Ragdoll (USA) 2. Breed traced to wild cats from Kenya
    C. Sokoke (Denmark) 3. Symbolizes good fortune in its homeland
  4. The Scottish Fold breed of housecat dates back to 1961. True or false: This cat acquired its name because it folds its body up to stay warm on cold Scottish nights.
  5. One of the smallest breeds was developed from a type of cat which once roamed the streets of Singapore. Now called the Singapura, it is also known by which of the following names?
    A. Drain cat
    B. Fat cat
    C. Flying cat
  6. The names of breeds do not always reflect their country of origin. For example, the Nebelung (German for "creature of the mist") breed was developed in the USA. True or false: The shorthair Poodle Cat was developed in Germany.
  7. The English are renowned cat fanciers. Which of the following is not a breed of domestic cat developed in the UK?
    A. Abyssinian
    B. Angora
    C. Geoffrey's Cat
  8. Developed in the USA, the Ocicat is a wild-looking feline with spotted fur. True or false: It is illegal to keep the Ocicat as a house pet in most countries.
  9. Another housecat which resembles a feral cat was developed in Australia. Originally called the Spotted Mist, its name was changed when some were born with marbled coats. What is its new name?
    A. Australian Mist
    B. Dingo Cat
    C. Spotted and/or Marbled Mist
  10. The Japanese Bobtail Cat originated over a thousand years ago. True or false: The Japanese Bobtail is the only breed of domestic cat with virtually no tail.
  11. Bonus question:  True or False?  The phrase "I am not a cat" was (st)uttered in dismay by a lawyer in a Texas Zoom court hearing.

Answers

  1. C. The Sphynx does look bald, although it has a thin coat of fine, short fur.
  2. True
  3. A,3; B,1; C,2
  4. False. The name refers to its ears, which are permanently folded down.
  5. A.
  6. True. This new German breed is a cross between the Devon Rex and the Scottish Fold.
  7. C. Geoffrey's Cat is not a housecat; it is a Latin American wild cat named after 19th century naturalist Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire. The Abyssinian (from Africa) and the Angora (from Turkey) were both developed by British breeders.
  8. False. The Ocicat looks like a wild animal, but it is just a housecat bred for its spotted, ocelot-like coat.
  9. A.
  10. False. The English Manx cat and the Canadian Cymric are also tailless.
  11. Bonus Question:  True.  The attorney was confounded by a kitten filter.

Crossword Puzzles: Ireland

Posted on by Terri Morrison

 

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th), here’s a wee Cultural Crossword on Ireland.

Remember, the Republic of Ireland (also known as Eíre. The Republic, the Free State, Southern Ireland, and the South) is Not part of the United Kingdom. 

To get you in the mood for this lovely Irish holiday, here are the Gardiner Brothers' Master Class on Irish Dancing.

Gardiner Brothers - Irish Dancing Masterclass | Culture Night Oíche Chultúir 2020 - YouTube

 

Subscribe for more Crosswords.

 

Click here to reveal the puzzle.

Body Language Across Cultures When You Can’t Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands!

Posted on by Terri Morrison

This year I’m often asked about Body Language Across Cultures When You Can't Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands.  Now, I'd love to discuss it with you.

Understanding nonverbal communications around the world is critical - particularly behind masks during a pandemic.  From variations in eye contact among ethnicities, religions, and genders in China, the UAE and France - to the impact of gestures like a wave in Greece or Germany – your body is communicating reams of data across computer screens around the world.

And although we are adapting to the new normal, our cultural traditions and customary body language still lie just below the surface.  Sometimes, ingrained gestures and sounds occur on screen during our virtual meetings.  Hands fly, eyes blink, and laughter can erupt at inopportune moments.

Let’s explore the entire topic of non-verbal communication on video across cultures.

Body Language Across Cultures When You Can't Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands will feature solid information about Eye Contact, including:

  • A Matrix of eye contact across cultures
  • Data about pupillometry
  • The “Who Blinks First” negotiating strategy

Fortunately, we will also be supported by a wonderful International Trade Manager - Dorte Heffernan* – who will help with questions and global insights.  We’ll both be looking forward to seeing you!

When?  

September 3rd, 2020 at 1:30pm Eastern Time (USA & Canada).   Please Register in advance for this meeting (limit 100 participants):

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkf-yorTIsHde0QzAagLriwIpPvNanOehf

Many thanks,

Terri Morrison

*Dorte Heffernan is the International Trade Manager with the Northwest Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission, where she leads the international marketing program. dorteh@northwestpa.org