Then, Valentine’s Day has slowly expanded beyond the Western version of the holiday. Instead of giving gifts to spouses or boyfriends, some women in Japan feel duty-bound to present gifts of chocolate to all male colleagues. Therefore, there are two types of chocolate gift in Japan.
1) Giri Choco (Obligation Chocolate) - Relatively cheap type of chocolate given to male colleagues and casual acquaintances
2) Honmei Choco (True Feelings Chocolate) - Higher quality and more expensive chocolate given to loved one whom they have romantic feelings for
So, did you receive any lovely and sweet pressie from your loved one, friends or colleagues during the past Valentine's Day? If your answer is YES, then it's time for you to pay back! Before you make any decision on returning gift, make sure you are clear of your sender's intention. Here are some basics of sweets:
a) White Chocolate - "Let's be friends"
b) Chocolate candy - "I Iike you"
c) Chocolate cookies - "I love you"
Return giri choco with a giri type of gift
Since this is just a normal gift from your acquaintance or colleague who has no special feelings for you, it should not be too hard to find one.
Return honmei choco with honmei gifts
Remember that these types of chocolate mean the sender has feelings for you. These will probably require more thought on what to give back. If you have the same feelings back, feel free to give her a nice gift in return! However it's crucial to decline and let them down easy with an explanatory note and a gift. Whatever your decision is, keep this in mind: White color is the most preferred color of the day, be it gifts, wrapping paper or gift bag!
Since this is just a normal gift from your acquaintance or colleague who has no special feelings for you, it should not be too hard to find one.
Return honmei choco with honmei gifts
Remember that these types of chocolate mean the sender has feelings for you. These will probably require more thought on what to give back. If you have the same feelings back, feel free to give her a nice gift in return! However it's crucial to decline and let them down easy with an explanatory note and a gift. Whatever your decision is, keep this in mind: White color is the most preferred color of the day, be it gifts, wrapping paper or gift bag!
