Housewarming Gifts in
U.S.A and Korea!
Jungwon Lee
Dept. of Global Studies
Pusan National University
Have you ever been to a housewarming party to your
relatives or friends? A housewarming party is traditionally held around the
world when one is moving into a new residence. It is an occasion for the hosts
to present their new home to their friends and for friends to give gifts to
furnish the new home. It could be an exciting moment to visit a new house!
Then, what would be the traditional housewarming gifts in U.S. and Korea?
First, there are lots of traditional
housewarming gifts that people in the U.S. prepare. Bread, salt, sugar, wine,
honey, a broom, a coin and a candle. Bread means ‘never know hunger’, giving
salt and sugar means ‘I hope your life may always have flavor and sweetness’. Wine
symbolizes the hope that joy and prosperity may reign forever, and honey has a
similar meaning to sugar. Giving a broom means ‘I hope your home may always be
clean’ or ‘I hope you sweep away any evil and bad luck’. Coin means good
fortune, and candle means always having light and happiness.
However, in Korea, people usually give toilet papers,
laundry detergents, or matchboxes to hosts. We can say that these three are
traditional housewarming party gifts in Korea. To explain the toilet papers and
laundry detergents, it is said that when Korea was a poor country, not many
people could afford for toilet paper and detergent because these were too
expensive. Also, in Korea, because it is said that the lengths of the sheets of
toilet paper and the bubbles produced by the detergent represent prosperity,
many Koreans buy these two without any hesitation. Also, the matchbox is the
symbol of brightness, so that people who newly moved will always live in
brightness.
Like these, there are so many housewarming
gifts that contain deep meanings. However, nowadays, the trend is changing like
buying other home appliances like a wall clock, coffee machine, or a flowerpot.
What would be your choice? J