VietNamNet Bridge – What to buy as Tet gifts now gives many a headache. As the living standards have improved, people nowadays tend to become choosier about Tet gifts.

Clothes

Located on the left side of the second floor of Trang Tien Plaza in Hanoi, Wiellii fashion kiosk specializing in fashionable clothes for middle aged men was full of visitorslast Saturday. A group of three people was seen waiting to make their payment, while other customers were waiting for their suits to be ironed, and some other visitors were looking at the clothes on display.

Everything here was expensive. A suit was priced at 36.7 million dong (in Vietnam, those people who have the monthly income of 10 million dong are considered high income earners), while an overcoat was sold at 50 million dong.

The saleswoman said that on normal days, she sold two or three suits a day. However, she sells ten suits a day these days, as Tet is nearing, and people are rushing to buy suits to wear on Tet or give them as gifts to their bosses. Especially, on weekend, the sales may be three or four times higher.

Pointing to the overcoat with a fur collar, she said that this is the best seller this year and that the product is priced at 50 million dong. “As it is expected to be very cold on Tet days, many people have chosen overcoats,” she said. “If your boss is more than 40 years old, you should choose a short overcoat, while if he is over 50, you should choose a long one”.

Nguyen Thu Hang, a visitor, told Tien phong’s reporters that she was looking for a suit for her boss. “I will not buy an overcoat, because the boss can wear it only on days when it is cold. I think it would be better to buy a suit,” she said.

“My boss is very keen on clothes. Therefore, I have to buy expensive products,” she added.

Gemstone paintings

There are ten painting shops on Nguyen Thai Hoc street in Hanoi, just two kilometers long. The shop owners here said that paintings with gemstones are very suitable gifts because they look luxurious and they never get damaged.

The owner of Ngoc Hai Shop said that two months ago, his shop got some 10 orders from big corporations which wanted beautiful paintings to give their business partners as gifts.

“Most of them order big size paintings 2×3m, or 2×4m with gemstones. Each of the painting is valued at between 80 million dong and 320 million dong. This depends on the volume of gemstones associated,” he said.

The shop owner said that the gemstones used for the paintings include ruby, sapphire, marble or rock crystal. All the stones have been exploited from the areas in Yen Bai province in the north and the provinces in the central region. “Every week, we sell three paintings valued at over 100 million dong,” he said.

Food

many people, who look for Tet gifts for their bosses, think that nutritious cooking proves to be the most suitable gifts. Bird’s nests, deer velvet or South Korean fungus are the items that many people are hunting.

At a high grade food shop on Pham Ngoc Thach street, a saleswoman said that bird’s nests were the best seller of the shop. A kilo of bird’s nests is priced at 190 million dong.

“Customers generally choose to buy a box of 200 gramme of bird’s nests, priced at 32 million dong,” the saleswoman said, warning that she has no more to sell, because the suppliersaid they had ran out of products.

Besides, people also like purchasing foreign wines. Screaming Eagle is selling at $2.249 USD, Domaine $2499, Chateau La Mission $2795.

C. V