Visiting gift shops these days, many people are astonished to see gifts for the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) which are worth from several thousands to dozens of thousands of USD.

Located on the second floor of Trang Tien Plaza, a big shopping center in Hanoi, the Wielii fashion shop is attracting many customers these days. This is the shop of the Wielii fashion brand from Italy, where products are priced at least $1500/unit.

The saleswoman said normally, the store can sell 2-3 suits a day, priced from VND36-40 million ($1600-2000), but as Tet is coming, it can sell up to a dozen suits and several overcoats, which are priced up to VND50 million ($2500)/unit.

“Most of customers buy our products as Tet gifts for their bosses,” the saleswoman said.

On Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, the home to several dozens of gemstone-made paintings, the business atmosphere is also increasingly profitable.

The manager of Ngoc Hai gemstone painting shop said: “Two months ago, we got dozens of orders from big companies for special gemstone paintings. These are Tet gifts for their partners. Most of clients order big size paintings that cost from VND80 to VND320 million ($4000-16,000).”

He said the gemstones used to make these paintings are ruby, sapphire, marble, quartz which are mined from Yen Bai province and some central provinces. Paintings that are priced around VND100-120 million ($5000-6000) are selling very well.

“Our clients often buy these paintings as Tet gifts to their partners or their bosses. We sell around three paintings of this kind a week,” he said.

Objects for geomancy are also the top choice of many people as Tet gifts. They are priced from several hundreds to several thousands of USD.

At a cooking shop on Pham Ngoc Thach street, Hanoi, a salesgirl said that bird’s nest is the best-selling product. A kilo of red bird’s nests is VND190 million ($8000) and it is VND110 million ($5.500) for a kilo of white bird’s nets.

“Our customers often buy a box of red bird’s nests with ten nests, which is priced VND32 million ($1600),” she said, adding that her shop currently has only 1 kilo of red and 2 kilos of white bird’s nests.

Imported wine is also favored as gifts for Tet, with Screaming Eagle - $2,249/bottle, Domaine - $2,499, Chateau La Mission - $2,795, Chateau Palmer Margaux - $2,999, Chateau Petrus Pomerol $3,949, Chateau Trotanoy Pomerol - $4,595, Diamond Creek - $4,999.

PV