Do you bring gifts with you when you visit your siblings?

@babyanna (1216)
China
April 4, 2011 9:13am CST
So I was just in the convenient store when I heard the conversation between the two shop assistants there.They were talking about whether they brought gifts when they visited their siblings.One said that she had never done that since,well,they were siblings.The other said that she had to bring some gifts with her since she was gonna eat or stay in her siblings' places and it would be inappropriate if she went there with a bare hand.I'm the only child in my family,so this dilemma has never occurred to me.But I do find it sometimes hard to decide if you should bring gifts with you when you visit somebody who is close to you.So what about you guys?Do you bring gifts with you when you visit your siblings or someone close to you?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
4 Apr 11
Hi babyanna Oh I did not know this actually never thought of this. Reason - I have just one brother and he is near in the same town and stays with dad and mom. So whenever I go to his place, it is more like visiting my parents and him. So I rarely think about the gifts.... But yes, ever since, my nephew was born, I always make it a point to take something for him... he gets the most of my attention these days... But yes, on festive occasions, I do think and take gifts for all. Not costly ones but within my capacity.
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
8 Apr 11
My nephew is 8 and we both love watching the cartoon network - tom and jerry are our favorites and ben10 is his craze. Last week, I had to gift him a ben10 watch - the one which makes all those horrible beeps and sounds... and he could not settle for any other color but green and black... says that is ben10 color Kids are really adorable and so very innocent... they can make you feel relaxed and free from all the stress that might be buging you
@babyanna (1216)
• China
13 Apr 11
Yup,I love kids so much!They are just so innocent and yet sometimes can be very naughty.I wanna hang around with kids. I love Tom and Jerry as well.When I was a kid,my cousin and I used to watch it in our grandmother's house.I even have the whole collection.I bought it on the Internet when I was in high school.I consider it worth collecting.When I have my own child(hopefully,children),we can sit together and watch all those episodes.Haha. I haven't heard about ben10 though.Hehe.
@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
Hi,theSids! How old is your nephew now?He must be very cute.Which reminds me,I have an aunt living in the same city and her son,my little cousin,is just sooooo adorable.I haven't paid many visits to their home though since it's a little faraway.Last time my another cousin,who is two years younger than me,and I paid a visit to their home together and tried to tickle him,and he just called our grandmother right away to tell on us,lol!He was just about four years old back then.
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
5 Apr 11
No, I don't bring gifts when I visit relatives or friends, neither I feel the need to do that. In some countries that custom exists, but I was raised in a different country where we don't have that custom, so for me it would feel a little awkward to suddenly appear at someone's home bringing a present if it's not that person's birthday, for example, or another special day.
1 person likes this
@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
Hi,madteaparty! It certainly makes things much easier.So how is everything going in your hometown?I hope the earthquake didn't affect your area.I just felt terrible when I learnt that there was another aftershock last night.
@Jennlk84 (4206)
• United States
4 Apr 11
Sometimes I bring gifts to my close family members after not seeing them for a while. I don't do it consistently. I honestly do it most for my sister. I enjoy buying her fun things. So every once in a while I will get her something to take to her when I see her next. Sometimes it's something fun like jewelry or a candle or an outfit. I love giving gifts! If I had more money I'd do it more often.
1 person likes this
@babyanna (1216)
• China
5 Apr 11
Hi,Jennlk84! Yeah,I love giving gifts to others as well.Though I don't have any siblings and don't have many close friends,as long as I get a chance,like Christmas or their birthdays,I always choose something special for them.It's very nice of you to do so.Your sister and you must love each other deeply,aren't you?
• United States
4 Apr 11
I do not have siblings I can go visit but if it were family depending if I have not seen them in a while or if it is the holidays. But if it is planned visits then I may bring a dish, because most of us plan it this way. Gifts usually if it is a special occasion.
@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
Hi,there! I see.I'm beginning to get the idea that I really don't need to bring any gift with me if we are close and see each other frequently. So a dish?Cooked one or raw one?
@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
I love fruit plates!
• United States
8 Apr 11
Usually for us it is always a cooked one. But depending on the occasion, because sometimes with the already pre-planned menu a raw one would be nice too. Like fruit plates and or finger food.
• Philippines
4 Apr 11
I love giving gifts to my loved ones ever since I was a kid. I have always looked forward to their reaction if and when they see the gift. However, in your case, I don't think it is a necessity to be giving gifts to people close to you whenever you pay them a visit but it would be thoughtful of you to do so especially when you haven't seen each other for so long. I had a vacation just recently, and stayed at my aunt's place. So as a token, I gave her a delicacy from our place.
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@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
Hi,azuncionne! Yeah,I am always eager to see their reactions when they receive gifts as well.I enjoy giving other people surprises or something pleasant. Have a great weekend and thanks for sharing!
@KClaire (20)
• Canada
4 Apr 11
I always bring gifts for my sister's kids but not for her and she does the same when she visits us. I might bring her something she can't get there (she's in the US, I'm in Canada). If we are staying with her then we'll take them out to dinner one night or something like that rather than giving a gift.
1 person likes this
@nvtellan (1907)
• Philippines
15 Apr 11
It's only me and my younger sister are the children of my parents. Ever since I got married, we moved out of my parents house and lived on our own but still a few kilometers away from my parents house. So usually visited my parents at least once a month and we usually bring some sort of food for us to share during lunch or siesta time.
@mermaidivy (15395)
• United States
5 Apr 11
I have seen my sister for a long time, I'm gonna visit my parents and my sister in the coming summer, I will collect lots of little gifts for them.
@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
Hi,there! LOL!Will it be a little hard?Last time one of my foreign teachers wanted to buy some gifts for his family and relatives since he hadn't been back to his country for half a year.He later became so desperate and asked us for help.It can be really hard to pick the right gifts for the right persons.
@tessa9 (1085)
• Philippines
8 Apr 11
I'm only 20 and I live with my sibling so I haven't gotten to a point where I have to bring them gifts. My mother always told us though to always bring something if we visit someone. It can be as generic as flower or you can bake them something. When me and my sibling will go our separate ways I think I will bring them presents every time I visit. I think it's just the appropriate thing to do. I find it a little bit rude when people don't bring anything. I mean you don;t have to spend a lot of money. You don't have to spend money actually, it's all about creativity.
@babyanna (1216)
• China
8 Apr 11
Hi,tessa9! Yeah,that's why it sometimes bother me.I want to be polite but not make them feel like that they need to give some gifts back as well.I once brought some gifts to a friend since he helped me out with my maths,but it actually gave him some misunderstanding somehow.hehe.So I just wanna make sure it won't happen again. And I do agree that creativity is what matters.