What to Bring?

When you are invited by Vietnamese friends, you should arrive bearing some kind of gift. Popular favorites include a bag of fruit (a small selection of what’s in season) or a bunch of flowers.
When you are invited by Vietnamese friends, you should arrive bearing some kind of gift. Popular favorites include a bag of fruit (a small selection of what’s in season) or a bunch of flowers. However, as a rich foreign friend you could splash out on a bottle of wine or liquor, chocolates (if it’s not too hot), or some sort of decorative trinket. Before you make your purchase, Do check where the item comes from: the approval rating for locally made or Chinese items will be low; anything clearly imported from elsewhere will be better received. But DON’T expect to be thanked for your present or even to see it opened in front of you. It can be quite galling if you were hoping to share that nice bottle of champagne you brought along, but this is quite usual. You have been lucky enough to acquire merit by giving: what more do you want?