In Japan, it's a custom to give gifts periodically to people such as co-workers, bosses, relatives, teachers, friends, and so on. The giving of end of year gifts is called oseibo. Department stores display many types and sets of oseibo gifts from November to December. Most people have the store deliver the gifts. You can order oseibo gifts at post offices or convenience stores, too. It's also common for people to bring their gifts in person. Oseibo are specifically given to pay back favors received during the year. It's best to send the gifts by the 20th in Japan. Despite it's timing, oseibo gifts are different from Christmas gifts.
The cost of a gift ranges from 3,000 yen to about 20,000 yen, and the average is about 5,000 yen. Popular items for oseibo are ham, cooking oil, gift certificates, beer, canned food, coffee, seasonings, seaweed, seafood, fruits, and so on. The type and cost of gifts depend on your relationship with the recipient. Usually, people give the most expensive gifts to their bosses at work.
On each oseibo gift, the giver needs to put a thin paper called noshi, on which the word "oseibo" is written.
Japanese Gift Ideas:
