Chinese New Year is fast approaching in all its celebratory glory, which also means it’s time to shop for gifts. Bringing a gift is customary (and just plain good manners) when you turn up at your host’s CNY do, but more than that, it is an expression of sincerity and affection and a wonderful way of expressing gratitude to the people nearest and dearest to you.
But the period preceding CNY brings with it its own set of problems – queues, crowds, traffic and worst of all, everything being sold out when you get there. This is aside from the fact that you’re probably already bogged down with your own work commitments and all the regular chores that still have to get done.
