As the 2018 Spring Festival travel rush reaches its peak, I just clicked on a WeChat Moments post featuring the “New Year Goods Social Survey White Paper” jointly released by Tencent News and Dong-E-E-Jiao. A few questions instantly popped into my mind: Where does the Spring Festival travel rush come from? What’s your most memorable travel rush memory? The gifts taken home during the journey – will these tokens of love surely be noticed?...
[Spring Festival Travel Rush] The world’s largest annual human migration – every individual from the 50s/60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s carries their own label of travel rush memories. Each hurried traveler voluntarily joins this massive tide, with going home for the New Year being the only answer, regardless of origin. Tracing back to the origins of the Spring Festival travel rush, it actually began with one word – “Reform and Opening-Up,” a term that changed the life trajectories of the Chinese people over the past forty years.
[Changing Times] In the past, it was often said that China’s principal contradiction was “the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people versus backward social production.” But late last year, that suddenly changed to “Socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and the principal contradiction facing Chinese society has evolved into that between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life.” It’s hard to define an era with just one word, but certain items that emerge at specific junctures become labels for interpreting that time. This survey report on New Year’s gifts offers us a unique perspective through which to observe this grand era.
[40-Year Evolution of New Year's Gift-Giving for Going Home]
1978–1980s – The early days of Reform and Opening-Up, a transitional period from poverty to moderate prosperity
In terms of material goods, things were still relatively scarce. Back then, it was popular to give red-packaged pastries wrapped in coarse paper, topped with a sheet of oil-printed red paper bearing the character for “blessing” (fu), and then tied up with string to carry by hand.Later on, boxed pastries were considered quite luxurious.
1990s – Gradually moving toward prosperity
Gifts became increasingly diverse: fashion accessories, shoes, small household appliances, and other trendy items. However, cigarettes and alcohol remained relatively common. Giving a carton of cigarettes or a bottle of liquor during festivals was both impressive and a mark of status.
2000s – Rapid economic development
Since the turn of the century, both national economic and living standards have continued to rise. Gift choices have also become more focused on “taste,” with many expensive and uniquely designed products entering the gift market. Various health supplements, electronic gadgets, and others emerged as health awareness began to take root.
2010s – The era of the Chinese Dream
E-commerce has become highly developed, and trends now lean toward fashion, health, and spiritual enjoyment
3C products, premium tonics, home medical devices, travel vacations, and collectible antiques and curios have become the new popular gifts.
Looking back at 40 years of Reform and Opening-Up, New Year’s gifts for going home have evolved from basic necessities to health, from material to spiritual; people’s lives have changed, their needs have changed, and so have their concepts. So what’s the best gift to bring home in 2018? The answer is each other’s health and joyful living. These tokens of love will surely be seen.