Ticos and gift giving

[Aaronbz]

Hi, I’d like a little further advice please, from all of you. This involves giving gifts to Tico hosts. As some of you know from my recent entry I am a Vancouver artist who will be doing an art for lodgings exchange in Alajuela this coming April at a breakfast run by a Tica. I understand that gift-giving is de regueur in Costa Rica, and I have absolutely no problems with this. The woman who will be hosting me also has two young boys, age 9 and 2. I would like to bring gifts for each of them. Would it be considered gauche if I were to e-mail her and ask her for ideas, guidelines, suggestions. For the mom anyway, I was thinking of a small painting. Should I ask her in advance what might be appropriate for her kids. Also, if anyone is interested in seeing what kind of art I do my website is available on request, or you can visit me in Alajuela this coming April, or in Guanacaste this coming May. Thanks again.

[rebaragon]

Hi Aaronbz, Ticos/as usually bring gifts when they travel and visit friends. They also bring back souvenirs for their friends & family. I can’t tell you the amount of stuff that my parents and I have that Ticos/as have given us when they’ve come to visit us here in the US. You’re right, it’s expected and meant to express that you were thinking of them, but it doesn’t have to be anything big. It’s truly about the thought you’ve put into to it. Giving art sounds wonderful since your hostess obviously loves art and you’re an artist. You can bring the kids anything fun that kids the same age would enjoy where you live. Globalization means that most of the kids in CR know about most of the “cool stuff” (sports related or otherwise) as their Canadian/US counterparts. Of course, you have to keep in mind that they don’t all have IPods, X-Box, etc. so try to avoid accessories for items they may not have. However, I cannot stress this enough, please do not make the exchange of “regalitos” about the monetary value or you will have entered a slippery slope that may hinder your efforts to make real friends.

I can also tell you that they usually don’t ask anyone for input regarding the gifts they’re bringing to their host/ess or the gifts they bring back for family–they just give them. If it’s about taking your cues from host/ess, then I would just pick something out for them. Once you become better acquainted, you will know what they like and will have a better idea of what to bring them on your next visit. I hope this helps. Pura Vida!

[Aaronbz]

Thanks rebaragon. This sounds like great advice. I’m assuming by “monetary value” you are cautioning me to not think in terms of the cost of the gift, (and for that matter not to go overboard on spending) but to present it as a token of appreciation?
I think that would work out okay, since I try not to think in terms of money values anyway.

[scottbenson]

hmm I don’t know but normally when we go home we always bring gifts for our family and neighbors. When my wife and I brought our daughter home for the first time last August we recived socks from the next door kids.. on their birthday we took them to see a movie at the Terra Mall…

I would just bring the kids some toys or somthing from Canada!!

[rebaragon]

Absolutely Aaronbz, it shouldn’t be about the monetary cost of the gift, it should be about the thought and I agree with Mr. Benson, some socks would be nice too, just maybe not as fun for the little kids, but taking them out to a soccer (futbol) game or movie would be really exciting for the 9 yr old…I can’t wait to hear of your experiences in CR. I also hope you get to meet some of Costa Rica’s artists once you’re there. Once you meet one, they will introduce you to others and I imagine that this might be very interesting to someone who’s an artist like yourself. Let me know if you need a contact or go to the UCR Art School and you should be able to meet some people there. Pura Vida Aaron, Rebe.

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