Various social theories concerning gift economies exist. Some consider the gifts to be a form of reciprocal altruism; a traditional gift economy is based on "the obligation to give, the obligation to accept, and the obligation to reciprocate,” There is no free lunch Gifts entail obligation and are never 'free' Some argue that there is a difference between a "true" gift given out of gratitude and a "false" gift given only out of obligation, when a primarily gift-based economy is turned into a commodity-based economy, "the social fabric of the group is invariably destroyed On the other hand- the blood bank does not give anything back except tea and a biscuit, so I'd argue there's no trade as such. It does impart status, but so do charitable donations. We need to draw a line somewhere. Nonetheless, no matter the ramifications, the topic of discussion assumes that gifting is a complete yes, yes. Gifts are well accepted in our social fabric. I thought you would be interesting to read about the psychology of gift-giving. In short, even though giving someone a gift is simple enough, the psychology behind this act is much more complex than most people realize. A large number of scientists, ranging from psychologists to economists, have studied the purpose and ramifications of gift giving in humans and have learned a surprising number of things about it. Even though many people claim they are going to opt out of gift-giving altogether because they think gifting has been overcommercialized, gift-giving actually serves a variety of social goals.

Gifting is a social gesture: Preparing for a business meeting requires a working knowledge of the information to be discussed or presented, careful attention to all details on the printed material to be distributed, and perhaps a gift. This gift is a social gesture that may be expected in some countries, and could be considered a bribe in others. Knowing the gift guidelines for the country you'll be visiting will help make your meeting a success. Some multi-national companies and some governments have very strict policies regarding their employees accepting gifts. To avoid creating a problem, it's imperative you learn the policies for the companies you do business with.

A standard to keep in mind for any gift you select is quality. Choose quality items that are not ostentatious. If you have gifts with your company logo, it's better if the logo is discreet. Hosting a meal at a nice restaurant is always a good business practice. A fine dinner is a wonderful way to give a “gift to your hosts”, to show your guests you appreciate the business relationship you have with them, and an opportunity to build rapport.

Gifts are a symbolic way to show appreciation and further relationships there isn't the detailed protocol for presenting a gift, except avoiding colors or flowers traditionally used for funerals, or romance. In today's world, with global companies, as well as countries populated and influenced by different religions and cultures, it's important to develop good business relationships by taking the time to learn more about the person you're doing business with. This knowledge will give you insight into choosing more meaningful gifts, that the recipient will know was specifically selected for him or her, and be more appreciated.

Different gifts for different cultures: Sharp Objects In many cultures, items with a sharp edge symbolize the severing of a friendship or relationship. In these cases, you wouldn't select a knife, pair of scissors, or a letter opener for a gift. Because of this common symbolism, it's better to select a gift from another category, rather than risk making a bad choice.

Locally Produced Product If you're doing business in a country known for producing a particular product, local pride and quality dictate that you wouldn't offer that item as a gift, especially if it were manufactured elsewhere. Good examples are: don't gift Iwine to French, leather folder to an argentinian, Scissors to a finish and silver to mexican, because it's considered too common.

Electronic Gadgets and Office Accessories Business gifts that are useful for a businessperson, whether an executive or a staff member, are electronic items such as laser pointers, PDAs, calculators, and address books.

Desk and office accessories That makes good gifts include fine quality pens, or pen and pencil sets, business card holders, good leather briefcases or leather organizers for use in the office or in a briefcase.

Liquor and cigarette lighter A quality bottle of liquor or wine always makes a good gift for someone who drinks alcohol, unless the person lives in a region noted for producing the product. If the person smokes cigarettes, a nice cigarette lighter could be given.

Chocolate and flowers Universally, this is a good choice. There are many fine quality chocolates and exotic flowers that make exquisite gifts for a business meeting, for taking with you to someone's home as a hostess gift, or for a thank you to a staff person who's helped you on a project. Because it can be boxed in various sizes, it also works if you need a gift for a large group. Basically, giving a gift is used to strengthen an already existing social bond between two individuals. Thus, gift-giving has strong evolutionary selection because males exchanged gifts for sexual access and thus, enjoyed more reproductive success than those who were less generous, while evolution favored females who chose specific items that would sustain her relationship with her mate and nurture her offspring.

These evolutionary differences in gift-giving between the genders appear to be subtle, but actually have strong repercussions today. For example, men are generally very conscious of the price of the gifts they chose, whereas women tend to prefer items with emotional significance. Interestingly, people who refuse gifts are cutting themselves off from important social cues by encouraging their social group to ignore them and their needs. Basically, by refusing gifts, they are isolating themselves from their loved ones and are weakening their relationship with others in their social circle.

"That doesn't do a service to the relationship," pointed out Ellen J. Langer, a Harvard psychology professor. "If I don't let you give me a gift, then I'm not encouraging you to think about me and think about things I like. I am preventing you from experiencing the joy of engaging in all those activities. You do people a disservice by not giving them the gift of giving." So go ahead and Gift and more importantly receive gifts