Customized chopsticks make a thoughtful gift.
"Asian" is a broad term that encompasses many cultures and traditions. There are many options open to someone searching for wholesale Asian gifts. From paper products to jewelry to collectibles and decorative items, there are plenty of items from which to choose.
Paper Lanterns and Parasols
The use of paper lanterns in China dates back about 2,000 years where they were used to communicate on the battlefield. Later, they became symbols of good fortune and hope and were commonly used at weddings. While the first paper lanterns were constructed of oiled rice paper fitted onto a bamboo frame, today they are mass produced in an array of colors and designs.
Chinese and Japanese paper lanterns come in many shapes, sizes, textures and designs. The most common is a round or square, natural-colored lantern with thin wooden ribbing running throughout. Wholesale lanterns can be purchased with Chinese or Japanese characters painted on a neutral or colored background. Paper lanterns can also be cut in shapes like stars, mushrooms, snowflakes, ovals, accordions or flowers.
Another Asian wholesale gift idea in the paper theme is a paper parasol. Used to keep sunlight off of wearers, paper umbrellas have been common in China for centuries. Today, they are used as both fashion accessories and as a practical way of protecting oneself from sun exposure. Paper parasols come in many colors; adding characters or designs is a common option. Shapes can be plain circles or more intricate creations that resemble flowers or 16-point stars. Triangles and squares are also available.
Asian Home Decor
Small water fountains, miniature bamboo or bonsai plants and tea light candle holders play off the basic elements of water, life and light and also make pleasing gifts. Bamboo, long a symbol of luck in Asian culture, comes in small stalks displayed inside table vases. A small bamboo container made to hold accessories is both a practical and sentimental gift, communicating wishes of good will to the recipient. Wind chimes with characters, bells, gongs or elements of nature like fish and butterflies interwoven into them make a modern housewarming gift, while Kwan Yin (the Chinese goddess of compassion) prosperity chimes or pagoda bell chimes add a traditional element. Wall scrolls with calendars for the year provide a simple and useful wholesale gift option.
Hand Fans and Chopsticks
Two useful and practical gift ideas that are readily available as wholesale items are hand fans and chopstick sets. Hand fans have been used in Chinese culture for centuries, and the Chinese are credited with inventing them with short handles, making them practical for everyday use. Fans come in silk, lace, wood and paper. They can fold up or be flat, have decorations or be plain. Sequined hand fans may look like peacock feathers when unfurled.
Chopsticks are said to have originated in China during the Shang Dynasty (1766-1027 B.C.) when the substitution of chopsticks over knives at the table meal symbolized a person's affinity for learning rather than war. Japanese chopsticks are more tapered than Chinese ones, while Korean chopsticks are usually made from steel instead of wood or plastic. Chopsticks of all materials can be easily customized with a unique message for a personalized wholesale Asian gift.
Tags: Chinese Japanese, come many, hand fans, have been, paper lanterns, wholesale Asian