It's the season to load up on luxury goods in China. For high-end retailers such as Gucci and Cartier, the Christmas-through-Chinese-New-Year's season is one of the busiest retail periods of the year. In a culture where gift giving is second nature — where Louis Vuitton handbags may be given in hopes of securing a business contract or iPads handed out as prizes at company parties — the holidays give the Chinese another reason to buy, reports USA TODAY (16 January 2012)."The Chinese love affair with gift giving is one of the key drivers for luxury brands," says Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher at the Hurun Report, a Shanghai publisher of magazines for China's wealthy. "The money spent on gifting, especially at Chinese New Year, is staggering compared to the West."
