As New Year approaches, Beijingers are busy finding novelty gifts for their relatives and friends. This year, various gift “coupons” including health club memberships, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, insurance policies, lecture tickets and beauty-salon vouchers have come into vogue in the city, wishing people good health and prosperity for the coming year.
Wang Xin, a software engineer in Beijing, recently received two New Year gifts; one a yoga club membership and the other a swimming club gift voucher. Ms. Feng, a media worker, revealed she received a “pleasing” language course voucher, giving her six-months of English classes. Ms. Yang, also from Beijing, said she took out a health insurance policy for her boyfriend as a New Year gift. “His working pressure is too high. I took out this policy for him in case of illness, giving my boyfriend peace of mind,” said Yang.
Like individuals, many companies in China such as IBM, Intel and Motorola are also replacing the usual New Year’s celebrations of Karaoke or dining out with health club membership cards for their employees. This brings business to many health clubs which offer the special gift vouchers to such companies. Many real estate and automobile companies are also buying these cards for their clients.
As well as improving living standards, Chinese people are beginning to pay greater attention to their quality of life and health. This is one reason health clubs and gyms are becoming such a busy and prosperous business in China.
(China.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong, December 25, 2002)
