Tet (Lunar New Year) gifts for your boss follow two unwritten laws: do not be so expensive that the recipient has to think about how to return the favour, and do not look like what everyone else sends. At year-end the desk is already full of cakes, wine and tea; a Tet gift for your boss that wants to be remembered should be something worn, suited to both the year-end week and the first New Year greeting session. Here are 5 gifts arranged from compact to pooled fund, with a few cultural notes that gift-givers often overlook.
Quick answer
Tet gifts for your boss should be wearable at once and carry a discreet Tet colour: a burgundy silk tie, a pocket square with cufflinks, a made-to-measure shirt for the first day of the year, a made-to-measure suit from a pooled fund, or a tuxedo for the year-end season. Give together, present it openly, with a handwritten card.
1. A burgundy silk tie: Tet colour without the glare
Red is the colour of Tet, but a bright red tie easily works against the intention. Choose burgundy or deep red, meaning a red with a little brown and purple blended in, which goes with navy, charcoal grey and black. Woven silk, 7–8 cm wide; small dots, thin diagonal stripes or tiny patterns are all fine, while large printed images should be avoided. This gift suits when the group is large and each person chips in a little, or when you are not sure of the boss's taste. Note: if the boss often wears striped shirts, choose a plain tie; only plain shirts go with small patterns. The article ties as gifts for fathers, bosses and partners has more on choosing material and width.
2. A silk pocket square and cufflinks: a couple of details for the year-end week
In the final week of the year the boss appears at many banquets, and a pocket square and cufflinks are two details that change the look without changing the suit. A square of about 30–33 cm, ivory white or navy-toned paisley; silver or black onyx cufflinks go with most white shirts. Two notes. On the technical side, cufflinks can only be used with double-cuff shirts or sleeves with buttonholes, so make sure the boss has this kind of shirt before you buy. On the cultural side, some older families avoid giving handkerchiefs because they suggest tears and separation. If the boss belongs to that group, prefer cufflinks, or call it by its proper name, a jacket pocket square, and send a card with it to avoid misunderstanding.
3. A made-to-measure shirt: a new garment for the first New Year greeting
Wearing new clothes on the first day of the year is a familiar Vietnamese custom, and a made-to-measure shirt in white or pale sky blue is a way for the new garment to suit the boss's age and position: discreet, wearable both at the spring-opening festivities and at the first week's meetings. Choose cotton herringbone or fine poplin, which creases little when sitting in a car for long. Made-to-measure shirts at Mon Amie cost about VND 850,000–2,500,000 per piece (excl. VAT), so a wide group of givers can give two, one white and one blue. You need the collar, chest and sleeve measurements; if the boss is already a Mon Amie customer, the measurements are already saved. Year-end is the busy season for the tailoring trade, so book early: the showroom will give the specific schedule at measuring; do not wait until the week before Tet to start.
4. A made-to-measure suit from a pooled fund: a gift from the whole team
When a whole department or company pools money, a made-to-measure suit becomes a gift with weight without anyone carrying the lion's share. The Essential line starts from VND 4.8 million per suit (jacket + trousers, excl. VAT), the Signature line from VND 10 million; VND 10 million split among 20 people is VND 500,000 each. For most bosses, plain navy or charcoal grey is the safe choice. If the boss loves style, a brown or green check double-breasted suit as in the photo has more personality, but needs someone confident enough to wear it. Note: this item needs the boss to go for measuring, so book the date in advance so that the surprise does not go too far. If the boss is short of time, the made-to-measure at home team can come to the office with a curated set of cloth samples.
5. A made-to-measure tuxedo: for a boss with a packed year-end season
If the boss hosts the year-end party, attends association galas or year-end award ceremonies, a tuxedo is something the group would find hard to buy for themselves, yet the recipient will remember. The difference from a suit: satin-faced lapels, trousers with a satin stripe, worn with a bow tie. Mon Amie prices a tuxedo by cloth line like a suit, plus a finishing surcharge of VND 2,500,000 per set; see designs on the made-to-measure tuxedo page. Black and midnight blue (very deep navy) are safe; cobalt blue, bronze-gold or turquoise like the designs in the photos suit only someone already at home on a stage. Note: this is a big item, to be given only when the boss has real banquets on the calendar; if not, go back to section 4.
Quick summary table
| Item | Suited to | Key point |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Burgundy silk tie | A large group, each person chipping in a little | Burgundy or deep red, not bright red; plain tie with a striped shirt |
| 2. Pocket square and cufflinks | A boss who often attends year-end banquets | Cufflinks need double-cuff shirts; avoid calling it a handkerchief |
| 3. Made-to-measure shirt | A moderate fund, wanting a new garment for the new year | Needs collar and sleeve measurements; book early |
| 4. Made-to-measure suit | A whole department or company pooling money | Essential from VND 4.8 million, Signature from VND 10 million; book a measuring date |
| 5. Made-to-measure tuxedo | A boss with many year-end galas | VND 2,500,000 per set finishing surcharge; give only when there is an occasion to wear it |
Tips from Mon Amie's master tailors
- Give together and present it openly at the year-end meeting. A private gift sent quietly can leave the recipient awkward, especially when the company has a gift policy; a light question to the HR department will avoid this.
- Wrap it simply: kraft paper or deep red, ribbon of the same tone. Oversized gold lettering or an overly fussy box makes the gift look like a commercial product.
- Write a handwritten card citing one specific thing the boss helped with during the year, instead of a template greeting.
- Choose colours by the boss's wardrobe, not by the giver's preference. Recall whether the boss usually wears navy or grey before picking an accent colour.
- Made-to-measure items need time for measuring and adjustment. At year-end the showroom is busy, so count backwards from the year-end party or the date you want to give.
Frequently asked questions
How much should you spend on Tet gifts for your boss?
There is no standard amount, but an easy rule to remember is to divide by head count: small items such as a tie or pocket square for a large group, a made-to-measure shirt for a medium group, a suit when the whole company pools money. What matters is that the gift does not put the boss in the position of having to give a heavy gift in return. See more suggestions in the article gifts for your boss on Entrepreneurs' Day.
Is a Tet gift for a female boss different from one for a male boss?
The principles stay the same: neat, usable, avoid showiness. The difference is in the details of the cut and measurements: for a female boss, the cut is built from the bust, waist and hips, and you should prioritise items that need no size, such as a silk scarf or accessories. The article gifts for businesswomen has a separate section of suggestions.
Should you give a tie to your boss at Tet?
Yes, as long as you choose a muted colour and woven silk. If the boss belongs to the group that cares about taboos, you can switch to a pocket square or cufflinks. What to avoid is a bright red tie or a large printed image.
When is the right time to give the gift?
The year-end week or the first meeting of the twelfth lunar month is the familiar time, when the whole team is present. A big item such as a suit should be handed over privately in a small meeting room with the group's representatives, not placed in the middle of a crowded party.
Closing thoughts
Tet gifts for your boss succeed when the boss wears them out. If the group plans to pool money for a suit, look at the made-to-measure price list to choose the cloth line, then book an appointment or message Zalo 0888.111.118 so that a stylist can arrange the measuring session around the boss's schedule.