Cash tops gift list for Parents’ Day

By Kang Shin-who

Staff reporter

What Lee Hee-ja, 72, would really like to receive most as a gift on Parents' Day is a white envelope of cash handed to her by her son.

"I know my children are all busy, so only a small amount would really be more than enough," she said.

Like Lee, many parents favor cash as gifts from their children, according to a survey by Asan Medical Center in Seoul ahead of Parents' Day that falls on Saturday.

The hospital surveyed 220 adults for two weeks from April 12. The result showed 30 percent of the respondents picked cash as the gift they want to receive the most on the special day.

For Lee Yoon-jung, 30, a pediatrician intern at a general hospital in Seoul, it's simply impossible to visit her parents. She will not be able to put carnations on her parents' lapels ― all she is able to do is make a phone call and wire some spending money.

"I really want to spend some time with my parents back in Busan, but I am on duty. All I can do is just to wire some pocket money," she said.

But the gift children selected that they want to give most to their parents was comprehensive medical check-ups. When asked what they actually want to give to their parents, 36 percent of them chose medical check-ups, while 27 percent cited cash and another 25 percent opted for package tours.

"It is unavoidable but more threatening to those in their 50s or older is death. That might be the reason why medical check-ups came first as a gift on Parents' Day," an official from the hospital said.

But Parents' Day makes many adults feel a pang of guilt for not being more filial to their parents.

The words ― mother and father ― are special for all people, and especially for Park Jang-woo, an office worker in Seoul. He feels grateful to his parents, as he had failed college entrance exams twice and managed to land a job recently thanks to their sacrifice and support.

Though the 30-year-old wants to express his gratitude to his parents, he failed to prepare gifts for them. "It is an excuse, but I was too busy. I feel very sorry," Park said.

부모가 가장 받고 싶은 선물은 현금

이희자(72) 씨가 어버이날 자녀들로부터 받고 싶은 선물은 현금이 든 흰 봉투다. 이 씨는 “바쁜 자녀들에게 부담주기 싫다” 며 “조그만 성의 표시면 충분하다” 고 말했다.

이처럼 많은 부모들이 어버이날 선물로 가장 받고 싶어하는 선물은 현금이라는 설문조사 결과가 나왔다. 아산 병원이 지난 4월, 50세 이상 남녀 220여명을 대상으로 2주 동안 실시한 설문조사에 따르면, 전체 응답자의 가장 많은 30%가 현금을 받고 싶다고 말했다.

반면 부모에게 가장 주고 싶은 선물로는 건강검진(36%)이 1위였고, 2,3 위는 현금(27%)과 효도여행(25%)이 각각 차지했다.