In almost all societies there are patterns of behaviour connected with the giving and receiving of gifts, and there are occasions when gift to arriving guests, who give gifts in return,or the procedure may be reversed, with the guest offering the first gift. It may be extremely important that a return gift be as good or better than the one received, but under no circumstances should it be given in such a way as to appear to be a payment.
Sometimes the giver will disparage his gift while the receiver magnifies its value. When a man gives a goat among the Thonga of Africa, he should say, "I give you this hen." The receiver should reply, "It is an ox." In some societies one need not express verbal thanks for a gift. To do so might imply that the gift was unexpected or that giver was not in the habit of being generous.