Giving a scarf as a gift?

[TagUrIt898]

I read that it was bad luck to give a scarf as gift to FSU woman.  Is that true?  I wanted a scarf to the sister of the woman I'm visiting as a gift when I arrive.  I do not want to show up emptied handed.  What would be an appropriate gift if not a scarf?  Also I read that a watch is a bad gift too?  Is that true.  Forgive my ignorance, I Google a lot!

[sashathecat]

Have not heard anything about a scarf bringing bad luck tbh. My wife bought her mother one when we were in Istanbul.  Something small and from your country is usually appreciated.

[Markje]

I read that it was bad luck to give a scarf as gift to FSU woman.  Is that true?  I wanted a scarf to the sister of the woman I'm visiting as a gift when I arrive.  I do not want to show up emptied handed.  What would be an appropriate gift if not a scarf?  Also I read that a watch is a bad gift too?  Is that true.  Forgive my ignorance, I Google a lot!

Scarf no, but a watch is.

[B.B.]

I read that it was bad luck to give a scarf as gift to FSU woman.  Is that true? 

I have given scarves (both the "winter weather" kind and the more decorative kind) to women before with positive results. 

Scarf no, but a watch is.

And knives.  That doesn't leap to mind as a gift, I know, but IIRC a guy on "a long forgotten forum" once wanted to give his prospective father in law a Leatherman tool and, as that has a knife attachment, of course Babushka had to cast some anti-stabbing-yourself-accidentally-with-it spell on it first. 

B/B

[Markje]

And knives.  That doesn't leap to mind as a gift, I know, but IIRC a guy on "a long forgotten forum" once wanted to give his prospective father in law a Leatherman tool and, as that has a knife attachment, of course Babushka had to cast some anti-stabbing-yourself-accidentally-with-it spell on it first. 

B/B

Giving the watch to a loved one in Russian Culture can be understood as either terminal sickness or a end-of relationship (signifying: Your time is up!) not the message you want to send to your FSUW lover

[ECR844]

I read that it was bad luck to give a scarf as gift to FSU woman.  Is that true? 

I have given scarves (both the "winter weather" kind and the more decorative kind) to women before with positive results. 

Scarf no, but a watch is.

And knives.  That doesn't leap to mind as a gift, I know, but IIRC a guy on "a long forgotten forum" once wanted to give his prospective father in law a Leatherman tool and, as that has a knife attachment, of course Babushka had to cast some anti-stabbing-yourself-accidentally-with-it spell on it first. 

B/B

I gave a one of a kind custom knife made by a very well known knife designer/maker to my FIL. He uses it all the time at the family 'dacha' and there were no 'spells' involved during or after he got it.....I think you need to get out of the 'village' for abit "BB"

[Olga_Mouse]

Scarf no, but a watch is.

Do please enlighten this topic to me. Is a watch a "bad" gift? Why? Since when? 

[Markje]

Scarf no, but a watch is.

Do please enlighten this topic to me. Is a watch a "bad" gift? Why? Since when? 

Since I got told obviously. Before I would have bought one.

The reasoning behind it is you run out of time when the watch stops and the relationship ends.