What Kind Of Message Is That?

One of our local management team members will be getting married in two weeks. As I understand Chinese custom – it will be quite the extravaganza and many fireworks will be involved and the celebration is extensive.
Apparently, that celebration has now begun. Today, as the custom dictates, he arrived at work bearing gifts to give out to his friends. He had a large tote full of candy bags for everyone in the office. I thought it pretty neat that the groom gives out gifts. But then, he gave 2 cigarettes to everyone. I thanked him and said I didn’t smoke, but he laughed and said “No, we give away two cigarettes for luck!”
For luck?
I thought we knew cigarettes were bad for you?
Now I know us Americans used to give out cigars when a baby was born, though I mostly see only candy cigars today, it made me wonder what “lucky” message the gift of cigarettes was supposed to mean? Perhaps – “Oh, my gosh; I’m getting hitched! Please wish me luck that these kill me now!”? Then I recalled that back in September I told of a news article that a man filed a false police report in hopes of getting caught because going to jail was better than going home to his wife.

I smiled, accepted his gesture of good luck, congratulated him on his big day, and quietly discarded them in the bathroom.

Now don’t all you wives start “man-bashing” me – It’s all in fun!