She's worth a Hamper

It always amazes me when people stoop so low and peg their favours to whether or not they have received a gift.
Although there are many who practice sending hampers, cakes, whatever that is in a gift pack to clients and friends, there are many others who do not. Especially on a corporate level. Some companies have such budget, others don't.
A corporate client, decided to express her unhappiness about not receiving a Lunar New Year gift so blatantly that I cannot help but be convinced that she is only worth the hamper she has requested for. I work for an MNC, we do send corporate gifts on certain occasions, but not this Lunar New Year.
I am actually quite appalled by her behaviour once she realised that we were not sending anything. Question: Why do we have to send something? I understand that this is not an international business practice - because not every one follows this tradition. And since when do we ask people for gifts? Have they no shame?
It's terrible to come to this point of realisation, because I have totally lost the shread of respect I had for her, that came with my job. A hamper would have bought her over. How cheap can that be? Such people do not think before they react. I guess she must be pleased to have a price tag that reads $88 hanging on her nose.