Unwrapping the meaning of Christmas gifts: What’s up with this tradition?
Christmas is one of the best moments in the year, holding a lot of significance and having many traditions that people have kept for many years. One of these traditions is giving gifts during the festive season, in which individuals spend a great time looking for that special present that can amaze the recipient. And particularly, giving gifts during Christmas is that much-awaited moment when families and friends gather to spend some meaningful moments together.
Now, giving gifts during Christmas is something we are very used to, and industries from all sectors benefit from this and try to create compelling products that can later be found in the gift bags of individuals worldwide. But mainly because gift-giving during Christmas has become so popular, it is important to look at the beginnings of this tradition and discover the true meaning behind this custom. If we know the origin of this tradition, we can enjoy it better and not go on a hectic search for gifts only because this feels like an obligation.
Let’s discover more about the history of gift-giving during Christmas.
Where did the practice of gift-giving originate from?
Offering presents during Christmas has become very popular around the world, especially as part of Christian traditions. However, this custom is not only correlated with Christianity, as it is also similar to other customs that mark the end of the year in other nationalities, such as the Hindu celebration of Pancha Ganapati or the Jewish festival of lights of Hanukkah.
However, Christianity made the tradition of giving gifts worldwide so popular, correlated with the tributes made to honor the birth of baby Jesus that the Three Wise Men made. According to the Bible’s New Testament, the Three Magi-Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar arrived at the birthplace location of Jesus by following a star, and when they arrived there, they offered presents, such as frankincense, gold, and myrrh.
But we can even trace the tradition of gift-giving to a long time before the Christian event, which was also present in the festival of ancient Romans, in the celebration of Saturnalia. This festival occurred from the 17th to the 23rd of December, where a public banquet, a sacrifice, and a private gift-giving occurred, which ended with a party in a wild atmosphere. Another great aspect of this celebration is that enslaved people were considered equal to their masters during this time. In this festive event, gifts were given on 19th December, a day known as Sigillaria. During that day, Romans exchanged modest gifts, like seasonal figurines, candles, or “gag gifts” that would terrify or amuse the participants.
In the past, people considered that a gift shouldn’t have a high value, highlighting that this would strengthen the bond of friendship. Some employers even offered a “sigillum” to help people buy their gifts. Saturnalia was celebrated around the end of the calendar year, and it was a much-awaited moment because it was correlated with a carefree atmosphere.
Nowadays, even if people want to impress the recipient with a fantastic present, the act of giving presents should be the same, to improve the bond between people. This is why it is essential to offer a gift that is in accordance with the preferences and needs of the recipient. Let’s say that the person you want to buy a Christmas gift loves a particular character from a movie. In that case, you could offer a figurine from Funko Europe. Funko is a company renowned for its Pop! Vinyl figures, which are a loved option for collectors worldwide because they have a cute appearance, oversized eyes, and giant bobbleheads depicting famous video game protagonists, iconic movie characters and popular superheroes. This makes Funko figures a great gift idea for Christmas, birthdays, and weddings.
How did the traditions of Christmas gift-giving evolve in Christianity?
When the pagan celebration ended with the conversion to Christianity, leaders still needed something to replace Saturnalia. This created another event, now known as Christmas, commemorating Jesus’s birth. The act of gift-giving was associated with the presents offered by the Magi for Jesus, and it also continued with Saint Nicholas, who was known for his fondness of providing gifts to people. Even nowadays, his generosity is celebrated in many countries, particularly in Europe, where 6th December celebrates Saint Nicholas Day.
When did Christmas presents become a phenomenon in the world?
The country that transformed Christmas into a phenomenon was the USA, where the festive event saw a boom in popularity in the 20th century. In the beginning, the country’s citizens could decide whether to celebrate this event with the religious significance centered around Christmas. Even though some principles have remained, like buying gifts, decorating the house, or preparing meals, they transformed into something bigger.
The figure of Santa Claus also has something to do with the popularity of gift-giving during Christmas. This character dominated the US market with the emergence of ads and media. This is why Santa’s offering of presents for kids was integrated into plenty of other societies, whether that particular country was Christian or not. Now, gift-giving has become so big that citizens from countries worldwide spend colossal amounts on gifts for their loved ones. If we were to compare this to the humble beginnings, we could see that the values of Romans have changed, and now people usually opt for expensive and lavish presents, compared with the simple gifts that were preferred in the past.
Wrapping up
Christmas has evolved hugely over the years, but some traditions have remained, including the act of gift-giving that makes thousands of people happy each year. However, it is also important to know the history associated with the act of gift-giving, as this way, we can enjoy this festive season even better. The true meaning of this tradition is that gift-giving should be an act of kindness that can improve the bond between two people.
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