Gift giving at Christmas is a Christian tradition that is widely practiced around the world. However, the practice is not something that is exclusive to Christianity, as several other religions mark the end of the year with a similar custom, such as the Jewish festival of lights Hanukkah or the Hindu celebration of Pancha Ganapati, in honor of Lord Ganesha.
To Christians, the gifts given at Christmas are symbolic of the tributes made to the baby Jesus, by the Three Wise Men after his birth during the story of the Nativity. The Bible’s New Testament describes the Three Magi – Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar – journeying to the location of Jesus’s birth by following a star, and upon their arrival, presenting him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
However, the tradition of gift giving extended long before the founding of Christianity, with roots in the festivals of the ancient Romans – in particular the festival of Saturnalia, where thanks were given to the bounty provided by the agricultural god Saturn. The festivities took place from the 17th to the 23rd of December, and were celebrated with a sacrifice and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continued partying, and a wild atmosphere where social standings were done away with.
The day that gifts were exchanged was known as Sigillaria and took place on the 19th of December. As gifts of value were in contradiction to the spirit of the season, the Romans exchanged more modest items, such as candles, seasonal figurines, and ‘gag gifts,’ which were designed to amuse or terrify the other guests. Etiquette dictated that the lower the gift, the stronger the bond of friendship it was said to represent. Some bosses often gave a gratuity known as a ‘sigillarcium’ to their clients or employees in order to help them purchase their gifts.
The conversion of Emperor Constantine to Christianity in AD 312 signalled the beginning of the end of pagan celebrations in the Empire, but early religious leaders could not simply ban the popular Saturnalia, as there would be a backlash.
The old pagan custom of gift-giving was rationalized into Christianity by attaching strong associations with the gifts of the Magi to Jesus, and was also likely influenced by the life of Nikolaos of Myra, a 4th century saint who was famed for his fondness of giving people gifts. When he was venerated as a saint, he became more widely known as Saint Nicholas, which is recognizable as the origin of the name ‘Santa Claus.’
As time passed, the spread of Christianity continued as trade routes were established and new territories were converted to the religion. This meant that more and more people were introduced to the wonders of the gift-giving celebration that marked the end of the year. In England, the Anglo-Saxon people were converted to Christianity by missionaries from the Celtic tradition from Ireland and the Roman tradition from the heartlands of the former Roman empire. It was not an easy period, as each strand of the religion often came into conflict with one another. The end result was a series of Christian kingdoms that became familiar with the longstanding values of early Christmas, including the act of gift-giving.
In the USA in the 20th century, Christmas became a phenomenon. The boom of the ‘American dream’ and times of economic prosperity after World War II fuelled a whole industry around the holiday. With the country’s separation of Church and State embedded into the constitution established after the Declaration of Independence, the people of the country were able to make the decision to celebrate the holiday with or without the religious trappings historically associated with it. Although the Christian principles behind the festive period were not forgotten, the material aspects, such as decorating the home, buying gifts, and preparing meals were emphasized as the best way to enjoy this secular celebration.
It is important to consider that the reason people exchange gifts is chiefly to show affection and appreciation for others, which is a commendable quality. Since the times of Saturnalia right through to the present day, giving presents has been an act of kindness to others, something that will probably be celebrated long into the future.
Did You Know? Tis the season to buy presents for loved ones, spread cheer, and, according to our data, practice your best fake smile: 79% of recipients return at least some of their holiday gifts. According to a nationwide survey, the top unwanted gift this year is the self-help book. Personal development titles consistently rank among the most regifted or overlooked presents. Other common unwanted gifts include clothing the recipient did not choose and socks, but self-help books top the list by a significant margin.
Again I so appreciate the history and rational of giving of gifts and origin Of Santa THANK YOU Its often said giving a gift gives MORE joy than receiving one If its ok I liked to share a tradition we have done every year which began with birth of our first grand child a Granddaughter and has continued every year—— When Bella 22 Years old now was born on Dec 22- so close to Christmas —– The Holiday became even more special SO from that Christmas on we adopted a family in need thru our church — and we have continue to do so and this year not only again with the help of Bella —– my 2 grandsons Frankie 18 and Gianni 15 became involved – bc one child a boy had very specifics requests All 3 grandchildren I believe are caring and generous in many different ways——-not only to their family but friends as well—- —and I feel grateful and Blessed that my sons have taught them the importance of caring for others—- wish the good will and Happy feeling that seems to come every year because of ALL the holiadays excited all year and Thanks again for another special blog—–\ –