The History of Giving Presents at Christmas

The History of Giving Presents at Christmas

The Tradition Of Gifting is the best way to celebrate the festive season that makes every moment memorable. The day of Christmas comes with the message of peace for the home, the nation, and the world as Jesus Christ taught humanity about giving peace and happiness to others. The effervescent mood of Christmas gets an added zest with the exchange of gifts, how so ever small or straightforward it may be.

The Origin Of Gift GivingThe tradition of giving gifts in this season owes its origin to the Magi, who came from the east of Jerusalem to greet Jesus in the manger with gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh. The Magi were wise men, and their contributions were emblematic of tribute, worship, and death of Christ. Though Magi is associated more with the Feast of Epiphany on January 6, they can be regarded as the pioneer in gift-giving tradition following the birth of Jesus.

The Essence Of GiftingThe gifts manufactured especially for the Christmas day is presented in a range of dazzling creations with timeless beauty. From stars to bells to ice cream cones to a snowman, all gifts are inspired by Christmas motifs that infuse joy and happiness. The gift of Christmas also symbolizes purity and simplicity. The elegance of Christmas gifts appeals to all tastes that bring a glow to the festival.

The GiftsSelecting a present and exchanging it with a particular person can be a most delightful aspect of the Christmas season. As simple as a bunch of beautiful flowers, or a basket of season's fruits; a box of candy or a pack of chocolates; a piece of toy or a rare species of sprouting plant; an item of trivia or an object d'art; sheer utilities like a set of cutlery or something that pampers luxury like a box of jewelry ...the list is endless. However, it ultimately rests on the tastes of both the gift-giver and the recipient's, the background of their relationship, along with their age and the social environment.

Christmas Presents 

One of the main reasons we have the custom of giving and receiving presents at Christmas is to remind us of the gifts given to Jesus by the Wise Men: Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh.

• Gold: is associated with Kings, and Christians believe that Jesus is the King of Kings.
• Frankincense: is sometimes used in worship in Churches and showed that people would worship Jesus.
• Myrrh: is a perfume that is put on dead bodies to make them smell nice; Christian believe that it showed that Jesus would suffer and die.

Christmas itself is really about a big present that God gave the world about 2000 years ago - Jesus! One of the most famous Bible verses, John 3:16, says: 'God loved the world so much, that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him may not be lost but have eternal life.'.

All over the world, families, and friends give presents to each other. Most children around the world believe in a Christmas gift-bringer. It's often St. Nicholas, Santa Claus or Father Christmas, but in parts of Germany they believe that it is the Christkind, in Spain, they think it is the Wise Men, and in parts of Italy they think it is an old lady called Befana.

These presents are also left in different places! In most of Europe, the gifts are left in shoes or boots put out by the children. In Italy, the UK and the USA present are left in stockings, often left hanging by a fireplace. In many countries, gifts for friends and family may be issued under the Christmas Tree. In the UK, they are often opened on Christmas day morning with all the family together.

The custom of hanging stockings comes from the story of St. Nicholas.

Presents are opened on different days over the world as well. The earliest gifts are opened on St. Nicholas' Eve on December 5th when children in The Netherlands often receive their presents. On St. Nicholas' Day (December 6th), children in Belgium, Germany, Czechia, and some other European countries open some of their gifts.

Children in the UK, USA and many other countries, such as Japan, open their presents on Christmas Day, December 25th. The latest presents are opened on January 6th (a month after the earliest). This is known as Epiphany and is mainly celebrated in Catholic countries such as Spain and Mexico.

One popular way of giving presents in groups such as clubs, school classes, and workplaces is to have a 'Secret Santa.' This is where you pull the name of someone else in the group out of a hat (or other containers!). You then buy a present for that person. When the gifts are given out (often at a Christmas party), each person is given their present, but they have no idea which person in the group bought it for them!

Read More Outdoor Merry Christmas Decoration