By D K Mukherjee
Christmas is the time when companies rake in the moolah by the cartload. That’s because it is not just the season for good cheer but also the time to exchange gifts with loved ones. But just when did this custom originate?
Giving gifts to friends and family did not start with Christmas. It goes back at least 200 years, before the advent of Christianity. The ancient Roman midwinter festival of Saturnalia, in honor of Saturn – their god of harvest – had one significant feature. The custom of giving gifts to one another.
According to the Bible, the Three Wise Men from the East, or the Magi, came to visit the baby Jesus armed with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These were not randomly selected presents and each held a special significance. The gold signified that it was a gift for a king; frankincense was for the priest, while myrrh was a burial ointment.
It was perhaps this first act of giving gifts that set the tradition for the coming generations of believers. God had given mankind His gift in the form of Jesus Christ and the Three Magi, in turn, had honoured the infant Jesus with these prophetic gifts.
In the 4th century, there lived a Bishop Nicholas in Myra who was renowned for his generosity and love for children, who would always receive small gifts and presents from him. And his penchant for leavings gifts anonymously in stockings is the stuff of legends.
A poor widower lived with his three unmarried daughters in Myra. The impoverished father despaired of ever finding suitable grooms for his three girls. Bishop Nicholas learnt of the family’s plight and deposited three bags of gold coins through the peasant’s chimney one night.
As luck would have it, the bags fell into the three stockings that the girls had hung by the fireplace to dry. The story spread and started the tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace and ultimately found its way into the evolution of the popular, mythical Santa Claus.
By the 10th century, giving gifts to loved ones during Christmas had become an inseparable part of Christmas celebrations all around the world. When industrial revolution swept through the western world, it was all the impetus that was required for astute businessmen to smell vast money-earning potential in the commercialization of Christmas gifts.
Earlier handmade gifts would be exchanged between close family and friends. These would usually be baked goodies or rare fruits like oranges. Industrialization led to a shift from handmade Christmas gifts to manufactured ones. The mass production made people opt for the latter as it was more easy and convenient.
Commercialization changed handmade Christmas gifts to manufactured onesChristmas traditions and celebrations, which had been grounded during the reign of the Puritans, revived during the Victorian era. It was during this time that Christmas really turned into a deeply significant family celebration. There was much cheering and stress on giving of gifts.
By the end of the 19th century, Christmas was no longer a simple affair. Advertising blitzkrieg and widespread commercialization had ensured that Christmas became one of the biggest money-spinners of all time.
Gifts could no longer be just simple, homely affairs. They had to be expensive, extravagant and something to be flaunted rather than merely cherished. Yes, the trend set by the Magi had survived the centuries but probably not in the way it was intended!
Kids Christmas Activities Package – Keeping kids happy and busy at Christmas is easy if you have the right activities to give them. These printable Christmas activities and games for children give kids hours and hours of good, old fashioned TV-free fun! With these colorful, fun and educational Christmas worksheets and Christmas games, kids will think that it’s Christmas day already.All-Time Family Favorite Holiday Recipes – Over 300 recipes to plan your memorable holiday menus. From great main dishes like Kevin’s Roast Duck W/Orange Sauce and side dishes like Heavenly Holiday Sweet Potatoes to cookie favorites like Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Cookies and tasty breads like Christmas Bread, this list of a few of the over 300 recipes is the only collection you will need to plan your memorable holiday menus.Letters from Santa: Official North Pole Mail – Imagine if you could send your child a letter from Santa Claus himself, signed by him, stating exactly your name and what you wanted for Christmas? Give that thrill to the special child in your life this year and give them a reason to believe.Giving Homemade Gifts to Cut Back on Holiday Spending
Christmas Gift Giving Ideas: Home Made Gifts
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