What's the purpose behind Christmas gift.

[eliza61]

Just a general question.

Why do you buy Christmas gifts for some one?
Expression of your feelings?
they gave my kid a gift so I have to return the gift?
Person did some thing nice to you?

What's the reason we give gifts?

Anyone know the historical background to gift giving? I heard it was supposed to be a representation of the gifts that the three wise kings gave the baby Jesus but can't find out when the tradition began.

 

[LuLuO]

For the kids, it's fun. For the grown-ups, like the moms/dads, teachers, etc., to show them a little extra appreciation.

 

[mrodgers]

For my mother, it is showing off. Before I got married and she had grandkids of her own, she was buying her friend's grandkids American Girl dolls and other expensive extravagant gifts and toys. Now that she has her own grandkids and she doesn't have to show off to family, my kids get dollar store toys from her and stinky dollar store bath products.

So, stick showing off in there as an option for why one buys Christmas gifts for someone.

 

[Miss Peach]

There are a lot of unpleasant reasons to give gifts, as evidenced above.

But I think we give gifts to our loved ones so that there is tangible object that causes us to think of the giver throughout the use of the gift.

Everything I have that was a gift reminds me of the giver with every use. I prefer to receive practical gifts that I use often.

And I tend to give practical gifts, with some extravagances mixed in.

This years gifts that I am giving include a BluRay player, new canvas grocery bags for all, a chest freezer, a subscription to some fantasy baseball thing that I don't really understand, American Girl stuff and a mountain of Legos!

I hope that my family will think of me with use and put some love out into the cosmos!

Merry Christmas!

 

[Southernmiss]

Our retired priest said it this way, "We give gifts because we have been gifted."

Gift giving is an expression of gratitude for me.

 

[Planogirl]

I love buying gifts for people. I see it as a way to brighten someone's day a little. We can all use a reason to smile IMO.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I do it because it is from heart. I do not expect anything in return.

 

[LBIJim]

I give Christmas gifts for selfish reasons. It makes ME happy to give someone a gift. I don't care if I get anything in return.

Jim

 

[disykat]

As an adult, I'm not much for exchanging gifts and really only do it because it's expected. For the kids, I think it helps them learn to express generosity and to appreciate the gift we are given in the religious sense during Christmas.

I think I'm unusual though. I think most people express love by giving gifts and feel loved receiving them.

 

[believe]

Honestly, most are because I truly want to give the gifts in rememberance of the eternal gift I was given. There are some that I feel obligated to give.

 

[pigletgirl]

My parents used to say it was because the Wisemen brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus...

 

[Bungle]

I give gifts because I want to. I don't expect one in return but a thank you and a hug is always appreciated. As for why we give gifts to our kids its just what we do, tradition I guess.

 

[SeaSpray]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_and_when_did_the_tradition_of_exchanging_Christmas_gifts_start


Many factors and historical practices have contributed to the event that we know today as Christmas.
For example, some of the customs were adopted from non-Christian sources. U.S. Catholic, in fact, said: "It is impossible to separate Christmas from its pagan origins."

The Encyclopedia Americana explained: "Most of the customs now associated with Christmas were not originally Christmas customs but rather were pre-Christian and non-Christian customs taken up by the Christian church. Saturnalia, a Roman feast celebrated in mid-December, provided the model for many of the merry-making customs of Christmas. From this celebration, for example, were derived the elaborate feasting, the giving of gifts, and the burning of candles."

Regarding the custom of gift giving, the journal History Today noted: "The giving of presents at the midwinter feast almost certainly began as a magical more than as merely a social custom. Saturnalia presents included wax dolls, given to children. A charming custom, no doubt, by times of record, but with a macabre past: even contemporaries thought this probably a vestige of human sacrifice, of children, to aid the sowing."

The New York Times of December 24, 1991, featured an article on the origins of Christmas customs, including gift giving. Simon Schama, professor of history at Harvard University, wrote: "Christmas itself was superimposed over the ancient festivals that celebrated the winter solstice . . . In the third century, when sun cults like the Mithraic religion of Persia found their way to Rome, days in December were given over to celebrate the rebirth of Sol Invictus: the invincible sun. . . .

"The early Church in Rome had a particularly hard battle against two other great pagan festivals, the week-long Saturnalia, which began Dec. 17, and the Kalends, which greeted the New Year. The first festival was a time of licensed misrule, often presided over by a lord of merriment, not so much Santa as fat Saturn himself, the orgiast of eating, drinking and other kinds of naughtiness. It was during Kalends, when the year changed, however, that gifts were ritually exchanged, often tied to the boughs of greenery that decorated houses during the festivities.

"The attitude of the early church toward all this indecent jollity was predictably frosty. Its fathers, notably the fulminating St. John Chrysostom, urged no compromise with heathen abominations. . . . Since there was no general agreement about the exact date of the birth of Jesus . . . , it must have seemed helpful to have it supersede the Saturnalia . . . So the rebirth of the sun became instead the birth of the Son of God . . .
"In the same way, the Kalends were replaced by the Feast of the Epiphany, and the gifts and trinkets that pagan Romans had given each other became instead the homage paid by the three kings to the new King of the World. By the middle of the fourth century, the basic features of the Christmas calendar were set for good."

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

We only give gifts to our children and sometimes each other. We are not religious so gift giving at Christmas for us is all about just giving gifts to make the kids happy at XMAS.

I don't buy for other ppl. I don't have anybody else buy for us or our kids. We keep Christmas simple.

 

[MM27]

I love buying gifts for people. I see it as a way to brighten someone's day a little. We can all use a reason to smile IMO.

Me too!

 

[avgeek81]

I dont buy for many people and I give because I like too. I try to remember something the person mentioned they liked/wanted it get that. When I visited my mom in Oct we were at the car wash and she said she wanted to try the air fresheners you stick in the vents but was going to wait til she used all the pine tree hanging ones she already had. I sent her up a stocking and put some in there along with lotto tickets life savers and other stuff.

My brother sent me a list of stuff he wanted but we had a good deal on the kinect for xbox at my job and with my discount and a coupon I had it was almost half price so I got him that because when I saw him last year he mentioned he wanted to get one but I know he still hasnt because he doesnt like to spend money on stuff like that.

My friend who has 2 kids I buy for told me not to buy anything for her or her husband since they have 4 people and im only one. When I went to the space center I got her some astronaunt ice cream and wrapped it up because we were talking about it a few weeks prior and she said how much she liked it when she was a kid.

 

[EllaM]

Just a general question.

Why do you buy Christmas gifts for some one?
Expression of your feelings?
they gave my kid a gift so I have to return the gift?
Person did some thing nice to you?

I give gifts because I want to. It's my chance to say "thank you for being part of my life". I stopped caring about getting something in return eons ago. I just like to make people happy and spread a little Christmas cheer.

I told one lady at work that I gave her the present (a $10 ornament) because I was showing my love. She gave me a big hug in return.

What's the reason we give gifts?

Christian churches tell you we give gifts to imitate the Three Wise Men giving gifts to baby Jesus. Christmas is essentially the Lord's human birthday and like all birthdays we celebrate with a big party.

The Catholic Church was very clever about co-opting pagan holidays, especially once that had a rowdier feel to them. The wild winterfest bash of Saternalia that turned into what we think as a wild New Year's Eve party (lots od drinking, carousing and frisky behavior) was a prime target. Tone down the lavish public orgy in favor of a more solem homage to God.

Anyone know the historical background to gift giving? I heard it was supposed to be a representation of the gifts that the three wise kings gave the baby Jesus but can't find out when the tradition began.

The story I always heard was one of St Nicholas who lived around the 3rd-4th century AD.

In [St Nicholas'] most famous exploit,[27] a poor man had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man's plight, Nicholas decided to help him, but being too modest to help the man in public (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the man's house.