Russian Orthodox statue of Saint Nicholas in Demre, Turkey. When did the Christian tradition of Christmas presents begin? This made it a lot harder to deal with when the religious status quo changed in the Empire. As it was a much-loved festival thanks to its carefree atmosphere, generous gift-giving, and lavish entertainments, people were less inclined to give up its popular traditions. Unlike many of the more cultish festivals held in the Roman Empire, Saturnalia was widely celebrated throughout all of the territories of Rome at the end of the calendar year. Some bosses often gave a gratuity known as a ‘sigillarcium’ to their clients or employees in order to help them purchase their gifts. Etiquette dictated that the lowlier the gift, the stronger the bond of friendship it was said to represent. 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. The day that gifts were exchanged was known as Sigillaria and took place on the 19th December.
#Gag gift meaning free
During this feast, slaves would be considered the equal of their masters and free speech was embraced.ĭepiction of Romans celebrating Saturnalia from a wall painting found at Pompeii. 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. 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 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. 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.
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 honour of Lord Ganesha. Gift giving at Christmas is a Christian tradition that is widely practiced around the world.
Where do Christmas presents originate from? It is important, however, to know exactly how this time-honoured tradition first began and what it represents, if only to ensure that we don’t lose sight of what our presents to one another really mean during this hectic time of year. Gift-giving is such a widely celebrated event in the Western world that huge industries have grown up around it - billions of pounds, euros, and dollars are spent every year creating, marketing, and distributing products that people can buy for one another. For children, and some adults too, the chance of getting presents is often the highlight of the festive season. Today, giving presents to one another forms a central part of Christmas day, with many families dedicating a lot of time to the custom. Even though trends and tastes in gifts may change, the gesture of acquiring, preparing, and bestowing something of value to friends and family is something that has been honoured by people all over the world in celebration of the festive period for thousands of years. Like many popular Christmas traditions, people have been exchanging gifts for a very long time.
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