What is the most exciting part about your birthday? The dress, the cake, the party? Or let’s be honest. It’s the gifts. Getting gifts is a feeling that tops even the presence of that cute boy you invited to the party. Receiving gifts makes everyone feel so important. Gifting is a tradition that dates as far back as man can remember. Humans are social animals and giving gifts is way of expressing feelings for someone. Whether it’s an expression of love, appreciation of a job well done, or even gratitude for someone, gifting is a way of showing how much one cares. It’s a ritual that is ingrained in our DNA.
One can find the culture of gift giving even during cavemen period. It was done to show love, respect or even as a status symbol by tribe or clan leaders. Be it a precious rock, animal tooth, claw or any other item of natural origin, gifts were important part of social rituals. Gradually, as and when tools developed, gifts got more sophisticated. The Ancient Egyptians gave gifts to Pharaohs to be
stored in pyramids for the after-life. The Ancient Romans gifted good luck tokens as a sign of allegiance to each other. By the Middle Ages, gifts were used to get personal favors from powerful people like kings and ministers, a practice that exists even today. In the modern age, gifts are given on various occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. It could be a good bye gift or a gift to show loyalty and affection. No wonder, gifting is a full-fledged million-dollar industry!
Some believe that giving gifts helps connect with the receiver. Connecting is what makes an individual a social animal, thus giving one a sense of purpose and a feeling of satisfaction at the end of the day. Giving of gifts makes a person feel happier about themselves as well as the person who has received the gift. When a person gives a gift the chances double of him/her receiving one as well, hence starting the cycle of giving and receiving gifts.
The rules of gifting may change from country to country. For example, in China, gifting is always done in even numbers, except the
number 4, as it is associated with death. During the Chinese New Year, that lasts for about two weeks, gifts are wrapped in red wrapping paper or money is put in a red envelope, as red is a color of wealth and prosperity in China. In Italy, there’s a tradition where the groom’s tie is cut into many pieces and the guests buy these pieces in exchange for money as a gift to the bride and groom.
No matter where you’re from or what tradition you follow, beverlyheels.com has the perfect gifting solutions for any occasion.
