Gift Giving History: Why do we give gifts on special occasions?

In general, the history of gift giving is tied to honoring a god or person, celebrating an event or accomplishment, or commemorating an agreement or occasion. In ancient Greek and Roman times, numerous festivals and celebrations were held in honor of different gods, phases of the moon, seasons, and harvests. These festivals included the preparation and enjoyment of large feasts on food and wine, the adornment of special garb, and even the making and giving of gifts to the god in honor.

Over time, ancient rituals were influenced by other cultures and melded with new traditions from Christianity and Judaism. Similarly, the history of gift giving evolved: from making an animal sacrifice to the god of war or decorating a tree to honor the god of farming, to following the tradition set forth by the Magi  in the story of the birth of Christ and exchanging goods and services with the advent of individual economies.

History of Giving Gifts: Traditions in America

Different regions, countries, and cultures have their own history of gift giving. American culture, with its unique values, economy, and traditions, is no exception. While holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day take their origin from ancient times, and the giving traditions on these days come from religious or pagan rituals, their celebration in America is unique because of our values for commercialism and materialism. Perhaps not ironically, one of the ten major holidays recognized and celebrated by the federal government is Thanksgiving, a time to remember our origins and give thanks to each other by sharing time and a lot of food.

Many other gift giving occasions have sprung up in American culture since the time of the pilgrims, including Father’s Day, Secretary’s Day, and Teacher Appreciation Day, to name a few. We celebrate graduations and acquisitions, weddings and births, new homes and publications. Whether driven by our market economy or a sense of altruism, the history of gift giving has permeated our culture and continues to evolve each calendar year.