Christmas Presents - Past and Present

It is thought the tradition of giving Christmas presents can be traced back to the Ancient Romans. The Romans celebrated the festival of Saturnalia at the time we now call Christmas and this was a period of gift giving - even between master and slave.

Of course Christmas time as celebrated today is a Christian festival to mark the birth of Jesus. The story of His birth tells us that three Wise Men, the Magi, brought gifts for the infant Jesus and some think that the giving of presents for Christmas has continued as a reminder of this.

Whatever your thoughts on the history of gift giving you would not be unusual if you found yourself each year struggling for Christmas present ideas. How do you, year after year, come up with unique ideas for Christmas presents that will thrill and delight the recipient?

One idea is to consult the lists of top Christmas presents that appear in all forms of media from September to December each year. There are articles and features to be found on the top presents for kids, the top toys, the most popular games and the bestselling personalised gifts.

Of course, budget has a huge part to play in shopping for Christmas presents. At one time everyone has been seduced into spending more than they can afford on their nearest and dearest but is this really in the true spirit of Christmas? Nowhere in the nativity story does it mention the Magi maxing out their credit cards to bring gifts for the newborn baby Jesus.

Personalised gifts are always popular and these needn’t be expensive hand engraved items. They can be personalised by you with love and care that makes them doubly special. Think about plain, inexpensive items you can buy for your loved ones that can then be personalised at low cost by you.

Handmade Christmas presents can often be produced inexpensively, the main resource they use being time rather than cash. Homemade preserved fruits or chocolates make a welcome and delightful change from the sometimes overpriced and inferior quality commercially produced brands.

The tradition behind the giving of gifts is to express a sentiment not to impress with largesse or outdo the mother in law. For those who still treat this time of year as an excuse for overindulgence and overspending the time has perhaps come to return to traditional values.

Christmas presents do not need to be expensive or opulent they simply need to be thoughtfully chosen or prepared with love to celebrate this special time of year.

The History of Christmas Celebrations

On the 25th December Christmas celebrations take place around the World marking the birthday of Jesus Christ.

The celebration of Christmas is a tradition given to us by the Christian religion although it would be true to say that the date has been hijacked as a holiday festival for all, whatever their faith.

The 25th December has been celebrated as the birthday of Jesus for more than fifteen hundred years. The original date celebrated was January 6th but it appears that the Christian calendar was adjusted to take advantage of the established pagan festivals that the Christians were working to eradicate.

In fact the days of Christmas are a time of celebration in so many traditions. They may not all mark the birth of Jesus but they do have their own reason for declaring a holiday.

This time of year was a period of celebration for the Persians and Romans; it was recognised in Egypt, Germany, Scandinavia, Babylon and throughout the British Isles. Each culture had their own festival or holiday and these have all been subsumed into what we now call Christmas celebrations.

The timing of the Winter Solstice, being so close to Christmas, cannot be ignored. In the Northern Hemisphere this was the time that marked the return of the great Sun God, which was cause for much celebration.

The idea of giving gifts could be argued to stem from the tradition of leaving offerings for those Gods and Goddesses worshipped by pre-Christian cultures. Even in the harsh Roman Empire, which celebrated Saturnalia between the 17th and 24th December, gifts were exchanged between masters and slaves.

Christmas celebrations can be a source of controversy as so many non-Christian festivities are also celebrated at this time. It is a source of distress to many in the Christian Church that this special time of year has been transformed into a time of excess, in stark contrast to the simplicity of the birth of the Christ child.

Whatever your faith, Christmas represents a time of coming together with family and friends, a time of light and love. Whilst the true meaning of Christmas may not be relevant for many it is still a holiday season in many parts of the World where places of work are closed and gifts are given.

Enjoy your Christmas celebrations whatever your faith or your culture. Merry Christmas!