Do you like to give and receive gifts? Well, it’s nothing new. It is an age-old tradition that can be traced as far back as over thousands of years ago; perhaps as far as man can remember. Man is after all a social being. We enjoy spending time with one another and being expressive about our feelings through giving gifts. Whether we wish to express our love for someone, appreciate someone’s efforts or acknowledge a friend, it is in our nature to offer tokens of love, appreciation, and acknowledgement in the form of gifts.

If you wish to understand why giving gifts, is such an important part of our culture, you will have to delve into history to discover the origins of this humane act.

The History of Giving Gifts

The activity of giving gifts may as well pre-date civilization and go as far back as the origin of our species. Giving gifts is also known to be common in primitive cavemen culture; even then gifts were used to show love and affection towards one another. The act of giving gifts was also considered a status symbol; leaders of clans or tribes would give gifts to show appreciation to those who were an important part of an achievement.

Gifts were commonly given even before we became an advanced civilization, although the gifts were simple things such as an unusually shaped rock, the bark from a tree, a tooth from an animal or some other item easily found in nature. Over time, with the advent of various tools, the gifts were made more elaborate for example by drilling holes into stones and animal teeth so as to be able to string them into a necklace.

The Egyptian era saw gifts given to pharaohs, whereas the Romans would give each other good luck tokens, the influence of which can be seen centuries later on the Western Civilization. The purpose of these good luck tokens was to show allegiance and carry favors, a practice that has lived on till today.

With the onset of the medieval age, gifts were given to kings to gain favors and also in times of war as a mark of allegiance. Furthermore, dowries and betrothal gifts such as coins, precious metals or herds of cattle, goats or sheep were given as well. This still persists in some societies today.

Giving gifts is still an integral part of our culture. Gifts are given as part of celebrations on all kinds of occasions. They help us communicate with each other and form connections by expressing ourselves.

Why is it Important to Give Gifts?

Gift giving has proven to be a rewarding activity ever since the days of the cavemen, which is perhaps why it has stood the test of time. Here are some reasons why it is important to give gifts:

  • Happiness stems from giving gifts: In simple words, when you give a gift, you end up feeling happier. The person who receives the gift also experiences happiness. Studies and experiments show that when people give and receive gifts they feel better about their lives.
  • Giving gifts improves one’s state of mind: According to research, giving gifts has a positive impact on one’s state of mind. If you feel happier by giving a gift and if you feel that you have a sense of purpose then the state of your mind may inevitably improve.
  • Greater Social Connection: Giving a gift helps express your feelings as well as strengthens your connection with the person that the gift was given to. The person who gave the gift as well as the one who received it will feel closer to one another. Improved social connections ultimately mean improved state of being and increased happiness.
  • Giving gifts is contagious: When one person gives a gift, the recipient is likely to indulge in giving gifts as well, and others around who witness these exchanges are likely to want to start giving too. The release of the endorphins is partly responsible for this, which is not only experienced by the giver, but is also by the recipient and those who witness the act of giving as well.

Three Greatest Gifts of all time

The Statue of Liberty

The gift of friendship given by France to USA in 1884: The Statue of Liberty.

The Statue was shipped to the U.S. in pieces that were later reassembled in New York. It was designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. It took nine years to build the 305-foot-tall neoclassical statue. Today it is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy.

Taj Mahal

What better way to express one’s love than to create a monument in memory of the beloved. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan loved his wife Mumtaz Mahal very dearly. Her death in 1631 left him heartbroken. Shah Jehan commissioned 20,000 workers to construct the Taj Mahal. Made almost entirely out of white marble, The Taj Mahal is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Orlov Diamond

The Orlov Diamond is a Romanov crown jewel. The weight of this rose-cut diamond is almost 200 carats. As it went down in history, Count Grigory Orlov gave this diamond to 18th-century Russian empress Catherine the Great. He wanted to win her back after she had been besotted by another. Sadly, he failed to rekindle their bond but Catherine kept the diamond and mounted it in the Romanov Imperial scepter. It is currently featuring as a part of the Diamond Fund collection of Moscow’s Kremlin Armoury.

Gift giving is something that transcends cultures, borders, and even time. If reading this reminded you of someone who you want to show your appreciation to, maybe check out some of the gift options on our app and let those you love know how much you care!