ADD-vent 2019: The Ancient Gift of Giving
By Paola Méndez-García
The joy and anticipation felt on Christmas morning have few—if any—rivals. The boxed gifts in multicolored wrapping paper with arrays of bows under the decorated Christmas tree is the grand present of the holiday—the center of yuletide, the giving and receiving of gifts. I myself still remember being completely surprised by my parents one Christmas morning years ago. The new iPod touch had just been released and while I was slightly aware that it was nestled under the tree, I was still overjoyed when I saw what was in the box— not just because of the iPod itself, but because my parents had engraved their special nickname for me on the back of it. Although this giving and receiving of gifts seems to be a staple of Christmas, one has to wonder: When did this practice begin? Why do we choose to celebrate in this way? Considering that the average American is anticipated to spend about $700 on holiday gifts, it’s important to know why gift giving during Christmas is such a significant tradition. (1)
The first of many origin stories for Christmas gift-giving finds its roots in an ancient Roman festival called Saturnalia. This festival was dedicated to the god Saturn and was celebrated in the Ancient world between December 17th and December 23rd. (2) During the boisterous festivities of Saturnalia, the designated day of gift giving, known as Sigillaria, occurred on December 19th and consisted of Romans gifting each other with presents like pottery figurines, edible treats like fruits and nuts, and festive candles. Although modest, these gifts were encouraged during Saturnalia. According to etiquette, the more lowly the gift, the stronger the friendship. (3)
After the official conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity, pagan celebrations—such as Saturnalia—were outlawed, but certain traditions were adapted to appease the new majority religion. Christmas then replaced Saturnalia, causing Romans to change the object of their celebration from Saturn to Jesus. (4) While a shift in the object of celebration occurred, a majority of the methods of celebration did not. Gift-giving was still in full-force in the early days of Christmas, but rather than a pagan custom, this gift-giving mirrored the gifts given to baby Jesus by the Magi of the Bible. As Christmas continued to be celebrated, the practice of gift-giving was also most likely influenced by the real-life version of Santa Claus, a 4th-century saint named Nikolaus of Myra who was known for his great generosity; every year taking time to gift children and the poor with presents. (3)
Here’s where it gets a little interesting: while the new Christian tradition of Christmas became recognized and celebrated among many, the Puritans—immigrants from Great Britain to the British Colonies in New England—considered Christmas as an excess of religion and contradictory to the basic principles of Christianity. What’s more, Puritans also disapproved of this holiday’s roots in ancient pagan traditions. (3) This disapproval of Christmas within the Christian community is still present today. While the Christmas tradition prevailed, Christians and non-Christians alike make this holiday a part of their yearly rhythms. However, the extreme commercialization of Christmas gift giving, its connection to the secular world, and its pagan roots often give way to a sense of discomfort and confusion among Christians. Should they continue to celebrate this holiday and give gifts to one another or give it up altogether like a majority of the Puritans did?
Well, just because the concept of gift-giving has been used in customs and traditions outside of Christianity or has been manipulated into something purely materialistic does not mean that Christians should not gift one another with meaningful presents during a holiday. Especially not when this holiday is one that genuine Christians dedicate to the celebration Jesus Christ’s birth, God incarnate, son of the Father, sent to die for the world because of His love for the world.
Personally, I wholeheartedly believe that giving and receiving presents during Christmas time is essential. This isn’t because of the value of the gifts or anything like that, but because of what the simple act of giving something special to a loved one represents. It reflects the greatest gift of all that was gracefully given to us, Christ’s unconditional love that was manifested in His sacrificing Himself for our sins. The Magi anticipated this wonderful present by the giving of their own gifts to the King himself—the gifts did indeed have value, but their value surpassed the material. The practice of gift-giving during Christmastime might come from a few peculiar origins and imply some curious meanings, but all in all, the present day gift of giving is a way for us to partake in and remember the most blessed gift of all: Jesus Christ.
SOURCES
1) “Made in America Christmas: Are You In?” ABC News. abcnews.go.com/WN/mailform?id=14998335.
2) “Saturnalia: Roman Festival." Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/topic/Saturnalia-Roman-festival.
3) “Gifts Unwrapped: The History of Christmas Presents.” Gifts International. www.giftsinternational.net/knowledge-hub/guide/gifts-unwrapped-the-history-of-christmas-presents.
4) “A Brief History of the Christmas Present.” The Week. theweek.com/articles/441360/brief-history-christmas-present.