Christmas Gifts

For many this is the most wonderful time of the year. A time where we surround ourselves with our beloved family and friends to celebrate the spirit of Christmas holidays. This festive time of the year is all about spending quality time with our closest family members to appreciate all they have done for us throughout the year. What better way to show our love and appreciation than with some special Xmas gift to illustrate how much they mean to us and reflect the cherished thoughts we have for them.

For many this is the most wonderful time of the year. A time where we surround ourselves with our beloved family and friends to celebrate the spirit of Christmas holidays. This festive time of the year is all about spending quality time with our closest family members to appreciate all they have done for us throughout the year. What better way to show our love and appreciation than with some special Xmas gift to illustrate how much they mean to us and reflect the cherished thoughts we have for them.

What is Christmas?

The Christmas holiday is an annual celebration that takes place in the last month of the year. The origins of Christmas can be attributed to the Christian religion where the birth of Jesus marks the traditional narrative. However, in our modern times Christmas holidays have expanded into a celebration where families gather to cherish each other’s company and exchange gifts to commemorate the love we have for one another rather than the commemoration of religious belief.

Xmas Gift giving

Christmas gift giving is not a new tradition. Back in ancient Rome gift giving was popularized during the Saturnalia holiday which occurred during the winter solstice in December. This tradition of gift giving continued for different reasons. With the increasing belief in Christianity the story of the three kings bringing gifts to baby Jesus became widespread and became the reason why we celebrate Christmas with the giving of Christmas gifts. Despite Christmas being mostly associated with celebrations on the 24/25th of December it was not always that way. Christmas present giving has traditionally taken place on the 6th of December. In fact, many countries still practice the tradition of gift giving on the 6th of December by placing Christmas related gifts inside the person's shoes, those small Christmas gifts usually include chocolates, sweets, or small toys. This tradition can be reminiscent of the stocking stuffer ideas that we receive during Christmas.

Christmas gifting traditions

There are many different traditions associated with Christmas giving. One of the more recent traditions for Xmas giving must be the secret Santa gifts that we love to do. If you have never participated in a secret Santa event let me explain what it is all about. Secret Santa, or sometimes known as Kris Kringel in the UK, is a relatively modern tradition that is very popular, especially in western society. The idea behind secret Santa is that a group of people such as work colleagues are randomly assigned a person to whom to give a gift. As the name suggests this is done in secrecy and no one has an idea from whom the gift comes. This secret Santa gift is usually under £20. Gifts under £20 allow everyone to receive and give something personal. It also ensures that people don’t “outdo” one another by giving expensive gifts. Recently a new way of conducting a secret Santa event has emerged which quickly became popular. Due to Covid 19 many of us were unable to meet and spend Christmas together with our friends and family. To bring some normality back many people have taken part in a secret Santa event online. The information as to who to get a secret Santa gift for can easily be revealed using Email or an online chat. Sending the gift is also made easier with the online mailing system which sends the gift directly to the intended person.

Tips for Christmas gifts

Many of us struggle to know exactly what the other person would like to receive as a gift for Christmas. Here are some quick tips to ensure that the gift you give does not end up re-gifted. There are many gift ideas that end up being re-gifted, here are some things to generally avoid when buying Christmas presents.

» Perfumes - Unless you are 100% sure that the person will like the scent it is very risky to buy perfume as a gift. This is because smell is a very subjective topic, even if you absolutely love the smell, it does not mean that the person receiving it might.

» Cosmetics - Just like perfumes it can be very subjective what the person might like, not to mention the potential allergy risks that person might have. For example, if we decide to give a face cream for Christmas it might irritate their skin making it not the most ideal present.

» Ornaments - Don’t we all have too much clutter around the house as it is? Those are some of the things we would avoid when buying a Christmas present. So, what sort of thing would we suggest instead?

» Alcoholic gift - We all deserve to relax and take it easy once in a while. A lovely bottle of liqueur, wine or spirit might just be the perfect gift to help with that.

» Healthy gift - When we think of Christmas, we usually associate it with a huge meal that ends up stretching our belt buckle, we then think "Oh I should go on a diet". Well, what better way to start the diet than with some healthy salad dressing that will improve our health and make our healthy meals more enjoyable.

» Chocolate Gift - I don’t know about you, but I have never met someone who doesn't like chocolate. Chocolate can come in many forms such as a plain chocolate bar or a more interesting chocolate liqueur.

» Hamper - If you are really struggling to think of any ideas for Christmas gifts a hamper might be an excellent remedy to your struggle. The vast variety included within a hamper gift makes for an ideal gift as your recipient will always find something they like.

Concluding Christmas thoughts

At the end of the day, it’s the thought that counts. The wonderful time we spend with our friends and family is the priceless gifts that we all deserve this Christmas, so Merry Christmas and a happy New Year everyone!