Christmas gifts: traditions and modernity

Christmas is one of the brightest andgood holidays, which people on all continents have been celebrating for many hundreds of years. On this day, warm feelings and memories awaken in every person, and you want to bestow your love on your loved ones and relatives. It is not customary to invite guests to Christmas, although in the modern world this tradition is increasingly being abandoned. However, from time immemorial it was believed that the holy evening should be spent with family, in heartfelt conversations, thanking the Lord for everything he has given to your home. The very atmosphere of the holiday is calm, quiet and peaceful - this is the time when you should think about your mistakes, ask for forgiveness and try to become as good as possible. No holiday is complete without gifts, and Christmas is no exception. The process of choosing and preparing a future present is a responsible and meticulous procedure that can drive even the biggest inventor crazy. After all, you don’t want to forget anyone, and even more so offend them by giving an unnecessary thing. In addition, the shelves of supermarkets and small souvenir shops are filled with all sorts of goods: Christmas cards, Christmas tree decorations, scarves, mittens, cups with emblems and stickers corresponding to the event. Eyes run wide from such abundance, and naturally, it is very difficult to choose in favor of this or that product. Therefore, in order not to make a mistake and prepare in advance for the upcoming holidays, let's talk about who and what gifts can be chosen.

Ancient traditions and modernity

A Christmas present is a completely new thing.special. It must be something benevolent - pleasant and without the slightest hint of aggression. It turns out that in the old days, children were given postal sets, books, paints and pencils, board games, porcelain dolls. And, of course, sweets - gingerbread and lollipops. The children themselves, even from the royal family, did not have their own money, so they made their gifts with their own hands. One of the best Christmas gifts were considered to be holiday food baskets, which were usually filled with sweets, fruits and sets of cheeses. All kinds of figurines depicting angels, shepherds and shepherdesses were especially valued. A gift was considered successful if it caused a kind smile or even tears of emotion in the recipient. In wealthy noble families, relatives presented each other with gifts early in the morning, after returning from the night service. The youngest members of the family received sweets and toys, women and girls of marriageable age received fur coats, bright outfits and, of course, jewelry. But the children and spouse made Christmas presents for the father of the family with their own hands. The little ones, under the guidance of their mother or home tutor, painted pictures, embroidered, made all sorts of figurines, pipes and the like from wood. After the gift-giving, everyone gathered at a large table set with various dishes, and the feast began. Russian merchants believed that the scale with which the family celebrated the holiday would determine the next year for them. Therefore, many guests were invited to the house, and up to 40 different dishes were put on the table. It took a long time to choose a Christmas present for relatives. Often they gave a "katenka" - a hundred-ruble banknote with an image of Empress Catherine, and the lower classes (servants) received ten rubles from their owners; more greedy merchants made do with small "sacrifices", giving their employees one ruble. As for modern customs, it is safe to say that a clear tradition of gift-giving has not yet developed. For example, in the West, anything is given as a Christmas present, from a souvenir, sweet candy or scented candles to expensive certificates for a visit to a spa. In post-Soviet countries, children are given toys, coloring books, pajamas, and adults, depending on gender and personal preferences, are content with expensive alcoholic beverages, leather wallets, ladies - bags, scarves, and so on.

What to give a baby?

For many people, a Christmas gift is associated withwith childhood and the happiest time. Remember how, when you were still a child, you were eagerly waiting for this holiday so that mom and dad would fulfill your most cherished wish. Therefore, when choosing a present for your baby, go back in time for a few minutes and think, would you be happy with a pack of notebooks or a new school bag? After all, some parents, trying to save money and combine a gift and a necessary thing in one purchase, buy something practical and necessary. However, this is a mistake. It is better that your present is not too expensive, but desired. Of course, gifts for modern children are somewhat different from old ones. Here are some tips on choosing Christmas gifts for modern children. You should not give toys with a negative image such as the Terminator, the Cannibal, a soldier with a machine gun. Be careful when choosing children's "professional sets", which contain items denoting belonging to a profession. There is no harm in such toys as, for example, a hairdresser's set (combs, curlers, mirrors are collected here) or a doctor's set (syringes, bandages, pipettes). But a police set carries a certain danger - there are handcuffs, knives, guns, batons. Such toys awaken deeply hidden aggression in every person, when violence seems to be the shortest way to solve a problem. If you are raising a future athlete and a lover of active games, choose skates or roller skates, skis or a new football for him. You can buy something less expensive, for example, sports winter gloves, special protective glasses and the like. For little geniuses accustomed to a more relaxed pastime, board games and other games that develop thinking are suitable: charades, puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, the "Young Chemist" or "Botanist" set, lotto and more. Every girl will be delighted with a new doll or soft toy. In addition, you can buy a beautiful dress, a hair clip or children's cosmetics for a young fashionista. In general, choose a gift based on your child's interests, hobbies, wishes and age.

Gifts for loved ones

All adults are children at heart, and everyoneof us are happy with any manifestation of love, care and warmth, so it is so nice to receive gifts. But you should also respond to the theme - give a good present. For adults, a beautiful bag, wallet, a beautiful scarf or scarf, a warm sweater will be an excellent gift. Women will be happy with a gift certificate to a beauty salon for a pleasant procedure. In order not to be known as banal and not to miscalculate with a Christmas purchase, let's take a closer look at the gift options for the New Year holiday. So, when choosing a gift for a man, be it a lover, father or colleague, focus on the following products:

Those who are fond of sports can buy the appropriate equipment, tennis racket, cue, basketball or something else depending on the preferences of the gifted.
An irreplaceable attribute of the cold season is a warm scarf or hat, leather gloves, socks, a sweater, an elegant knitted vest and the like.
A colleague on work or a boss can be presented with a diary, expensive pen, elite alcoholic beverages.
If you want to pamper your lover,how he relaxes recently. Perhaps your man is not indifferent to computer games; then surprise him by buying the latest novelty of developers - a disc or, which, of course, is much more expensive, a prefix. Every guy will be happy with a new phone, expensive electric shaver, speakers or a coveted keypad, the purchase of which he so long put off. If you are not limited in finances, you can present a surprise by planning and paying for a joint vacation abroad.

As for women, the most relevant gifts for them are always the following:

Jewelry. Each girl is not indifferent to jewelry, so please your beloved by picking up a beautiful necklace or gold chain, elegant earrings or an elegant ring. However, in this case, it is very likely to lose weight with the size of the product, so discuss the purchase with your lady in advance or arrange with the seller in the store, in which case you can change the goods.
Unforgettable pleasure - it can be everything,that brings joy to your woman. For example, a wonderful gift will be a subscription to a trip to the spa or a gift certificate for the purchase of cosmetics and the like.
A trip to the resort is, as they say, without comment.

It is not for nothing that they say that the gift is not the most important thingAttention plays a special role. Therefore, approach the purchase with imagination and love, focusing on the character and personal preferences of the person you want to congratulate on Christmas. Do not forget about beautiful gift packaging. It is much more pleasant to receive a present in an originally designed package, even if it is made by hand, than in a standard bag. We recommend reading: