![[info]](http://klab.lv/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
Gift giving was common during the Roman Saturnalia. Nuns in France started giving gifts to the poor on the eve of St. Nicholas' Saint's Day, 13th century. Gift giving was repressed by the medieval church.
Post-Medieval gift giving was rationalized as part of Christmas in post-Medieval times by the Catholic church on the basis that (1) it associates St. Nicholas with Christmas, and (2) gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were gifts given to Christ by Magi. Protestants honored the Weihnachtsbaum (spruce), symbol of gift giving on Christmas day.
Gift giving in colonial America was based on class differences, the poor accosting the rich and demanding food, drink and money. In the 1820's, borrowing from the New York Dutch, gift giving was transferred to gifts for the children from parents. Moore's poem may have been a factor in this. This started Christmas commercialization. Christmas shopping was encouraged to overcome the 1839-40 depression.
(te)
Post-Medieval gift giving was rationalized as part of Christmas in post-Medieval times by the Catholic church on the basis that (1) it associates St. Nicholas with Christmas, and (2) gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were gifts given to Christ by Magi. Protestants honored the Weihnachtsbaum (spruce), symbol of gift giving on Christmas day.
Gift giving in colonial America was based on class differences, the poor accosting the rich and demanding food, drink and money. In the 1820's, borrowing from the New York Dutch, gift giving was transferred to gifts for the children from parents. Moore's poem may have been a factor in this. This started Christmas commercialization. Christmas shopping was encouraged to overcome the 1839-40 depression.
(te)