The giving of gifts has symbolic meaning in all cultures across the globe for as long as mankind has existed. From the first time a father gave his child a carved doll to the sharing of a harvest feast, gift giving symbolizes many things: love, respect, sympathy, flattery, gratitude and appreciation.

GIFT GIVING IN HISTORY

Ancient Greek mythology gives credit to the goddess of love, Aphrodite, as the original bearer of the classic gift of love, a rose, to Eros, the god of love. Such symbolism has pervaded the giving of flowers as gifts for centuries and
although the symbolic meaning of many flowers is lost the act of giving flowers has never waned.

Another famous bearer of gifts was the Queen of Sheba who notably gave the richest king of his time, King Solomon, a lavish gift of gold, balsam oil and precious stones in exchange for his wisdom.

Elaborate gifts as tokens of political friendship are not exclusively an ancient custom. The United States of America has one of the most iconic gifts of international friendship as the symbol of their pride of freedom. The Statue of
Liberty was a gift of friendship from France in 1886.

THE GIFT GIVING CULTURE

Gift giving has often been associated in Western culture with the celebration of events or holidays. While giving social gifts has gained popularity in recent years it does not compare to the gift giving culture of Japan.

Japanese people are well known for their graciousness and this extends to the common act of gift giving. In Japan the presentation of a gift is as of much importance as the gift itself. Showing respect to the receiver, even small
tokens are often wrapped with great care and attention. Accepting gifts is an act of extreme appreciation on the part of the receiver and humility from the giver, presented and accepted in both hands.

While gift giving is common to most cultures, the act of giving gifts can be quite different from one place to another. Many business people are advised on the appropriateness of giving gifts when doing business in foreign countries
since the act of giving gifts is often closely tied to the traditions and cultures of different people worldwide.

The Holiday Season is now upon us and for many this includes the celebrations of Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Yule, New Year, Chinese New Year all the way up to Valentines Day in February next year.

It is a fact of human life that, from time to time, we grow distant from those who we love. There are several reasons for this. Things happen in our life that take us to different places, and we cannot cover so much ground. Many of us have a number of friends and acquaintances and cannot be in contact with all of them at the same time. The holiday season can be useful in repairing some of the damage that this does, and this is a major reason why it is seen as being a time of togetherness.

Whatever we may think at a given time, no friendship or relationship needs to be considered completely broken if one or both parts of it feel that there is a chance of reconnection. The holiday season allows a focus on things that we thought were lost and it is a time when many people feel that there is a chance for forgiveness, for apologies and acceptance. Whatever we feel may have been lost, we can focus on bringing back the good times.

Of course, the holiday season is only here for a month, or a few weeks, and then we have to refocus on the world. This is when the true test of what has been rebuilt comes, and if we are not truly committed to making it happen then it can still fall away again. But if you feel that you would like to reconnect with someone you had lost contact with, This holiday Season is the time to make it happen – and what better way than selecting and giving a gift with that thought in mind !!

This site is a “whats happening now” over the holiday season to keep you up to date with Specials, Sales, and Promotions, to help make your shopping online for Christmas presents as easy as can be, and possibly even to save you some money !

For example

For a complete and up to date list – have a look at our Site Map
Holiday Greetings and Best Wishes for a New Year of Happiness in a world of peace.