Why do you give gifts to each other at Christmas?

The origin of this custom is Saint Nicholas, the prototype of Santa Claus, who quietly gives gifts to people who are in trouble on Christmas Eve. In addition, when Jesus Christ was born, scholars from the East also came with gifts.

Every Christmas, children all over the world will take out their socks the night before and hang them on the fireplace, Christmas tree or bedside. Because they believe that when they are asleep, Santa Claus will come from the northern snow country in a sleigh pulled by nine reindeer and secretly put gifts in socks.

Speaking of Santa Claus, it can be traced back many centuries. His prototype is a kind bishop named "Saint Klaus". The bishop who lived in the 4th century is famous for caring for children and charity. It is said that after his parents died, he distributed all his property to the poor in his hometown.

At that time, there was a kind-hearted nobleman whose wife died of illness, leaving him and his three daughters. The nobleman ran out of money by trying to invent. They had to move to a farmhouse, and his daughters had to cook, sew and clean themselves.

A few years later, the daughters gradually reached the age of marriage, but the father was even more depressed because he had no money to buy dowry for his daughters. One night, after washing clothes, the daughters hung their socks in front of the fireplace to dry.

When Saint Nicholas learned about their father, he came to their home that night. He saw from the window that the whole family was asleep, and he also noticed the girls' stockings. It was he who took out three small bags of gold from his pocket and threw them into the chimney one by one, just falling into the girl's stockings.

The next morning, the daughters woke up to find that their socks were full of gold, which was enough for their dowry. The nobleman was able to see his daughter get married with his own eyes and lived a happy life from then on.

Since then, it has become a tradition to hang socks on the fireplace under the chimney and put gifts in socks, which has been handed down. Saint Nicholas also became the prototype of Santa Claus who was later told, and drilling the chimney became the way Santa Claus gave gifts in the story.

Christmas gift-giving time

In many countries, Saint Nicholas' Day is still a day to exchange gifts. In many places in Germany, on the evening of February 25th, 65438, children took out their shoes and put them on the windowsill. The next morning, they will find their shoes full of sweets and small gifts. In Germany, the main gift-giving date is 65438+February 24th. Santa Claus brings gifts or puts them under the Christmas tree.

The same is true in Hungary, except that it is the little Lord who gives gifts instead of Santa Claus. In many areas, including the Netherlands, Christmas still retains its religious nature. In Spain and other countries with similar traditions, the people who gave gifts on epiphany on June 6, 65438 were priests (Magi), fortune tellers and pagan priests.

The song "Christmas 12" tells a custom of giving gifts. It describes that the British traditionally give gifts to each other every day from Christmas to Epiphany. In most parts of the world, Christmas presents are given on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. Until recently, the British gave gifts to their friends on Boxing Day.