Whats the history of the Christmas present?
Christmas presents and the history of Christmas gift giving has a long history. Earliest historical references seem to point to the origin occurring in Ancient Rome. High ranking officials were required to give gifts to the Emperor around the time of the Winter Solstice. They were not exactly Christmas presents as we know it, at least not then, date, but instead were part of the celebration of the birth of the Sun God. St. Nicholas is by far the most easily recognized source of Christmas presents around the world. Parents would leave small gifts of candy or fruits for their children in the honor of St. Nicholas. Eventually the date of this exchange of gifts became associated with the December 25th festivities. Christmas presents became even more of a focal point of the holiday experience in the mid-19th century when Americans began to shift from exchanging small, simple gifts and instead began taking a more consume-driven approach to Christmas presents and gift exchanges. It is thought
