History Gifts :-
As Christianity became increasingly widespread in Roman lands, the custom of giving gifts on New Year's Day was introduced. Around 336 AD, the date 25 December seems to have been established as the day Jesus was born, and the practice of gift-giving was tied to the biblical story of the Magi giving gifts to the baby Jesus; Along with another story of St. Nicholas, a fourth-century Christian bishop and giver of gifts, it gradually became a part of Christmas celebrations in countries such as the United Kingdom; In other Christian countries, the practice of gift-giving occurs as early as Advent on St. Nicholas Day.
Some early Christian rulers, however, interpreted this story as indicating that it was their subjects who should give gifts to their superiors, and during that period emphasized tribute and tithes. This changed at the turn of the millennium following the popularity of the story of Good King Wenceslaus, which claimed a historical figure to be Saint Wenceslaus, the gift-giver. Gift-giving to elders became less common at Christmas, and during the Protestant Reformation, the practice of gift-giving to children became increasingly widespread in Europe. The practice spread to the United States in the 19th century. It also coincided with the desire of some aristocrats to reduce the disorderliness of the adults' Christmas celebrations, which in some places were tied to begging, as "groups of youths, often disorderly, wandered from house to house and demanded handouts from the gentlemen" . Another related aspect was the growing desire of parents to keep children at home away from the polluting influence of urban streets.
Another relatively recent change concerns the timing of Christmas gift giving. For centuries, gifts were given around St. Nicholas Day on December 6 or early January on New Year's Eve. The popularity of the genre grew after the positive reception of The Night Before Christmas in 1823 and the novel A Christmas Carol in 1843. By the late 19th century, Christmas Eve had replaced early December or January as the most common date for gift-giving in Western culture.
The Christmas season lasts twelve days according to the liturgical calendar of many Christian churches, in some cultures a gift is given for each of the twelve days of Christmastide, while in other Christian families, gifts are given only on Christmas Eve or Twelfth Night, the first and last days of the Christmas season, respectively.
