When you think of the act of unwrapping gifts on a birthday or on Christmas morning, you likely don’t consider the long history that came before. But gifting, and the quest for the perfect present pre-dates consumerism trends. In fact, the act of gift-giving predates much-recorded history and can be traced back to early human societies.

Early Gifting

In prehistoric times, archaeological evidence suggests that early humans engaged in gift exchanges as part of social rituals. These gifts may have included food, tools, or other valuable items and were likely given to strengthen social bonds, establish alliances, or mark important events within the community. Though this sounds a bit different than what we do today, some trends are clear – gift giving can help drive community, mark important events, and strengthen overall social bonds between us. And what the perfect present means is different for everyone and is often based on when the gift was given, and the life circumstances of the receiver than specific preferences or likes.  

Similarly, in ancient Egypt, gift-giving played a significant role in religious ceremonies, funerary practices, and diplomatic relations. Gifts were often presented to pharaohs, nobles, or deities as offerings, tributes, or tokens of respect and loyalty.

In many early civilizations, gifting was intertwined with social customs, religious beliefs, and economic systems. These early practices laid the foundation for the gift-giving traditions that have remained and become a permanently engrained part of our human culture today.

Why do we partake in gift giving?

The psychology behind gift-giving is not black and white; rather, it encompasses various emotional, social, and cognitive factors. The reasons can depend on your own personal financial situation, who you are gifting to, their circumstances, and any specific ulterior motives you may have. Here are some key reasons why we engage in gift-giving:

To express Love and Affection:

One of the primary motivations behind gift-giving is to express love, affection, or appreciation for the recipient. This is a key reason that “gifts” are defined as one of the five original love languages. Gifting is a simple way to let someone know that we care and are taking an action to show that to them. Giving gifts allows us to communicate our feelings in a tangible and meaningful way, strengthening bonds and fostering deeper connections with loved ones.

Reciprocity:

Gift giving is sometimes driven by the principle of reciprocity, where individuals feel compelled to reciprocate acts of kindness or generosity they have received. By giving gifts, we create a sense of obligation for the recipient to reciprocate in the future, thus reinforcing social ties and mutual exchange. We give because we want.

Altruism and Generosity:

In some cases, gifting can stem from altruistic motives, such as a desire to make others happy without expecting anything in return. It’s not entirely altruistic though, since acts of generosity and kindness promote a sense of community and goodwill, and communities are there to support all members – including the gift-giver.

Symbolism and Ritual:

Gifts can serve as powerful symbols of social rituals, traditions, and cultural values. They can mark significant rites of passage such as birthdays, weddings, graduations, and holidays, imbuing these occasions with meaning and significance. These gifts can be something similar like a bible or a cross at a Christmas baptism, a menorah or dreidel, in Judaism, a prayer rug in Islam, a meditation cushion in Buddhism, or a pentacle necklace in Paganism. Many of these gifts are designed to allow the gift recipient to get or to feel closer to whichever deity or force they worship. These examples demonstrate the diversity of religious gifts given for various events across different cultures.

Enhancing Social Status:

In some cases, gift giving can be motivated by a desire to enhance social status. Gifting lavish gifts may be perceived as a display of wealth, status, or power, reinforcing, or strengthening one's social standing within a group. The act of gift giving enhances your social status by sharing your generosity – a trait commonly perceived as being had by the wealthy; demonstrating care and empathy, which are considered high-quality traits in human personalities; or helping to cement a social identity by communicating that you and the recipient share social values, cultures, or traditions.  

Emotional Fulfillment:

Along a similar line to altruism, we have a bit of egoism. The act of gifting can elicit positive emotions. Gift giving and seeing that the recipient is full of happiness and gratitude provides a sense of emotional fulfillment and well-being to us – the one doing the gifting. The final reason that gently ties into emotional fulfillment is that psychologically speaking, spending money feels good. We get a dopamine hit when we buy things, which is one of the key reasons that retail therapy is so common. Instant gratification allows us to better cope with stress and sadness; and it also allows us to self-actualize better and satisfy a higher human-level need.

Overall, gifting is a complex and multi-layered occurrence influenced by a combo of social, cultural, psychological, and individual factors. Whether motivated by love, reciprocity, or altruism, the act of gift-giving plays a central role in human relationships and is interwoven within our everyday social interactions.

If you’re looking to purchase the perfect present for your friends or family, check out a Holiday Show near you for unique gifts, from local vendors, and check everyone off your list in one place.