Christmas is full of wonderfully odd traditions. Only once a year do we think a house made out of collapsible gingerbread is an architectural success; or combine butter, brandy and sugar and then lather it all over a fruit pudding which we then set fire to…wonderful stuff! The traditions around gift-giving are just as interesting:
• Christmas Stockings are the use of space that Ikea dreams of - an old sock to store your presents – genius. Christmas stockings, of course, should be opened at the crack of dawn and torn into with all the restraint of a hungry Labrador; whereas
• Christmas Presents are usually chosen with care and thought, a gift to give someone you love, to give them pleasure and acknowledge your affection for them. Tatler did a wonderful piece on what to say when you don’t like your gift. Examples include “this is too generous - you must absolutely never get me a present again”, and “wait… are you psychic? this can go with the one I already have!”. If you do love the gift (a stunning piece of jewellery from Coleman Douglas Pearl’s) a genuine smile speaks volumes.
In some countries, like Hong Kong (a wonderful fusion of East meets West), the rule book extends to intricacies such as not being allowed to give shoes as a gift, forbidden because the word for shoe (hai) is almost identical to the Cantonese word for 'rough'/’poor’. The sound disqualifies shoes from being appropriate.
Our British tradition of giving gifts at Christmas originated in ancient Rome, when they honoured Saturn with a festival in December which comprised of a sacrifice and a public banquet followed by private gift-giving and continual partying. The presents exchanged were usually practical joke-type gifts or small figurines made of wax or pottery. As Christianity became increasingly widespread, the custom of gift-giving became tied to 25 December, the day of Jesus’s birth, and to the story of the three wise men bearing gifts. The tradition of gift-giving was further cemented through tales of Saint Nicholas, an early Christian bishop, whose legendary habit of secret gift-giving gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus.
Anyway, enough about the past, and on to the present! We hope you have a wonderful Christmas, wherever you are. If you need any help picking out a Christmas pearly gift for you or a loved one do not hesitate to ask. We are here, gift wrapping ready and mince pie in hand (a messy combination!). Call us on 0207 373 3369 or email us a cdp@pearls.co.uk
