-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
gift.html
56 lines (54 loc) · 13.6 KB
/
gift.html
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
<p>A <strong>gift</strong> or a <strong>present</strong> is an item given to someone without the expectation of payment. An item is not a gift, if that item, itself, is already owned by the one to whom it is given. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many countries, the act of mutually exchanging <a title="Money" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money">money</a>, <a title="Property" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Property">goods</a>, etc. may sustain social relations and contribute to social cohesion. Economists have elaborated the <a title="Economics" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economics">economics</a> of gift-giving into the notion of a <a title="Gift economy" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_economy">gift economy</a>. By extension the term <em>gift</em> can refer to anything that makes the other <a title="Happiness" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness">happier</a> or less sad, especially as a favor, including <a title="Forgiveness" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgiveness">forgiveness</a> and <a title="Kindness" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kindness">kindness</a>. Gifts are also first and foremost presented on occasions - birthdays and, in Western cultures, <a title="Christmas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas">Christmas</a> being the main examples.</p>
<p><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/62/Gifts_xmas.jpg" alt="gift" style="position:absolute; right:100px; bottom:140px; width:400px; height:300px; border:none;"/></p>
<h2><span id="Presentation" class="mw-headline">Presentation</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a title="Edit section: Presentation" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gift&action=edit&section=1">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
<p>In many cultures gifts are traditionally packaged in some way. For example, in Western cultures, gifts are often wrapped in <a class="mw-redirect" title="Wrapping paper" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrapping_paper">wrapping paper</a> and accompanied by a <a class="mw-redirect" title="Gift note" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_note">gift note</a> which may note the occasion, the recipient's name, and the giver's name. In Chinese culture, red wrapping connotes luck. Although inexpensive gifts are common among colleagues, associates and acquaintances, expensive or amorous gifts are considered more appropriate among close friends, romantic interests or relatives.</p>
<h2><span id="Gift_giving_occasions" class="mw-headline">Gift giving occasions</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a title="Edit section: Gift giving occasions" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gift&action=edit&section=2">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
<p>Gift giving occasions may be:</p>
<ul>
<li>An expression of <a title="Love" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love">love</a> or <a title="Friendship" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship">friendship</a></li>
<li>An expression of <a title="Gratitude" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gratitude">gratitude</a> for a gift received.</li>
<li>An expression of <a title="Piety" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piety">piety</a>, in the form of <a title="Alms" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alms">charity</a>.</li>
<li>An expression of <a class="mw-redirect" title="Solidarity (sociology)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solidarity_(sociology)">solidarity</a>, in the form of <a class="mw-redirect" title="Mutual aid (organization)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_aid_(organization)">mutual aid</a>.</li>
<li>To share wealth.</li>
<li>To offset misfortune.</li>
<li>Offering travel <a title="Souvenir" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvenir">souvenirs</a>.</li>
<li>Custom, on occasions (often <a class="mw-redirect" title="Celebration (party)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration_(party)">celebrations</a>) such as
<ul>
<li>A <a title="Birthday" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday">birthday</a> (the person who has his or her birthday gives <a title="Cake" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cake">cake</a>, etc. and/or receives gifts).</li>
<li>A <a title="Potlatch" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potlatch">potlatch</a>, in societies where status is associated with gift-giving rather than acquisition.</li>
<li><a title="Christmas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas">Christmas</a> (throughout the history of Christmas gift giving, people have given one another gifts, often pretending they are left by <a title="Santa Claus" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus">Santa Claus</a>, the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Christ child" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_child">Christ child</a> or <a title="Saint Nicholas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas">Saint Nicholas</a>).</li>
<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Feast of Saint Nicholas" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_Saint_Nicholas">Feast of Saint Nicholas</a> (people give each other gifts, often supposedly receiving them from Saint Nicholas).</li>
<li>Easter baskets with chocolate eggs, jelly beans, and chocolate rabbits are gifts given on <a title="Easter" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter">Easter</a>.</li>
<li><a title="Greek Orthodox Church" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_Orthodox_Church">Greek Orthodox Christians</a> in Greece, will give gifts to family and friends on the Feast of <a class="mw-redirect" title="Saint Basil" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Basil">Saint Basil</a>.</li>
<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Muslims" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslims">Muslims</a> give gifts to family and friends, known as <a title="Eidi (gift)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eidi_(gift)">Eidi</a>, on <a title="Eid al-Fitr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Fitr">Eid al-Fitr</a> (the end of <a title="Ramadan" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan">Ramadan</a>) and on <a title="Eid al-Adha" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha">Eid al-Adha</a>.</li>
<li><a title="Jews" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jews">Jews</a> give <a title="Hanukkah" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah">Hanukkah</a> gifts to family and friends.</li>
<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Hindus" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindus">Hindus</a> give <a title="Diwali" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali">Diwali</a> and <a class="mw-redirect" title="Pongal" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pongal">Pongal</a> gifts to family and friends.</li>
<li><a class="mw-redirect" title="Buddhists" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhists">Buddhists</a> give <a title="Vesak" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesak">Vesak</a> gifts to family and friends.</li>
<li>Gifts are given to among <a class="mw-redirect" title="African American" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_American">African American</a> families and friends on <a title="Kwanzaa" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa">Kwanzaa</a>.</li>
<li>A <a title="Wedding" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding">wedding</a> (the couple receives gifts and gives <a title="Food" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food">food</a> and/or <a title="Drink" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drink">drinks</a> at the <a title="Wedding reception" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_reception">wedding reception</a>).</li>
<li>A <a title="Wedding anniversary" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_anniversary">wedding anniversary</a> (each spouse receives gifts).</li>
<li>A <a title="Funeral" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral">funeral</a> (visitors bring flowers, the relatives of the deceased give food and/or drinks after the ceremonial part).</li>
<li>A <a title="Childbirth" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childbirth">birth</a> (the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Baby" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby">baby</a> receives gifts, or the mother receives a gift from the father known as a <a title="Push present" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Push_present">push present</a>).</li>
<li>Passing an <a title="Test (assessment)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_(assessment)">examination</a> (the <a title="Student" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student">student</a> receives gifts).</li>
<li><a title="Father's Day" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father%27s_Day">Father's Day</a> (the <a title="Father" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father">father</a> receives gifts).</li>
<li><a title="Mother's Day" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day">Mother's Day</a> (the <a title="Mother" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother">mother</a> receives gifts).</li>
<li><a title="Siblings Day" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siblings_Day">Siblings Day</a> (the <a title="Sibling" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibling">sibling</a> receives gifts)</li>
<li>Exchange of gifts between a guest and a host, often a traditional practice.</li>
<li><a title="Lagniappe" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagniappe">Lagniappe</a></li>
<li><a title="Retirement" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retirement">Retirement</a> Gifts</li>
<li><a class="extiw" title="wikt:congratulations" href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/congratulations">Congratulations</a> Gifts</li>
<li><a title="Engagement" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engagement">Engagement</a> Gifts</li>
<li><a title="Housewarming party" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Housewarming_party">Housewarming party</a> Gifts</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2><span id="Legal_aspects_of_gifts" class="mw-headline">Legal aspects of gifts</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a title="Edit section: Legal aspects of gifts" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gift&action=edit&section=3">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
<div class="hatnote">Main articles: <a title="Gift (law)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_(law)">Gift (law)</a> and <a title="Gift tax" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_tax">Gift tax</a></div>
<p>At <a title="Common law" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_law">common law</a>, for a gift to have legal effect, it was required that there be (1) intent by the donor to give a gift, and (2) delivery to the recipient of the item to be given as a gift.</p>
<p>In some countries, certain types of gifts above a certain monetary amount are subject to taxation. For the United States, see <a title="Gift tax in the United States" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift_tax_in_the_United_States">Gift tax in the United States</a>.</p>
<p>In some contexts gift giving can be construed as <a title="Bribery" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bribery">bribery</a>. This tends to occur in situations where the gift is given with an implicit or explicit agreement between the giver of the gift and its receiver that some type of service will be rendered (often outside of normal legitimate methods) because of the gift. Some groups, such as government workers, may have strict rules concerning gift giving and receiving so as to avoid the appearance of impropriety.</p>
<p> </p>
<h2><span id="Religious_views" class="mw-headline">Religious views</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a title="Edit section: Religious views" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gift&action=edit&section=4">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2>
<p><a title="Lewis Hyde" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_Hyde">Lewis Hyde</a> remarks in <em>The Gift</em> that <a title="Christianity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity">Christianity</a> considers the <a title="Incarnation" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarnation">Incarnation</a> and subsequent death of <a title="Jesus" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus">Jesus</a> to be the greatest gift to humankind, and that the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Jataka" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jataka">Jataka</a>contains a tale of the <a title="Gautama Buddha" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama_Buddha">Buddha</a> in his incarnation as the Wise Hare giving the ultimate <a title="Alms" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alms">alms</a> by offering himself up as a meal for <a title="Śakra (Buddhism)" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aakra_(Buddhism)">Sakka</a>. (Hyde, 1983, 58-60)</p>
<p>In the <a title="Eastern Orthodox Church" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church">Eastern Orthodox Church</a> the bread and wine that are <a class="mw-redirect" title="Consecrated" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consecrated">consecrated</a> during the <a title="Divine Liturgy" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Liturgy">Divine Liturgy</a> are referred to as "the Gifts." They are first of all the gifts of the community (both individually and corporately) to God, and then, after the <a class="mw-redirect" title="Epiklesis" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiklesis">epiklesis</a>, the Gifts of the <a title="Body of Christ" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_of_Christ">Body</a> and <a title="Blood of Christ" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_of_Christ">Blood</a> of <a class="mw-redirect" title="Christ" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ">Christ</a> to the Church.</p>
<p>Ritual <a title="Sacrifice" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice">sacrifices</a> can be seen as return gifts to a <a title="Deity" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deity">deity</a>.</p>