Holiday Gifts Guide

Gifts of Elegance
... Anniversary Gifts
... Birthday Gifts
... Business Gifts
... Holiday Gifts
......... Any Occasion Gifts
......... Valentine's Day Gifts
......... Mother's Day Gifts
......... Father's Day Gifts
......... Graduation Gifts
......... Chanukah Gifts
......... Christmas Gifts
.... Wedding Gifts

Holiday Gifts Guide:
Original, Elegant Gift Ideas for the Holidays!

So what do you get the person who has everything (including good taste...) for the holidays? Why not check these sophisticated gift ideas...

Original jewelry crafted in silver, gold, and platinum... Unusual vases crafted from cast iron, aluminum, and hand blown glass... Exotic Japanese robes in silk and cotton, ceramics, and lacquered jewelry boxes... Unique Desk accessories in marble and granite... These gifts and more, are available at ARCHITECTs Touch: Gifts of Elegance.

A Brief History of:
... Christmas in America
... Christmas Gift Giving

Christmas in America

• 1647 British Parliament abolished all religious festivals, including Christmas.

• Early Puritan emigrants also condemn Christmas celebrations as "wanton Bacchanalian feast."
  

• Massachusetts Bay Colony (1659) treated Christmas as any other working day. Officials would fine anyone found feasting, refusing to work, or celebrating.

• Eventually, liberal Protestants emigrate to America from Britain, Netherlands, and Germany. Brought Christmas Traditions over with them.

• 1836, the earliest of the American states and territories began to recognize Christmas as a legal holiday

• 1890, Christmas became a national holiday

Christmas Gift Giving

• Spending money on others during Christmas is not a new phenomenon.

• Until the 19th century, most expenditures on Christmas were for food and drink.

• A tradition of gift giving among friends already existed during the New Year's holiday.

• With the acceptance of the character Santa Claus, gift-giving gradually shifted from New Year's to Christmas.

• The American character, Santa Claus evolved from Saint Nicholas from the 4th Century in Asia Minor. Legend has it, he came from a rich family and gave all his money to the poor.

• Boosted by writings such as "A visit from St. Nicholas" (Twas the night before Christmas...) by Clement Moore (1823), the image of Santa Claus solidified in the American psyche.

• Gradually American industry put extra goods into the marketplace for this holiday.

• Up until the late 1800s, most gifts tended to be homemade.
  -Wrappping paper was introduced at this time, as commercially bought gifts were becoming popular. The wrapping paper (along with removing price tags) helped to offset the commercial stigma associated with store bought items.

*** Much of this information was derived from "Unwrapping Christmas" edited by Daniel Miller.

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