Green Maids Canada has a Christmas gift card for you
By Green Maids | December 9, 2021 | Blog | comments 0
Gift-giving at Christmas is a Christian tradition that is widely practiced around the world. However, the practice is not exclusive to Christianity, as several other religions mark the end of the year with a similar custom, such as the Jewish festival of lights Hanukkah or the Hindu celebration of Pancha Ganapati in honour of Lord Ganesha.
To Christians, the gift-given at Christmas is symbolic of the tributes made to the baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men after his birth during the story of the Nativity. The Bible’s New Testament describes the Three Magi — Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar — journeying to the location of Jesus’s birth by following a star, and upon their arrival, presenting him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
However, the tradition of gift-giving extended long before the founding of Christianity, with roots in the festivals of the ancient Romans — in particular the festival of Saturnalia, where thanks were given to the bounty provided by the agricultural god Saturn. The festivities took place from the 17th to the 23rd of December, and were celebrated with a sacrifice and a public banquet, followed by private gift-giving, continued partying, and a wild atmosphere where social standings were done away with. During this feast, slaves would be considered the equal of their masters and free speech was embraced.
Depiction of Romans celebrating Saturnalia from a wall painting found at Pompeii.
The day that gifts were exchanged was known as Sigillaria and took place on the 19th of December. As gifts of value were in contradiction to the spirit of the season, the Romans exchanged more modest items, such as candles, seasonal figurines, and ‘gag gifts’, which were designed to amuse or terrify the other guests. Etiquette dictated that the lowlier the gift, the stronger the bond of friendship it was said to represent. Some bosses often gave a gratuity known as a ‘sigillarcium’ to their clients or employees to help them purchase their gifts.
Unlike many of the more cultish festivals held in the Roman Empire, Saturnalia was widely celebrated throughout all of the territories of Rome at the end of the calendar year. As it was a much-loved festival thanks to its carefree atmosphere, generous gift-giving, and lavish entertainments, people were less inclined to give up its popular traditions. This made it a lot harder to deal with when the religious status quo changed in the Empire.
Green Maids Canada offers Christmas gift certificates for $90 dollars.
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Contact us and get this wonderful gift so this Christmas will be just for you to enjoy.
