The Art of Gifting

The art of gifting has been quite old in human history. One of the earliest gifts exchanged between humans might be a rock, or as some would say, an apple. From then till now, we have covered a great length in the art of gifting. At present, we exchange gifts with more number of people than ever and at a more frequent rate. However, only some of them hold same emotional value as they used to hold.

The above statement can’t be said about other species, though. Even today, a male penguin only gives pebbles to a limited number of members in his community and many a time, only one. The crows, on the other hand, prefer their gifts a bit extravagant. It has been discovered by bird observers that they steal shiny items to present them as gift to the people they adore. However, not all species are this materialistic. A type of songbird performs a dance when they want to woo a female they like. And with its friends as side performers, they put quite a show. The means might be different, but motives, more or less remain the same: to mate with the female. One species of a bird directly makes this point, by offering twigs to the female. As if saying in their language, “I am a responsible father, let’s build a nest together”.

Gifting has evolved a lot, though, all this time it has not lost its omnipresent nature. Like a river, it has been the same and all different, at the same time. In an earlier time, businessman used to send presents to kings so the state can help their business, today we call it lobbying. Just like our distant family, human males have been quite habitual of gifting something to their wives at nuptial night. This also has changed forms, though with the same motto. Another example is of proprietors gifting sweets on occasions and so does our corporates.

In the world of so many choices, it has become a complex decision to choose the right gift for someone. Our ancestors would have called it heaven but for us, it is paradox of choices. Should you take flowers on a date? Lilies or roses? What colour? How many? Does she even like flowers or bonsai-type plant? Are these flowers coming from the right place? Is she allergic to any smell? Too many questions, too few of answers.

This is where the art of gifting comes into the picture. A critical decision to evaluate what gift would be suitable for a person on a certain occasion. Not everyone is great at it, but those who are, carry a talent that help them leaps and bounds. According to a famous author, how this art changed the fate of so many Sikhs during mid 90s.

During British rule in India, some Sikhs came to Delhi in search of work. They knew their destination and the path. They started making contacts in “Sahib’s offices”. To get the meeting arranged, they gave bribes to the assistants/ guards at the gate and anyone or everyone who could help them in meeting Sahibs. Once that was done, they knew what to do next. As told my a father to son, officers from Britain did not like gold jewellery or other expensive ornaments. For them, fresh fruits would do the magic and so it did. Soon, the construction contracts were right in the hands of Sikh father and son. It was the start of a story itself. The father-son duo brought their friends and relatives from Punjab to help in their business, then their families, and then settled in Delhi in all their glory.

There are similar stories of gifting in our recorded history. Some were good and some were not so. How a nation gifted one of its kind monument, the Statue of Liberty to its dear friend. Now, it stands tall in New York enlightening hundreds of thousands of people.

Here is another example of gifting. During colonization in India, the colonizers took the Kohinoor from India to present it as a gift to their queen in England. Like the statue, the Kohinoor too lies in Britain till date. But it neither enlightens, not entertain. What it does is make some people agitate on both sides of the border.

There are stories of gifts in our mythology too. One of the famous ones is of the ring gifted by the prince Bharath to Shakuntala that made their love story complete. Then, there is the present given by Lord Krishna to his friend Sudama. And many more. Somehow, each story can be found similar to the gifting habits pursued by the animals.

Nevertheless, gifting remains an art needed by all. In a way, this art combines your skill for observing, organizing and presenting things.

A great gift can do wonders and a bad one can bring disasters. History is full of examples for both. Our gifting habits tell a lot about our habits and at times, follow the same patterns as of other species. However, for us, the good part is, we can always improve and use the great range of choices in our benefit.

Happy gifting!