The Ultimate Guide to Global Christmas Gift-Giving, Traditions and Symbolism

Where it all Began: The history of Christmas gift giving

If you want to understand modern Christmas, you need to start long before Santa, shopping and wrapping paper.
Our guide The History of Christmas Gift Giving traces how ancient winter festivals gradually evolved into the gift-giving season we know today. You’ll discover

• How Roman Saturnalia, Norse Yule and Celtic midwinter rites shaped early winter celebrations
• The role of the Magi bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh
• Why St Nicholas became the patron saint of generosity and children
• How medieval and Victorian traditions transformed Christmas into a family-focused celebration
• The rise of modern commercial Christmas and the culture of wrapped presents under the tree

Read the full story in The History of Christmas Gift Giving

Meet the world’s gift-bringers: Global Santas & giving traditions

Not every country has Santa Claus; some have an angelic Christkind, a kind witch, a band of mischievous trolls, or the regal Three Kings.

In "Meet the World’s Gift-Bringers: Global Santas & Giving Traditions", we explore how different cultures imagine the figure who brings gifts:

• Father Christmas, Santa Claus and Sinterklaas across Europe and North America
• Christkind in German-speaking countries
• Los Reyes Magos (The Three Kings) in Spain and Latin America
• La Befana, Italy’s beloved Epiphany witch
• Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads and the fearsome Yule Cat
• Joulupukki in Finland and Nisse/Tomte in Scandinavia
• Modern interpretations in Brazil, Japan, India and beyond

It’s a fascinating look at how generosity, morality and magic are personified around the world.

Meet them all in our 2nd guide. 

How to get it right: Global gift-giving etiquette

What’s a thoughtful festive gift in one culture can be awkward, or even offensive, in another. That’s where our 3rd guide comes in.

This guide is your practical handbook for gifting respectfully across borders, covering:

• Red is seen as lucky in China, while white and black can be associated with mourning
• In Brazil, purple and black are avoided in festive gifting because they symbolise loss
• Sets of four are considered unlucky in many East Asian cultures due to their link with the word for “death."
• The number eight is viewed as very lucky in Chinese culture
• Certain gifts can be taboo in some countries, including clocks, sharp objects and specific flowers
• Leather goods and alcohol may also carry unintended cultural meanings and are sometimes best avoided
• Christmas gifting etiquette varies, including when presents should be opened
• Presentation and formality differ across countries, making cultural awareness essential for international teams and clients

Read our 3rd guide, Gift-Giving Etiquette Across the World.

The hidden messages in gifts: Symbolism and meaning

Beyond etiquette, there’s the deeper question: what does a gift say without words?

In our 4th guide, we explore:

• Why some gifts are seen as blessings, protection or romantic intent
• How certain numbers, pairings and formats carry symbolic weight
• Why presentation, wrapping and intention are as meaningful as the item itself
• Emotional and cultural meanings behind symbolism

This is the page to visit if you’re planning thoughtful, story-rich gifting campaigns or want to craft gifts that resonate on a cultural level.

Explore the messaging behind festive meanings in Global Gift-Giving Symbolism and Meanings.

Christmas traditions around the world

From snowy markets and candlelit services to beach barbecues and lantern festivals, Christmas looks very different depending on where you are.

Our 5th guide takes you on a tour of global festive customs, including:

• Classic European scenes: Christmas markets, Advent wreaths, carols and midnight masses
• Wigilia in Poland, Simbang Gabi in the Philippines, Las Posadas in Mexico and First Footing in Scotland
• Orthodox Christmas and January celebrations in Eastern Europe
• Summer Christmas traditions in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
• The world’s longest Christmas season in the Philippines
• Modern reinterpretations in urban Asia, North America and beyond

It’s ideal if you’re looking for inspiration, education, or just a sense of how others celebrate. Read Global Christmas Traditions Around the World here.

Festive foods as symbolic gifts

Food is one of the most heartfelt ways we show care, and at Christmas it becomes especially symbolic.

Our 6th guide takes a look into:

• Panettone, torrone and Italian festive sweets as symbols of abundance, loyalty and rising fortune
• German stollen as “bread of light” and protection
• French bûche de Noël and its origins in the Yule log
• British Christmas pudding, wishes and hidden charms
• Spanish Roscón de Reyes, Greek Vasilopita and the figurines and coins baked inside
• Mexican tamales and buñuelos as gifts of heritage and fresh beginnings
• Japanese strawberry Christmas cake, peace apples in China, rice porridge for the Nisse in Scandinavia
• Festive feasting traditions in the Philippines, Africa and the Pacific Islands

It’s rich with meaning for food brands, hamper creators and anyone who loves the idea of edible symbolism.

Discover more in Festive Foods as Symbolic Gifts.

Christmas superstitions and New Year gift traditions

Why do some people smash pomegranates on their doorstep? Or eat twelve grapes at midnight? Or insist on new clothes for Christmas?

Our 7th guide looks at the beliefs, rituals and little “good luck” habits that surround the festive season:

• Christmas Eve and Christmas Day superstitions across Europe
• The Yule Cat in Iceland and the importance of new clothes
• Irish candles, German ornaments and Scandinavian witch-related customs
• New Year traditions
• Lucky and unlucky festive foods and symbolic New Year gifts

This guide is perfect for storytelling, campaigns and fun cultural content.

Gifting myths, legends and the evolution of gift wrapping

In our final guide, we tie together two of the most magical elements of Christmas: the stories we tell and the way we wrap our gifts. Inside you’ll find:

• Krampus as the dark counterpart to St Nicholas in Alpine folklore
• Iceland’s Yule Cat and the tradition of gifting warm clothing
• La Befana, the kind Italian witch who brings Epiphany gifts
• Nisse and Tomte as protective Scandinavian house spirits
• Slavic winter spirits and Celtic seasonal myths that shape winter traditions
• Early cloth-wrapping customs used across ancient cultures
• Japanese furoshiki and Korean bojagi as meaningful reusable wrapping traditions
• Victorian patterned paper, commercial wrapping trends and today’s shift toward eco-friendly, minimalist styles

Ideal for brands that want to lean into storytelling, sustainability and the emotional side of giving.

Unwrap it all in Gifting Myths, Legends & The Evolution of Gift Wrapping.