THE ORIGIN OF THE
CHRISTMAS GIFT
by Brenda Zou
On Christmas morning, you wake up and dash towards the Christmas tree in the living room. A large pile of wrapped gifts has mysteriously appeared underneath the tree; only an empty glass and a plate of crumbs remain from the cookies and milk you prepared last night. Santa—your parents, friends, or relatives—has brought you presents! But have you ever wondered why gift-giving is even a part of the Christmas tradition?
One of the most well-known reasons originates from the biblical story of the three wise magi. In this story, King Herod hears about the birth of a new king. That king is Jesus, whose birthplace in Bethlehem was marked with a new star. King Herod orders three magi, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, to search for the new king so that he can kill him, as he would definitely threaten King Herod’s power. The three magi follow the star until they arrive at Jesus’ house.
Upon arrival, the three magi end up worshipping the new king and giving him three presents. The first gift is Gold, which is commonly related to kings in Jewish culture. The second gift is a Frankincense, which is used in churches to worship religious figures. The third gift is a Myrrh, a perfume used on corpses. Altogether, the three gifts show how Jesus would be worshipped as one of the highest kings but would also suffer a terrible death.
As the three men returned to tell the king about Jesus’ location, they had a dream warning them not to return to King Herod. Because of this, they returned to their own country and never met King Herod again.
So, the next time you open your Christmas presents, remember to not only thank Santa Claus, but also the three brave magi who created the tradition of giving presents on Christmas Eve!