Why do people give gifts on New Year?

We all like to get gifts on New Year. One can't simply think of a New Year without gifts. The association between the first day of the year and gift-giving is a long one.

The New Year gift-giving tradition has a pre-historic root. Despite the 'Christmas presents' culture, 'gift giving' at New Year is still practiced in many parts of Europe, including France, Switzerland, Russia, and Greece. In Europe, it was prevalent even before Christ was born.

Today here in the USA we are more used to gift-giving at Christmas, rather than the New Year's Day. Historically this owes its origin to the old customs of the German and Dutch settlers. The English and French-dominated state through continued with the tradition of gift-giving on the New Year's Day for a long while. However, the combined German and Dutch influences, in time, caused this old tradition to be wiped out giving way to the present custom across America.

Long before the world came to accept January 1 as the secular New Year different people from different parts of the world would have different New Year timings. Yet there were some broad areas of convergence in their diverging customs. And gifts on this occasion is among them as are the feast, and community revelry. The idea behind all this was, probably, to greet each other with something auspicious on the wake of the new year.

From the Celts to the Romans:

The Celtic-Teutonic Druids used to make a gift of their holy plant mistletoe at the beginning of the Year. Among the Romans such gifts were called 'strenae', a word said to be derived from the goddess of luck, Strenia. At first, the gifts were branches from sacred trees meant for wishing recipients an auspicious New Year. Later objects like gilded nuts and coins bearing the imprint of Janus, the god with two faces to whom January was sacred.

Rome had also developed a custom of presenting gifts to the emperor. But later the spirit ceased to exist and a 'forced payment' replaced the 'gifts'. Courtesy, the power-wielding Roman despots. It went on for some couple of centuries until the practice was forbidden by Pope Leo I the Great in 458.

The English and the Scots:

English royalty, also began to force their subjects in the matter of New Year gifts as early as the time of Henry III (1216-72). Queen Elizabeth was very watchful of the "who's and what's" of the giving and received great amounts in jewels and gold on New Year's Day. She systematized the practice to the extent of keeping descriptive lists of the gifts presented to her from all walks of life. However, following the splendor of Queen Elizabeth's reign, the practice declined. Finally, when Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans came into power, the custom stopped.

The New Year gift exchange was also a common practice among the ordinary English people until the Victorian regime. Gloves were a usual gift. Also popular were oranges stuck with the clove, used to preserve and flavor wine. When the English had settled in America they brought in the tradition and continued to exchange gifts and presents at the New Years. So did the French. Thus we find, the predominantly French, New Orleans continued with the New Year's practice for a long time. And in France even today gifts and greeting cards are presented on New Year's Day.

In Scotland, where New Year's is the biggest feast of the year, gifts were solicited by bands of boys who went from door to door begging for money and food and singing the ditty:

" I wish you a Merry Christmas

And a Happy New Year,

A pocketful of money

And a cellar full of beer,

And a good fat pig

To serve you all the year."

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What is World Teachers’ Day?

World Teachers’ Day was inaugurated on 5 October 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to commemorate the 1966 joint signing of the UNESCO/ILO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. In adopting this recommendation, governments unanimously recognized the importance of competent, qualified and motivated teachers in society.

Teachers are the heart of public education. Opening doors to a world of knowledge is the challenge that teachers in Alberta and worldwide undertake and fulfill every day in their schools, their communities, and their homes. Through their efforts and imagination, teachers inspire students to reach out and move beyond their horizons. Good teaching results in ensuring that we, as a society, have knowledgeable and forward-looking citizens who can assume the mantle of leadership in the future.

On October 5, teachers in 92 countries around the world will celebrate World Teachers' Day. Together we are strong, and together we are opening doors for our students to the future. That's something to celebrate

According to Education International External link, this year’s slogan for World Teachers Day is “Take a stand for teachers!” Since 1994, UNESCO has made it a special mission to try to elevate the status of teachers worldwide to make sure that their needs are met and to ensure that top graduates are recruited into to the teaching profession. UNESCO works to ensure that teachers are given their due rights and training so that they can continue to inspire underprivileged students everywhere to succeed.

Teachers are badly needed across the globe. UNESCO’s aim in celebrating World Teachers’ Day is to help communities realize the importance of good teachers and to mobilize support and recruits.

How You Can Celebrate

Whether you are a teacher, an aspiring educator or just someone who wants to support teachers, there are a number of ways that you can recognize World Teachers’ Day. The National Education Association External link offers the following suggestions:

1. There’s no better day than World Teacher’s Day {today} to get into the classroom and volunteer your time if you don’t already! There are tons of ways you can help our your child’s teacher, you just need to ask. If you don’t have a child in school, check with the local schools in your area. There are usually plenty of volunteer opportunities for all sorts of jobs.

2. A gift for World’s Teacher Day! We love, love, love DIY gifts! Find out what your teacher likes and make something that they’d enjoy based on what you know. This year we are crushing on World’s Teacher Day T shirt that makes teacher happy and proud of himself/ hiseland We’ve got tons of t shirt design gift for teachers on the site!

3. Bake the teachers you know cookies or another delicious dessert. Baked goods are ALWAYS a good idea! If for some reason the recipient is not eating sweets today, they can freeze them or share them with their friends! 

4. Get CRAFTY! Start thinking ahead to the holidays and what you could give an important teacher! This DIY vinyl chalkboard framed sign for teacher is a great gift idea that you can make and get your craft on at the same time.

5. Show the world (or just your online friends) that you value teachers and that you are celebrating World Teachers’ Day by sharing a teacher quote like this one! There are tons you can find online though, so look around if this isn’t your favorite!

Thank You 

If you are a teacher or plan on becoming a teacher, thank you for committing yourself to better opportunities for our youth. It is a difficult and unfortunately sometimes under-appreciated profession full of challenges. It is not a job that one takes for the salary or vacation perks, and we all know that teachers spend countless hours outside of instruction developing and refining their instruction and materials.

Today, it is more important than ever to celebrate World Teachers’ Day so educators everywhere can be held in high esteem. Every future begins with a great teacher, and Teach.com wants to thank you for contributing to a brighter future!