The art of giving gifts 2: traditions, colors and symbols

Giving generously

This is the time of giving, forgiving and showing our love and gratitude to people, who are in our lives, to people who we know and to everybody who we don’t even know, but believe they need some Christmas mood lift.

The Latvian proverb goes like this: Dear God! Help us be so well that we could give others generously and not beg them kindly. Giving generously involves giving gracefully, with pleasure and beautifully.

Have golden heart

The ancient Latvian proverbs, folk songs and fairy tales were given verbally from one generation to the next one for many thousands of years, and they carry the Latvian moral and ethical code. They always emphasize that it is not a big deal to have much of golden money because much bigger deal is to have a golden heart. Well, we know how it is in reality: we need both, and yet, we need the latter one way more.

Traditions

Many centuries have passed by and life is not the same, obviously. The Latvian Christmas was initially mixed with the celebration of winter solstice, and we have so many superstitions and traditions regarding this time of the year! Thousands! Did you know that it is not a coincidence the Christmas or Advent wreath is round? This shape symbolizes the year and the human lifetime: the end meets the beginning, so our children pick it up where we left things.

Advent and Christmas wreath

The circular shape of the wreath also represents God, with no beginning and no end. Circle means completeness and abundance; and it is also related to the eternity. The evergreens in a Christmas wreath are used to share the message of the eternal life. The tips of a spruce tree branch remind a shape of a cross, which means this wreath is going to protect us from everything evil.

The Western world got its first wreath around 16th century, in Germany. Latvians were using wreath and circle shaped ornaments and decorations ever since they existed. The solstice is the time to call the sun back, and it needs to know the place where to return. Latvian wreaths and ornaments initially symbolized the eternity, the divine and the Sun. Whatever its meaning and whatever it means to us, the Christmas wreath is a beautiful thing. So are all the decorated gifts. Adding greens from the backyard adds so much freshness. We love the green color because it symbolizes the life and everything what is alive.

Be generous

It is important to be generous, not only at Christmas time, but always. We think giving a gift is a small gesture of kindness, but in fact, it’s much more. It is how we interact with the rest of the world. The more we give, the more we receive back. Small or large gifts, they all have to be wrapped up nicely because that shows we care about the person who is receiving our gift.

How to wrap up your gift

I kept my gifts in the traditional colors: heart red, evergreen green and added a bit of gold, silver and green-blue.

Art of giving gifts

An idea wrapping up round objects: make it look like a vase with blooms of ornaments and pine cones.

Roll up a tube of a firm paper. It has to extend the length of the gift item. Tape one edge of paper to the back of the gift object. Wrap around the wrapping paper. Tape one edge on the back. Fold in the bottom nicely and secure with tape. Fold in the upper edges. If needed, secure with tape from the inside. Wrap ribbon or gift string around the object. Add a bow or leave loose ends. Fill the upper part with tissue paper or some other light paper in any suitable color. Add some branches, pine cones and some small ornaments at the top.

It looks like winter vase with Christmas flowers! This takes practically 5 minutes when we have some materials and greens.

How to wrap up flat or large gifts

Flat and square objects are easy to wrap.

Ideas for gift wrapping

Sets of gifts look nice and they also speak to recipient with enhanced beauty.

Art of giving gifts

Traditional and very attractive colors warm up our hearts.

We start with the base and place the gift facedown. Tape with transparent tape or tape in a matching color. Use some ribbon or colorful strings; once again we start with placing the face side of the gift downwards. Add some bow or roll up the ends with the blade of scissors. They become curly and look very artistic. I like splitting up large surfaces, just as with painting, so I’d use everything what’s around. Gifts are wrapped for a short time, so we don’t need to worry about the durability of our construction. Its main purpose is to say “Merry Christmas, I love you!”

Art of giving gifts

Santa was helping me, as well. I also listened to beautiful music, and gift wrapping is a huge pleasure for me, in fact, always has been!

23 Replies to “The art of giving gifts 2: traditions, colors and symbols”

  1. Have a lovely creative Christmas Inese! Our youngest son flew in last night to spend the week with us. Christmas is all about giving. God gave us the greatest gift of all. HIS Son.

  2. Beautiful photos Inese! The presents look too lovely to unwrap!
    Thanks for sharing your Latvian prayer, proverbs and traditions.

    Merry Christmas!!

    <3 carmen

  3. I’m chuckling bc your gift-wrapping blows mine out of the water. Omg, art. That’s what yours is. The pix are stunning, Inese. What interesting history on Cmas. I did not know the round of the wreath represented the unending and the abundant. Will be telling my boy.

    Wishing you a joyful Christmas. Thank you for the support this year.

    Fondly.
    Diana

    1. Thanks Diana!
      I appreciate your nice comment a lot! I think I’m simply a fairly good photographer and I also would always use what I have. It’s sometimes not much, so I really have to use my imagination.
      You definitely could tell your boy a story how all these colors have meaning, so does the wreath which we are considering something very usual, but we can definitely put some additional meaning along with the existing one into it!
      Very merry Christmas and happy holidays to you Diana!
      I always appreciate your visits to my site and I love yours! Let’s hope the 2015 is a good year!
      Happy New Year!

    2. I meant, for me, I do have this specific view on things, like I look out of the window and see painting, I look at a box and paper and I imagine how to wrap it up so that it looks great. It’s in blood, since very early childhood. I never liked to play, only loved making things for others. LOL This is something one practices until it works with all things you touch! Trust me! Good luck!

    1. Thanks Cynthia! I appreciate you stopped by, and I’m always advising to use whatever we have. Small pine cones are excellent for any decorative purposes. I sometimes collect them in November and even October, we have a park nearby. Any kind of glitter glue or simply glitters in many colors are also available at any craft store. I’m happy you got some inspiration for the next year!

  4. I hope you and your family enjoyed a beautiful Christmas Inese.. Who wouldn’t wish to receive such beautifully wrapped gifts.. I am sure those receiving them would have been delighted..

    Have a wonderful and Happy New Year..

    Blessings Sue

    1. Thanks Sue, we did. However, I have just my husband here, the rest of my family: daughter, grandchildren, my mom, sister and her family are all in Europe, Latvia. Anyway, we were happy with what we had, and it was peaceful and blessed time. Happy New Year!

  5. Really good idea about the gift of a tuition to a class, Inese. …and I like how you wrapped it up with some simple art supplies. Your ideas for wrapping are so good!

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