^{History of Christmas Gift Giving}

The custom of gift giving goes back to the Roman festival of the Kalends and took place on the first of January during the Winter Solstice. The Roman Emperor received gifts from his administration, as required.

In the states, gift giving began in the 1820's, though advertising for the concept began years earlier. By the 1840's, they became a mainstream in American society, and vaulted tremendously in the 1930's when Coca-Cola incorporated Santa Claus into its marketing campaign.