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How many times have you given a gift to some one without actually giving much thought to what gift giving is? Antonio Callari said, "The very idea of the soul of the gift has been lost, the gift has lost its character as a gift and become a product, a commodity." Gift giving is an art form and as such should be treated with the respect in which it and the receiver deserve.
In Japan gift giving is an important part of their culture all year round; gifts are an expression of a message from the heart and as such are chosen and presented with much care, consideration, and thoughtfulness. The wrap and trimmings are thought to be as important as the actual gift. What the gift-giver wants to convey to the receiver should be reflected not only in the gift but in the presentation itself. One form of gift wrapping in Japan is the use of 'Furoshiki' which is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth. This type of wrapping is thought to date back as far as the Nara period where the people used the cloth to carry their clothing to the public baths. It was also used to transport other goods and soon became a way of packaging gifts. Previously it was known as hiradzutsumi which means a flat folded bundle. For a time it lost its place as a form of gift wrapping as the plastic bag began to take over but it is now becoming a more common way of packaging again due to the concerns for the environment. Bojagi is another type of traditional cloth wrap used in Korea and is commonly used to package wedding gifts. Whilst touching on the subject of the environment, keep in mind that there are now many environmentally-friendly packaging products available and the more we all begin to use these the better off our precious planet will be for it. This is certainly something I will be taking into consideration the next time I go to buy a roll of paper or a card! Another form of gift wrapping in Japan is 'Chato' which involves the folding of pleats into the paper wrap. There is an old Japanese saying, 'Paper is the mirror of the soul.' During my research about the art of gift giving I read an article by 'Akiko Keene' who is a 'Japanese Wrap Artist'; she explained how the number of pleats you make show the significance of the occasion. An odd number (always facing left) is used for happy occasions and an even number of pleats is used for sad occasions. She went onto to say that the opening of the package is honored as a ritual act with many packages enjoying the interplay of what is revealed and what is concealed, with hinges, flaps or cuts hinting at contents without disclosing them. Another thing taken into consideration is the colour of the wrap. Different colours have assorted meanings so are used to communicate a message to the receiver as mentioned above; for instance red symbolises strength and good fortune. There is also a wide range of knots used for different occasions. The trimmings are also important; for instance bamboo is a symbol of life. In other words there are just endless possibilities when it comes to the gesture of gifting some one and for me it has really reiterated the importance and significance of taking the time to treat that gift like a work of art by putting your heart and soul into it and taking into account the heart and soul of the person to whom you are giving it to. Try coming up with something completely unique next time you give a gift; you aren't required to follow the traditions of others, begin your own. Also while I was doing research for this article, I came across a webpage listing the meanings of each kind of flower/plant. For example: Violets are a symbol of faithfulness or of a love reciprocated so why not tie a violet into your trim when giving your partner an anniversary or valentines gift? That's just one idea but I'm sure you can think of many ways in which to take your next gift and make it a truly touching, personal and unique work of art. |
