What is the history of gift giving?

Gift giving has been a staple of human society for centuries. In ancient cultures, tribal leaders would give one another gifts in exchange for peace, protection, food or just simply to maintain the status quo. In the ancient Roman culture, people would exchange gifts during a celebration held during the Winter Solstice which occurred on the first day of January. The gifts were originally evergreen branches, and later developed into cakes, to symbolize prosperity and sweetness in the coming year. As the centuries have progressed, gift giving tends to be more closely associated with holidays or special occasions although it is still used much in the way the ancient tribal leaders used it: to maintain the status quo.