Editing Gift (section)

=== Modern ===
Gift-giving during [[Christmas celebrations]] in the U.S. began in the early 19th century, initially in the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]] region.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Waits |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xn0VCgAAQBAJ&pg=PR16 |title=The Modern Christmas in America: A Cultural History of Gift Giving |date=1994 |publisher=NYU Press |isbn=978-0-8147-9284-1 |language=en}}</ref>{{Rp|page=xvi}} This kind of celebration was [[Northern European]] and had its roots in [[Lutheran theology]].<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=xvi}} During this era, gifts were usually small and handmade.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=xvi}}

In the late 19th century, U.S. Christmas celebrations began to grow in scale, with more manufacturing of goods.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=xvii}} As early as 1880, the country's businesspeople had begun taking advantage of the holiday to sell more.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=xix}}

In Japan, [[Valentine's Day]] gift giving was introduced by [[Morozoff Ltd.]] in 1936,<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=Minowa |first1=Yuko |last2=Khomenko |first2=Olga |last3=Belk |first3=Russell W. |date=March 2011 |title=Social Change and Gendered Gift-Giving Rituals: A Historical Analysis of Valentine's Day in Japan |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0276146710375831 |journal=Journal of Macromarketing |language=en |volume=31 |issue=1 |pages=44–56 |doi=10.1177/0276146710375831 |issn=0276-1467|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and initially targeted foreigners living near [[Kobe]].<ref name=":2" /> The holiday was then reintroduced in the 1950s, but was not popular.<ref name=":2" /> It only became popular in the 1970s, when it was framed as a time for women to give gifts to men.<ref name=":2" /> To fix the gender imbalance, [[White Day]] was introduced for the men to give back to women.<ref name=":2" /> The typical gift on Valentine's Day in Japan is ''[[giri choko]]'' ("obligation chocolate").<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Gordenker |first=Alice |date=2006-03-21 |title=White Day |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2006/03/21/reference/white-day/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=The Japan Times |language=en}}</ref> Typical gifts on White Day include chocolate, jewelry, and clothes.<ref name=":3" /> 

Recent changes in gift-giving have been influenced by technology, consumer preferences, and cultural shifts. There is a growing preference for personalized, handmade, or digitally delivered gifts over traditional store-bought items. Customized gifts like hand-drawn [[Portrait|portraits]] and [[Personalized book|personalized books]] are increasingly popular, offering more emotional and cultural significance. E-commerce has played a key role in this transformation, with online platforms providing a convenient way to order personalized and virtual gifts. The article from [[ScienceDaily]] discusses research by the [[University of Bath]] showing that personalized gifts create lasting emotional connections and boost self-esteem. The study found that recipients of personalized gifts, such as custom portraits, mugs or clothing, feel more cherished and are more likely to value and care for these items.<ref>[https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218132144.htm ScienceDaily, "Personalized Gifts Foster Emotional Connections," December 2024]</ref> The emotional impact is enhanced when the thought and effort behind the personalization are communicated. Personalized gifts foster deeper relationships and contribute to sustainability.  Various online platforms have contributed to this trend by offering personalized gifts like hand-drawn portraits and customized books<ref>{{Cite web |title=Custom Portraits and Personalized Books |url=https://blueberryillustrations.com/gifts}}</ref>. University gift shops, such as [[The Duck Store]] and [[The Harvard Shop]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Harvard Shop |url=https://shop.harvard.edu}}</ref>, have also embraced this trend, offering customized items that reflect their institutions' traditions. Additional gift types that reflect modern personalization trends include custom jewelry or accessories featuring engraved names, initials, or birthstones; personalized greeting cards or art prints; digital gifts such as NFTs or tailored online experiences like personalized video messages; handcrafted wellness products including soaps or candles with custom labels; and themed experience kits, for example, cooking kits with personalized recipes.