Christmas morning gift-giving is so familiar to us today that it’s hard to imagine a time when the tradition didn’t exist. Yet the practice of exchanging presents on Christmas morning has a long, winding history — from medieval charms to Georgian trinkets and the sentimental Victorian jewels that shaped modern festive gifting. This is the story of how Christmas morning became the magical moment we know today.
Medieval Christmas: Modest Tokens and Symbolic Offerings
During the medieval period, Christmas lasted twelve days and was celebrated with feasts, games and religious observance. Gift-giving was modest and symbolic, often occurring on New Year’s Day rather than Christmas morning.
Common gifts included:
- Fruit and nuts — symbols of prosperity for the coming year
- Ribbons and cloth strips — simple tokens exchanged between family members
- Spices — treasured luxuries signifying good fortune
- Coins or charms — small blessings given by lords to their households
No lavish gifts were expected; a present was a gesture of goodwill rather than a moment of surprise and spectacle. Yet the foundations of Christmas gifting — symbolism, sentiment, and shared generosity — were set during this era.
The Tudor and Stuart Periods: Courtly Gifts and Royal Rituals
By the 16th and 17th centuries, gift-giving had developed into a ritual among the wealthy. At Henry VIII’s court, gifts were exchanged on New Year’s Day, with jewelled rings, brooches and ornate boxes given to impress the monarch.
This period also saw the rise of:
- Posy rings with inscriptions of love or loyalty
- Miniature portraits exchanged between lovers
- Scent bottles and tiny keepsakes
These intimate tokens would later influence Georgian and Victorian sentimental jewellery — the foundation of many antique and vintage rings cherished today.
Georgian Christmas: Trinkets, Tokens and Sentimental Keepsakes
The Georgian era (1714–1830) marked a turning point in the evolution of Christmas gifts. Christmas remained relatively subdued compared to later Victorian celebrations, but the exchange of keepsakes became fashionable among the upper and middle classes.
Popular gifts included:
- Georgian mourning rings — honouring loved ones and carried close to the heart
- Hairwork jewellery — sentimental tokens made from locks of hair
- Foiled-back gemstone rings that glowed in candlelight
- Miniature ivory portrait rings and brooches
These personal, symbolic gifts paved the way for the Victorian love of emotional jewellery. Christmas morning still wasn’t the dominant moment for gifting — that shift was yet to come — but the idea of exchanging meaningful objects was spreading rapidly.
The Victorian Transformation: Christmas Morning Becomes Magical
The Victorian era (1837–1901) completely reshaped Christmas. With the influence of Charles Dickens, the Royal Family and expanding middle-class traditions, Christmas became a holiday centred on family, generosity and sentimental value.
And for the first time, Christmas morning became the central moment for exchanging gifts — especially jewellery.
Why jewellery?
- Queen Victoria’s influence: her love of sentimental rings, turquoise, serpent motifs and mourning jewels shaped fashion.
- Symbolism: Victorians adored hidden messages — acrostic rings, forget-me-not motifs and pearls for remembrance.
- The rise of romantic proposals: Christmas became a favourite time for engagements.
- Candlelit beauty: old-cut diamonds and foiled-back gems sparkled beautifully in winter evenings.
Victorian Christmas gifts often included:
- Turquoise rings symbolising true love and protection
- Garnet clusters evoking warmth during the winter months
- Pearl keepsakes representing innocence and harmony
- Acrostic jewellery spelling “DEAREST” or “REGARD”
- Lockets containing miniature portraits or woven hair
These traditions shaped the modern idea of giving jewellery at Christmas — a custom that remains strong today, especially with antique and vintage pieces that carry the same symbolism and craftsmanship Victorians adored.
How These Traditions Influence Christmas Gifts Today
Modern Christmas gifting still echoes its historic past. We give:
- Sentimental jewellery much like the Victorians
- Meaningful tokens like the Georgians
- Symbolic pieces much like medieval offerings
And antique jewellery continues to be the perfect Christmas gift — timeless, sustainable, and carrying stories of Christmases long past.
Whether it’s a Georgian mourning ring, a Victorian turquoise cluster, or a vintage diamond engagement ring, these pieces bring the romance of history to Christmas morning.