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The Christmas holiday was a much longer, and more deeply religious holiday in Medieval times. That said, people did participate in some sort of gift giving during their celebrations, though it varied greatly by class.

Rich landowners and noblepeople were known for showering friends and loved ones with generous feasts and opulent gifts. The peasant class would also have regaled in song and communal gatherings, but the most common gifts besides eachother's company would have been contributions of food for the feast.

Besides their own modest Christmas celebrations, many of the poor, peasant class toiled to produce lavish holiday festivals for their Lords. One or a few lucky workers might have been given an opportunity to join the feast, or they may received a "gift" of meat from their Lords for their own Christmas dinner. Some also sometimes received some coin on New Years Day from their benevolent landowners.

Whatever the nature of the gifts, it would have been more common to give on New Years or "Epiphany Day" - January 6th - when early Christians comemmorated the visiting of the Magi to the Baby Jesus. Christmas itself would have been reserved for more reverent activities.

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11y ago

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