Did you know gifting – and food – have helped build civilization?
“Gifting” is a natural part of being human. Whether it’s a wedding, new neighbor, a holiday, birthday or no occasion at all, everyone loves to present and receive gifts.
Indeed, gifting has been practiced since the dawn of humankind. Homer’s epic Greek poem the “Odyssey” depicts how ancient Greeks considered hospitality and gift-giving integral to society, from material gifts to acts of kindness. Giving and generosity became instrumental in maintaining order and as a force for social good, cultivating friendship and peace between nations. In Indigenous cultures, gift-giving feasts have been societal “anchor” events for thousands of years. Historically, the act of giving can also be a contest of sorts. Often whomever gave the most lavish gift would be lavished with the most prestige.
The largest gift in modern history is likely the “Lady in the Harbor” in New York, the Statue of Liberty. She was presented to the US by France on the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. And in India, the majestic Taj Mahal – one of the Seven Wonders of the World – was a gift to his wife by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
Animals Gift Too!
If you’ve ever owned a cat, chances are it may have left you an inter-species “doorstep gift”. In this case it’s likely your cat is giving you a lesson in hunting, as that is how cat moms teach their young to eat.
But cats are far from the only animals that gift. In fact birds, insects and mammals all use gifts either as key parts of mating and courtship rituals, or for fun, to build relationships and express affection.
Courtship/mating ritual gifts are more common in birds than in non-human mammals. Voluntary acts of kindness however – non-mating ritual gifts – are common in our primate relatives…and in dolphins. One example of inter-species gifting by dolphins took place in Australia. These dolphins would nudge their fave gourmet goodies, like dead fish or squid, towards human tourists. Some scientists guessed these were gifts of fun. And some believe the dolphins left gifts because they were concerned the humans were unfit hunters and wanted to make sure the “hapless humans” did not go hungry!
Edible Gifts and Human Evolution
Humans began their journey as hunter-gatherers, so gifts of food likely had their role in mating and early tribal/community rituals from the very start. It’s believed the shift toward cultivating crops and animals for food began as early as 11,000 BC. This shift was instrumental in the development of civilizations. More abundant food and a stable food supply could support a larger, more secure population. And along with human growth and evolution, gifts of food continue to remain one of the pillars of human interaction.
Indianlife Variety Gift Box: An Ideal Gift for Any Occasion
Quite simply, delicious, edible gift baskets are always “gifts of great taste.” We carefully curated a selection of some of our most popular goodies for our Indianlife Variety Gift Box.It’s a gift you can feel great about, whether you’re wooing a Valentine, commemorating a birthday, helping a friend recovering from illness…or just reaching out to help someone facing food insecurity in these special times. Our Indianlife Variety Gift Box includes*:
1 pkt Garlic Naan 500g /Net Wt.17.6 oz 1 pkt Soft Roti 500g /Net Wt.17.6oz 1 pkt Masala Chips 170g/ Net Wt. 6oz 1 pkt Dal Mix 200g /Net Wt. 7oz 1 pkt Plain Papadum 120g /Net Wt. 4.2oz 1 jar Butter Masala Sauce 360 ml /11.5 oz 1 jar Mango Chutney 250ml /8.4 oz 1 tin Garam Masala 42.5g /1.5 oz
*Please note that we may substitute Soft Roti with Soft Chapati, Plain Papadum with Black Pepper or Cumin papadum and Garam masala with Curry powder if we are low on inventory on items that are above.
