The Gift

Gifts are a form of communication and intent, with the receipt of a gift necessitating reciprocation. Mauss first establishes that there are no free gifts across national and cultural boundaries: “Roman, Germanic, and other Indo-European laws all show signs of the basic principles. There are no free gifts; gift cycles engage persons in permanent commitments that articulate the dominant institutions” (xii).

In Japan, even gifting money to newlyweds is fraught with tradition and expectation. The gift giver does not simply wire the money to the gift receiver’s bank account, nor do they place said monies into a manila envelope. The money is carefully prepared in a box and then wrapped, with special attention to preparation. What kind of paper the gifter uses and what kind of string, ribbon or bows adorn it are all part of the statement of intent behind the gift. Despite the amount of money inside, the presentation of the gift ensures that its recipients are bound by an unspoken contract. The latter which must be returned in kind later in future, perhaps when they attend the gift giver’s wedding or that of their child’s wedding. Like the tribes that Mauss studied, it is not uncommon for the gift giver to downplay his or her gift.