The custom of giving and receiving presents appears to date back to the 4th Century, when gifts were most commonly homemade food and clothing.  Fast forward to the turn of the 20th Century, when hand-crafted presents would still have been found in children's' Christmas stockings; but the extremely lucky ones, would have received a doll, a book or even the highly coveted and rare present of an orange.


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Christmas gifts and traditions have changed quite substantially since the days when George V was King. Hand-knitted gloves and socks were once a functional and thoughtful gift, instead of the iPads and laptop computers of today. The Royal Christmas message didn't exist until 1932 and credit cards hadn't been invented 100 years ago, so the way that we pay for Christmas has certainly changed. Christmas songs have also evolved from carols and pianistic master-pieces of days of old, to more the commercial and 'pop' style music since the mass adoption of the radio in the 1930s & 40s.


What was in your Christmas stocking and under your Christmas tree? Indulge in a bit of festive nostalgia and take a look at our "The Financial Evolution of the Christmas Present" infographic to compare the cost and style of Christmas presents over the decades and make sure to remind the kids how lucky they are, referencing our infographic as evidence of rubbish presents


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