"The Gift"
A gift is a tool for showing respect and fostering positive, warm relationships between people. Mongols have long been renowned for their customs of giving gifts and honoring guests. It is customary to present gifts to parents, siblings, children, and friends as a symbol of positive encounters.
The Mongol tradition of preparing and presenting gifts holds deep significance; another unique feature is that the value of a gift lies not in its price, but in its meaning. When preparing a gift, several factors are considered:
- Respecting customs and auspiciousness
- The recipient's interests
- What the recipient actually needs.
People who had not seen each other for a long time, or those attending celebrations, would traditionally bring small gifts. The nature of these gifts varies depending on the giver and the specific occasion being celebrated.
From the Mongol gift-giving traditions:
- When giving gifts to guests, start with the eldest.
- For guests arriving as a family, start by presenting the gift to the man.
- Children are given toys or young livestock; fathers gift their sons, and elder brothers gift their younger brothers fine horses or tools and gear.
- There was a tradition among friends of gifting or exchanging bows, arrows, horses, or personal items they had used.
- Great attention is paid to the color and quantity of the gift.
- Odd numbers are preferred, based on the belief that everything should begin and end with happiness.
- Additionally, one does not give a gift in a quantity of one.
- When gifting livestock, property, or clothing, colors in the white or light spectrum are preferred.
- Mongols never visit a woman who has just given birth empty-handed; they bring separate gifts for both the mother and the child.
- Women have long gifted their loved ones with skillfully hand-sewn cup pouches and snuff bottle pouches. These served as a symbol of love and affection.
It was considered strictly taboo to give a gift through one's fingers or to make disparaging remarks about a gift received. While the types of gifts change with social development, decorative items have held an honored place from ancient times to the present. We are a people with a tradition that allows for the joy of giving to those we love and respect at any time, not just on special occasions.