The Social Dimensions of Gift Behaviour

Abstract

This article describes in general terms the social dimensions of valuable interpersonal gifts at Christmas, and draws certain comparisons with giving to community organizations. The data are drawn from a random sample survey of 573 adult respondents in Winnipeg, Canada. Three classes of factors that structure gift behaviour are identified. They are: interaction processes within personal relationships; economic resources; and social statuses. The relational significance of gifts is particularly evident where one gift is matched by a return gift in a process of gift exchange or reciprocity. It is shown that reciprocal giving is a prominent feature of valuable Christmas gift transactions. As expected, personal income, household income, and the proportion of household income spent on housing all have some effect on the level of gift expenditure. However, no evidence is found to support the hypothesis from the functionalist theory of the extended family that valuable Christmas gifts are used for the intergenerational redistribution of wealth. It is also noted that there is little evidence to support Veblen's views of gift behaviour as conspicuous consumption. Social statuses, in the form of kinship and gender positions, affect the directions in which gifts flow. The majority of valuable Christmas gifts are given to primary kin, with transactions between husbands and wives being the most important. It is found that gift transfers between the sexes are asymmetric, with men giving more and women receiving more.