by Lucy Dimbylow
We unearth the answers to your children's Christmas brainteasers
A four-year-old says:
'We give each other Christmas presents to say thank you for all the hugs and kisses people give us.'
How to explain it
Many people believe that the tradition of giving gifts at Christmas time comes from the story of the three kings, who travelled from the East to Bethlehem to present baby Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In many cultures, people still exchange presents on January 6th (Epiphany), the date when the wise men arrived in Bethlehem, rather than on Christmas Day itself.
Other people say that we give gifts as a symbol of baby Jesus, God's gift to us.
Another theory is that gift-giving was started by the emperor Caligula. In Roman times, officials were expected to present their emperor with olive branches to mark a winter festival called Kalends on January 1st. But Caligula wasn't keen on branches, so instead, his subjects brought him sweets and gold.
And then there's Santa Claus himself – or St Nicholas, as he was once known. St Nicholas was renowned for giving away his riches to the poor, so some people say that he started the Christmas tradition of giving presents, which Father Christmas continues today!
Find out why we put up Christmas trees and send cards. Plus why the great man wears red and comes down the chimney.
