GIFTS!!! : CONTEST.

Hello Steemians. Hope you are well and hope your weekend went well and was interesting.

I am grateful to know about this contest and the community through @kyara2 who invited me to participate in this contest.

DEFINITION
In my own words, I can define a gift as something given to someone to appreciate them for either something they have done for us or because of the dear place they hold in our lives. Gifts are not solicited, they are given freely.

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IMPORTANCE OF GIFTS.

1) Gifts are a way of celebrating a special occasion with someone. People celebrate their birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and many other occasions and one way of celebrating with them and sharing their joy is by giving them gifts to show that you are thinking about them and happy about the things they are achieving in their lives. Christmases are also highly celebrated with gifts.

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2) Gifts can also be used as a form of appreciation for people who have been really instrumental in our lives to thank them. For example parents, mentors, friends, teachers etc can be thanked through giving them gifts.

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3) Giving gifts can also be used as a way to show someone that you are thinking about them. This can be really useful in romantic relationships even platonic ones. Especially, giving the gifts on days when there is no special occasion to celebrate as this shows the person that you do not need a reason to celebrate them. As just the mere fact that they are in your life is enough to celebrate them.

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4) Giving of gifts can be a form of persuasion. For example kids, in case a parent wants their child to eat healthy food like broccoli they can promise to give them the food they want like chicken after they have finished their vegetables. This can persuade the child to actually eat their healthy food hoping to eat what they want after.

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TYPES OF GIFTS.

Tithing.
This is a form of giving to churches though it said that when one tithes, they give to God. Tithe is given to thank God for His constant provision and His goodness and generosity. One is supposed to give 1/10th of their income whenever they earn, which is supposedly each month. This is the type of gift given to God. Even gifts given on Thanksgiving are gifts to God.

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Memorial and tribute gifts.
These gifts are normally given in memory of people that have passed on. For example like people who have done inspiring things in their life time like Nelson Mandela. Many schools, places have been built in his memory and the great fight he fought against apartheid.

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Condolences are also a form of gift given to comfort those that have lost their dear ones and if it is in form of money, it can help with purchasing things needed for burial and the whole process.

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Charity.
These gifts are normally given for certain causes like fighting certain diseases like AIDS, cancer, COVID through doing research about their cure. These gifts are normally gotten through fundraising at charity events or even just reaching to organizations that love supporting such causes.

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Special Occasions.
There are very many occasions people celebrate like weddings where people give gifts in form of various things like items used to start a home. Birthdays are celebrated as one celebrates the years they have spent on earth and people normally celebrate by giving gifts mostly of what people love like perfumes among others.

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Dowry.
These are normally gifts given in African culture by the groom to the bride’s parents for raising and looking after her. These are normally given during the introduction or the time the bride is introducing the groom. These gifts can be in form of anything, in Uganda they normally include household items like soap, suitcases, gomesis etc.

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God given talents.
These are normally in form of talents like singing, sports like running. However, for one to utilize these gifts one has to practice and be disciplined to become really good. Like Cheptegei who won the Ugandan gold for the 5000m race at the Olympic Games Tokyo, and he attributed the success to practice much as he is already a good runner.

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Various occasions call for gifts like;

Weddings.
Here people bring gifts to celebrate the union of a couple. This celebration normally includes family, friends, co-workers as they come to celebrate their loved ones. The gifts brought normally include items to start a home like cups, plates among others, clothes etc.

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Birthdays.
On this occasion, people celebrate adding a new year on earth and achievements that have earned in those years. Gifts are normally personal on such occasions as they give gifts according to the preferences of the person they are celebrating like if the person loves books, people buy various books for the person. Unlike weddings where gifts are given according to what the person needs.

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Losing a loved one.
People normally give condolences to people who have lost their loved ones in form of money or anything that can be of comfort or useful in the process of sending off the deceased safely like money to help with the burial needs. People love to give food to as they believe people who are mourning may not have the time to cook and also food can comfort someone.

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Gifts as a love language.
Here, one can give gifts to a loved one because they know that the gifts make the receiver feel loved. One can go all out in this situation especially for their partner like getting them something they like, like a certain food they like.

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All in all, gifts are lovely and make people feel appreciated therefore whenever you can give a gift please do as they make people feel happy and loved.