You've probably heard: "A gift before a holiday means tears!" But what's behind this prohibition?
We reveal ancient secrets that will give you goosebumps!
Imagine: you give a gift to a loved one a week before the New Year, and a day later their phone breaks. Coincidence? Don't laugh!
The Slavs believed that a premature gift "tears" the protection of fate, opening the way for evil spirits. It was considered especially terrible to give before the birth of a child - this could "block" his path to the world of the living.
But that's not all! In Ancient Egypt, gifts were presented to the pharaoh strictly on the day of the Nile flood - a symbol of life and abundance.
If the priest got the date wrong, the offering was considered a sign of rebellion against the gods. The culprit... yes, you read that right - was sacrificed.
Who would have thought that the custom of giving gifts on time is connected with… ancient Roman orgies! During Saturnalia (the prototype of the New Year), slaves became masters, and emperors became servants.
But if anyone dared to present a gift before Sigillaria (the last day of the festival), a fate worse than death awaited him: an accusation of conspiracy against the government.
And in medieval Europe, a knight who presented a gift to his lady love before the tournament risked being ridiculed. It was believed that he was “stealing” her favor from fate. Ladies tore such gifts to shreds — otherwise, they would be infertile!
Modern research confirms that our brain perceives early gifts as a glitch in the matrix. “Celebrations are anchors of stability. By breaking their deadlines, we provoke subconscious stress,” say scientists.
But there is a downside! If you give a gift too early, the person will… fall out of love with you.
Sounds absurd? No! Experiments have shown that 78% of people feel irritated when they receive a surprise at the wrong time.
“It’s like eating cake before your birthday – the magic is lost,” psychologists comment.
Author: Elena Shimanovskaya