Engagement Gifts
Clouded in mystery, the exact origin of the engagement ring is blurred. Some say it symbolises the eternal bond between the happy couple while others believe it’s a payment of the groom’s financial commitment to his future wifey and family! Whatever the case, it stands to reason that engagement rings represent two people’s love for one another.
Tracings of the ring tradition go back to ancient Egypt, where rings were worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. This was where the ‘Vein of Love’ was believed to run to the heart. Another reason for using the fourth finger is that the priest or groom would put the engagement ring on the first three fingers in turn when saying “the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost”, finishing on the fourth finger where it would then stay.
In a world where gifts, gifts and more gifts are often seen as an entitlement by the happy couple and a mere duty by their guests, in the olden days, engagement gifts were not at all traditional or expected.
The happy wifey and hubby-to-be would simply invite their guests to a regular get-together or dinner, and announce their news out of the blue, so there was no way that guests could come geared up with gifts. Close relatives might use the engagement as an occasion to make a special gift, possibly jewellery for the bride to wear on her wedding day. But friends and more distant relatives tended not to give engagement presents.
If you know a pair of lovebirds who’ve made their big announcement, and you’re strapped for engagement gift ideas, stop right here! Step off the beaten present path and consider these personalised engagement gifts. As well as saving you a gift-giving ‘gaffe’, these engagement present ideas will turn gift-giving from a near-obligation to a delightful elation!