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The Conversation USA

What's the point of giving gifts? An anthropologist explains this ancient part of being human

  • Written by Chip Colwell, Associate Research Professor of Anthropology, University of Colorado Denver
imageGifts are usually given reciprocally.Svetlana_nsk/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Have you planned out your holiday gift giving yet? If you’re anything like me, you might be waiting until the last minute. But whether every single present is already wrapped and ready, or you’ll hit the shops on Christmas Eve, giving gifts is a curious but...

Read more: What's the point of giving gifts? An anthropologist explains this ancient part of being human

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