Final answer:
Gifts should be welcomed because they foster reciprocity, social cohesion, and goodwill. They hold emotional and social significance, particularly within cultural and religious traditions, and promote moral values such as altruism and kindness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks why gifts should be welcomed. Gifts can be seen as a form of generosity and sharing, crucial for social cohesion and goodwill. Cultural practices around gifts often involve an implicit understanding of reciprocity, where giving now may lead to receiving later—fostering a sense of mutual support.
Moreover, in many cases, gifts represent more than just material value; they offer emotional or social significance. For example, certain oral and written religious traditions involve the giving of gifts as an act of faith and community building. Similarly, in history, leaders like Stalin have used the distribution of gifts as a means of creating a bond and a sense of obligation among the populace, although this can have complex and sometimes manipulative connotations.
Lastly, the very act of giving can teach important moral lessons about altruism and kindness. Tales like those of Santa Claus perpetuate the idea that happiness can be achieved through giving, instilling the adage that it is better to give than to receive. Gifts remind us of our shared humanity and the responsibilities we bear towards one another.