Strings Attached

I've never really thought about how different gift giving could be between different cultures. Giving a gift to someone because they gave you one reminds me of birthday parties when I was younger, when I would give out little goodie bags at the end to my guests. I'm not sure if i ever really realized the purpose behind it at the time. But even now at 21, if I buy my friend a gift for their birthday, it would be nice to think that I'm getting one for mine. However, I also find that gift giving meanings and/or expectations can change as you get older. If i want to show appreciation for something, I'll give someone a gift, although I don't always expect a gift as a token of thanks or appreciation back. I definitely agree that different social classes have different approaches to gift giving.