Giving gold jewelry and coins as gifts: the interplay of utilitarianism and symbolism

Abstract

This paper explores the practice of giving gold jewelry and coins as gifts through a qualitative research conducted in Ankara, Turkey. We seek to understand the occasions of gift giving and the motivation behind this practice of gift giving. We aim to contribute to the existing literature not only by extending our understanding of the dynamics of gift giving behavior in non-Western contexts but also by questioning the tenability of the distinction between functionally and symbolically motivated gift giving. We argue that gift giving behavior is guided by interplay of utilitarian and experiential motives, whereby the economic values of gifts play a significant role along with symbolic values