The ancient magic of gifts

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 57022

Ersatz wrote:  

> 
> I've been finding myself wondering if the Dursleys' miserable
> Christmas presents to Harry are part of this same ancient magic, that
> somehow the giving of a gift, even one so slight as a tissue, confers
> some kind of protection on the recipient, at least if given by a
> relative.  Presumably gift-giving is not something the Dursleys would
> have done on their own, no more so than they would have taken care of
> Harry in the first place.  But I assume Dumbledore's original letter
> to them was persuasive.
> 

This is an intriguing idea, especially since we are led to believe that Harry 
never got presents for Christmas while he was growing up at the Dursleys. 

His reaction to the presents in PS/SS indicates he got nothing for Christmas, 
BUT he gets something from them while he is away at Hogwarts?

Gifts themselves are highlighted throughout the canon. Hermione's gifts to the 
boys at Christmas (and presumably, theirs to her, although that's not shown) 
have always seemed to get nice mentions in JKR's writing.

Darrin
-- My guess is that Harry and Ron had to seriously scramble that first 
Christmas morning when they realized Hermione had gotten them something.