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A gift or present is the transfer of money or goods without requiring something in return (at least not immediately); by extension it can be anything that makes the other more happy or less sad, especially as a favor, including forgiveness, and kindness (even when the other is not kind).

The background may be:

someone has more than another
something bad happened to another
expression of love or friendship
expression of gratitude for a gift received
custom, on occasions (often celebrations) such as
- a birthday (the person who has his or her birthday gives cake, etc. and/or receives gifts)
- Father's Day (the father receives gifts)
- Mother's Day (the mother receives gifts)
- Christmas (people give each other gifts, often supposedly receiving them from Santa Claus)
- Saint Nicholas (people give each other gifts, often supposedly receiving them from Saint Nicholas)
- a wedding (the couple receives gifts and gives food and/or drinks at the wedding reception)
- a funeral (visitors bring flowers, the relatives of the deceased give food and/or drinks after the ceremonial part)
- a birth (the baby receives gifts)
- passing an examination (the student receives gifts)
- supplying food and/or drinks to someone invited in the home
- giving a round of drinks in a bar.
- lagniappe

The extent to which the clause "without requiring something in return" really applies may vary. Reciprocity is common and often socially almost compulsory. Some economists have elaborated the economics of gift-giving into the notion of a gift economy.

Gifts are an important element of Alms

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