Gifts you might be surprised to find under the tree

The rough Roman equivalent of Christmas was Saturnalia which included gift giving. Book 14 of Martial's Epigrams included a list of appropriate gifts. Presented in the order Martial describes them.

Some of them remain appropriate gifts today (books, pens, a cloak, etc.). Some of them are understandable for the economy of the time but not particularly relevant today (an ear-pick, a night lamp, a sheep's head). Some of them are unique to their time (Strigils, for scraping the skin in the bath, Ball stuffed with feathers, Rods for bird-catching, Hunting-spears, etc.) And some of them would be illegal today such as Ivory Coffers, a Female Dancer Of Cadiz, a Dwarf. Pretty interesting.

Tablets Of Citron-Wood
Tablets (Waxen) Of Five Leaves
Tablets Of Ivory
Tablets Of Three Leaves
Tablets Of Parchment
Vitellian Tablets
The Same
Larger Tablets
Letter-Paper
Ivory Coffers
Wooden Coffers
Ivory Tali, Or Dice
Tesserae
A Dice Box
A Gaming Table
Nuts
A Pen-Case
The Game Of Robbers
Stylus-Cases
A Tooth-Pick
An Ear-Pick
A Golden Hair-Pin
Combs
Pomatum
Mattiac Balls
A Parasol
A Broad-Brimmed Hat
Hunting-Spears
A Hunting-Knife
A Sword And Belt
A Dagger
A Scythe
A Hatchet
Barber's Instruments
A Book-Case
Bundles Of Reed-Pens
A Night-Lamp
A Candle
The Lamp With Several Burners
A Taper
A Corinthian Candelabrum
A Wooden Candlestick
A Paganica, Or Ball Stuffed With Feathers
The Ball For Playing At The Trigon,  Or Three-Cornered Game
The Bladder Football
The Harpasta, Or Small Hand-Ball
Dumb-Bells
A Leather Cap
Strigils, For Scraping The Skin In The Bath
A Common Horn Oil-Flask
An Oil-Flask Of Rhinoceros' Horn
A Child'S Rattle
A Horse-Whip
Tooth Powder
Myrobalanum
Aphronitrum, Or Salt-Petre
Balms
Bean-Flour
A Horn-Lantern
A Lantern Made Of A Bladder
A Reed Pipe
Pipes
Woollen Slippers
A Corset
A Fly-Flap Of Peacock'S Feathers
Rhodian Biscuit
A Priapus Made Of Pastry
A Pig
A Clothes-Brush Of Ox-Tail
A Sausage
A Parrot
A Raven
A Nightingale
A Magpie
An Ivory Cage
A Medicine-Chest
Whips
Canes
A Wallet
Brooms
A Back-Stratcher, In The Shape Of A Hand
A Wooden Book-Covering
A Couch Made Of Citron-Wood,  Called "Peacock-Tailed
 A Saddle
A Dinner Couch
A Dinner-Table Ornamented With The Best Tortoise-Shell
A Citron-Wood Table
A Maple-Wood Table
Ivory Tusks
A Five-Feet Rule
Antique Vases
Common Cups
A Chased Gold Cup
A Vatinian Cup
Dishes Inlaid With Gold
Arretine Vases
A Basket
Panacian Vessels
Boletaria, A Cooking Vessel
Surrentine Cups
A Snow-Strainer
A Snow-Bag
Water-Jugs For The Table
An Earthen Pitcher
Wine Cups
Saguntine Cups
Jewelled Cups
An Ampulla, Or Drinking Flask
Crystal Cups
A Nimbus Of Glass
Myrrhine Cups
A Cumaean Plate
Glass Cups
A Decanter For Snow-Water
Snow
The Same
An Earthen Utensil
A Silver Ligule, Or Small Ladle
A Cochleare 2 (Spoon)
Rings
A Ring-Case
A Toga
The Same
A Warm Cloak
A Brown Cloak Of Canusian Wool
A Gallic Hood
Red Cloaks Of Canusian Wool
A Leathern Cloak
A Scarlet Coat
A Cap
Baetic Cloaks
A Breast-Band
A Dinner Dress
A Woollen Cloak
White Woollen Cloaks
A Table-Cover
A Liburnian Hood
Cilician Socks
A Synthesis, Or Festal Robe
A Muffler
Patavian Woollen Shirts
A Sponge
A Cloak Of Long Hair
A Pillow
Long-Haired Coverlets
A Pair Of Blankets
A Tucker
An Ornamented Coverlet
A Woman's Girdle
A Square Rug
An Apron
Amethyst-Coloured Wools
White Wool
Tyrian Wool
Pollentine Wool
The Same
Mattress-Stuffings Of Leuconium
Circus Stuffing
Feathers
Hay
A Bath Bell
A Quoit
A Lyre
The Same
A Quill For The Lyre
A Hoop
The Same
A Golden Status Of Victory
A Small Statue Of Brutus's Favourite
The Corinthian Lizard-Slayer
A Picture Of Hyacinthus
A Marble Hermaphrodite
A Picture Of Danae
A German Mask
The Corinthian Hercules
A Terra-Cotta Hercules
Minerva In Silver
Europa
The Marble Leander
A Terra-Cotta Figure Of A Hunchback
Homer's "Battle Of The Frogs And Mice"
A Parchment Copy Of Homer
Virgil's "Gnat"
Virgil On Parchment, With Portrait
Menander's "Thais"
Cicero On Parchment
A Copy Of Propertius
Livy In A Single Volume
Sallust
Ovid'S Metamorphoses On Parchment
Tibullus
Lucan
Catullus
Calvus' Poem On Warm And Cold Springs
Dwarf Mules
A Gallic Puppy
A Jennet
The Greyhound
The Wrestler
The Ape
A Female Dancer Of Cadiz
Cymbals
The Favourite
The Cestus
The Same
A Short-Hand Writer
A Shell
The Buffoon
A Sheep's Head
A Dwarf
A Small Shield
Young Comedians
A Clasp
A Hawk
A Caterer
Rods For Bird-Catching
A Bullock's Heart
The Cook
A Gridiron And Spit
The Confectioner
Rich Breakfasts