In modern times, gift wrappers are used to present gifts and then conveniently disposed of right after serving their purpose. This is a stark contrast to what the Japanese practised from the 18th to the early 20th century, where beautifully embroidered luxurious Japanese silk gift covers called fukusa were used in the act of gifting. In fact, this practice of gift presentation was such an important aspect of gift giving that a gift will only be considered “successful” if the recipient was able to comprehend and decipher the meaning behind the fukusa design. This meant recognising the symbolic motifs and pictorial allusions that are intricately sewn into the silk.