Buzz
Throughout history, the reasons behind people's choice of gifts have often been influenced by symbolism. This has been especially true for high-profile individuals such as national leaders and celebrities. Some of these gifts carry meanings so subtle or personal that outsiders would be completely unaware of their true significance. Whether meant to seduce, mock, threaten, or express admiration, these gifts can sometimes convey surprising messages.
Here are 10 surprisingly symbolic presents exchanged by famous individuals.
10. Pushinka the Puppy
In 1961, during the Cold War, one Soviet leader used an adorable puppy to make a subtle statement of triumph. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev had a relatively amicable relationship with President John F. Kennedy, despite the stark contrast between their respective countries. However, a gift Khrushchev sent to Kennedy revealed that he was not entirely a gracious victor. When the Soviet Union beat the U.S. in the space race by successfully sending two female dogs, Strelka and Belka, into space and safely bringing them back to Earth, Khrushchev sent Kennedy a puppy named Pushinka, a gift loaded with symbolism.
To seemingly emphasize the Soviet Union's victory, Khrushchev sent President Kennedy a puppy named Pushinka, the offspring of Strelka. As reported in a Reader’s Digest article, Kennedy’s response was a commitment to send a man to the moon by the end of the 1960s. This ambitious goal was ultimately achieved in 1969 with the historic moon landing by U.S. astronauts.
9. Corpse Doll
Alfred Hitchcock, the legendary director renowned for his mastery in suspenseful filmmaking, sometimes exhibited unsettling behavior that unnerved those around him. Allegations made by actress Tippi Hedren about the psychological and physical abuse she faced on the set of The Birds, alongside reports of sexual harassment while filming Marnie, were later depicted in the 2012 film The Girl.
During this tense period, Hitchcock gave a chilling gift to Hedren's six-year-old daughter, future actress Melanie Griffith: a miniature replica of Hedren inside a tiny coffin. This eerie present seemed to symbolize Hitchcock’s resentment toward Hedren after she rejected his advances. Hedren later claimed that Hitchcock sought revenge by attempting to sabotage her career.
Melanie Griffith’s daughter, actress Dakota Johnson, reflected on the disturbing incident during an interview with Vanity Fair. “It’s alarming and dark and really, really sad for that little girl,” Johnson remarked about her mother. “Really scary.”
8. The Resolute Desk from Queen Victoria
A particularly significant gift given by a British monarch to an American president was the Resolute Desk. This ornate desk, adorned with intricate carvings, was presented to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880.
The desk's unique value lies in the fact that it was crafted from oak timber salvaged from the British ship HMS Resolute. This was the same ship the United States had helped recover from the Arctic Ocean in 1855 after it had become trapped in the ice.
7. A Book Bound in Human Skin
One of the most disturbing symbolic gifts ever given came from notorious highwayman James Allen. Condemned to death in 1837, Allen, who could not read or write, dictated his crime-filled memoirs to a prison warden. He instructed the warden to send a copy of the memoir to John Fenno Jr., the man whose accusation of attempted murder had led to Allen’s death sentence. Shockingly, Allen requested that his memoirs be bound in his own skin. This grim book, bound in Allen’s flesh, was meant as a token of respect for Fenno.
Surprisingly, binding books in human skin, a practice known as anthropodermic bibliopegy, was not considered highly unusual in the past. In fact, alongside this particular volume, which can be found at the Boston Athenaeum library, several other books bound in human skin still exist, primarily housed in prestigious universities like Harvard.
6. Dead Fish
Some gifts carry more obvious symbolism than others. The Mafia, for example, has long used dead fish as a way to send a chilling message that a person will “sleep with the fishes” if they disregard a warning. This form of communication has been frequently depicted in movies and TV shows in popular culture.
A real-life example that gained significant media attention occurred in 2003, when a man was charged with threatening a female reporter. She was working on a story linking the Mafia to actor Steven Seagal, and the man left a dead fish with a rose in its mouth and a brief note saying “Stop” in her car.
5. Crystal Caravel Chandeliers
Gifts are not always given to individuals; they can also be offered to entire nations, towns, or places. The Basilica of Guadalupe and the Church of San Francisco in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, are home to a renowned pair of ex-votos—tributes in various forms in the Roman Catholic Church.
These ex-votos are designed in the shape of caravels, the ships used during Portuguese and Spanish colonial expeditions. Created in 1788, likely by Joseph Antonio Otaegui, the legend associated with these remarkable pieces of art is that they were commissioned by sailors who believed Saint Francis of Assisi had saved them from a shipwreck. Initially donated to Saint Francis’s church, the caravel chandeliers were later relocated to their present home in the state capital, deemed a more fitting location.
4. Stalin’s Sword
A particularly symbolic gift was a two-handed longsword with a hand grip made of 18-carat gold and a hand-forged blade, commissioned by King George VI of Britain for Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. This elaborate weapon was presented by Winston Churchill to the Soviet Union as a gesture of gratitude for their key 1943 victory in the five-month-long Battle of Stalingrad, a decisive defeat for the Axis powers that played a pivotal role in altering the course of World War II.
Ironically, the Soviet Union quickly became an adversary of the United Kingdom and other nations that championed freedom, including the United States, with the Cold War beginning less than two years after the conclusion of World War II.
3. Miniature Bejeweled Gold Ship
Although it is well known that King Henry VIII of England eventually had his second wife, Anne Boleyn, executed, their relationship was initially one of deep romance and affection. This courtship took place while Henry was still married to Catherine of Aragon. During the happy times, Henry and Anne exchanged numerous extravagant and intriguing gifts. For Christmas in 1527, Anne gave Henry a small gold ship, but the miniature scene within the ship, depicting a lone lady tossed about, carries a deeper significance. The timing of this gift makes it even more meaningful.
At the time, Henry was in the midst of trying to annul his marriage to Catherine in order to marry Anne. His controversial actions eventually led to the English Reformation, putting Anne in a precarious and vulnerable position. Ships, traditionally symbols of protection, took on added meaning here. This gift was a sign of Anne’s humble submission to Henry’s will, as he acknowledged in a letter expressing his thanks for both the miniature and the attached diamond. According to historian Dr. David Starkey, this gift symbolized Anne’s commitment to marrying Henry.
2. Al Capone’s Japanese Weeping Cherry Trees
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, cherry blossoms hold deep symbolism, representing renewal and the transient nature of existence. This made the two Japanese weeping cherry trees, gifted to Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore by a grateful former patient, an especially fitting gesture. The truly surprising part of this story is that the patient was none other than notorious gangster Al Capone, once labeled Public Enemy No. 1.
After serving a sentence for tax evasion at Alcatraz, Capone was released from prison early in 1939 due to his declining health. However, Johns Hopkins University Hospital refused to treat the infamous gangster, concerned about the negative publicity. Union Memorial Hospital, on the other hand, agreed to care for Capone, accommodating him during his six-week stay. Not only was Capone given a two-room suite, but his entourage—which included family, bodyguards, food tasters, and even his barber—was also allowed to remain.
Under the care of renowned syphilologist Dr. Joseph E. Moore, Capone received several weeks of outpatient treatment after his stay at Union Memorial, returning to his home in Miami the following year.
The trees were given as a token of appreciation for the “compassionate care and medical attention” Capone received. While one of the trees was removed in 1950 to make room for a new wing, the other still stands on the hospital grounds, and more trees have been planted from its cuttings. In recent years, the tree has even helped the hospital financially. After a heavy snowfall caused a 10-foot branch to break off, the wood was carved into decorative items and sold to raise funds.
1. Replica of the Great Seal of the United States
Some gifts may not be as innocent as they appear, especially when they come from a political rival, as famously illustrated by the Trojan horse hiding an army. A more recent example is a hand-carved wooden replica of the Great Seal of the United States, which was presented to U.S. Ambassador Averell Harriman by the Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization in 1945.
Beneath this apparent gesture of goodwill, however, was an advanced piece of technology for its time—a nearly invisible listening device or “bug.” The device lacked a power source and emitted no signal, making it undetectable. Created by the renowned Russian inventor Leon Theremin, this clever device remained hidden inside the seal, hanging in the ambassador’s office for seven years before it was finally uncovered in 1952.
