Giving

The Gift of Giving

By Debbie

Posted on September 12, 2021

The beautiful gift of giving!

For a couple of years, I was making a lot of these collages for people. Well, I guess I still make them, but it’s been a minute! This is me giving one to my sister-in-law. It says on it, “One universe, eight planets, seven seas, 204 countries, 7 billion people, and I had the privilege of meeting you.”

I really put a lot of thought into these collages, and they were very personal. Everyone who received them was touched by them. Most of them cried. Seriously. Cried. It’s quite a moving experience to give a gift to someone that evokes emotion like that. It’s an amazingly happy feeling! These gifts reflected to me the gift of giving in a mammoth way. Make the collages here.

Giving gifts is an act of love. The gift of giving can be a big deal for the recipient, but it’s also rewarding to the giver. While there are many different types of gifts that you could give someone, certain types leave more impact than others. Consider what your loved one might need or want and do some research on how they would like to receive it.

“What are the best kind of gifts? Gifts that make you smile and feel loved. Gifts that you took the time to really think about. I mean, does my 25-year-old son want a collage I made? Probably prefers the money. Haha. So depends on the recipient. I always try to think what that person would like and not what I want to give them.

10 Reasons Why We Promote the Gift of Giving

Expression of Love and Thoughtfulness: Giving gifts allows us to express our love and thoughtfulness towards others, creating a strong emotional connection that brings joy.
Creating Positive Memories: Gift-giving creates positive memories for both the giver and the recipient, fostering a sense of happiness associated with those shared moments.
Boosts Social Bonds: The act of giving gifts strengthens social bonds, whether it’s with family, friends, or colleagues, contributing to a sense of community and connection.
Fosters Gratitude: The act of giving often leads to feelings of gratitude, both for the giver and the receiver, enhancing overall well-being.
Surprise and Delight: The element of surprise in gift-giving brings joy, as unexpected gestures can brighten someone’s day and create a sense of excitement.
Generosity Feels Good: Generosity and giving are associated with positive feelings, releasing endorphins and contributing to a sense of personal fulfillment and happiness.
Cultural and Social Norms: Many cultures and societies place value on the act of giving, and participating in these social norms can create a sense of joy and belonging.
Demonstrates Care and Appreciation: Giving thoughtful gifts demonstrates care and appreciation, reinforcing positive relationships and bringing happiness to both parties involved.
Altruistic Satisfaction: Knowing that a gift has brought joy to someone else can create a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness, fostering a positive cycle of generosity.
Celebrating Special Occasions: Gift-giving is often associated with celebrations and special occasions, adding to the joy of these moments and creating lasting positive memories.

What the Experts Say About the Gift of Giving

I loved this article from The University of Berkeley’s Greater Good Magazine, Science Based Insights for a Meaningful Life, Five Ways Giving is Good for You. The authors cite multiple research studies that validate the benefits of giving and gratitude. I was particularly drawn to the idea that there is a ripple effect of giving. When we give, we inspire others to give, and on and on.

In “Money Spent on Others Can Buy Happiness,” Michael Norton, Ph.D. at Harvard conducted a series of studies demonstrating increased happiness when people spend money on others versus themselves. “This study addressed a paradox that economists have talked about for a long time — that increases in income don’t tend to lead to big increases in happiness,” said Norton. “People buy bigger and bigger houses, but they don’t seem to get much happier as a result.”

Dr. Norton surveyed 632 men and women on their spending practices, how much money they spent on themselves including expenses and how much they spent on gifts for others and to charity. Then they rated their level of happiness. The findings showed that people who spent more money on others were happier.

Two other studies also concluded that people who give to others are happier and revealed that money doesn’t buy us happiness when we spend it on ourselves, but we are much happier when we give to others. The study begged this question, however. Are happier people more giving or does giving make people happier?

The Joy of the Gift of Giving Lasts Longer Than the Joy of Getting

I learned a new term researching gift giving and happiness, hedonic adaptation. It is the notion that no matter what makes you happy, eventually you will tire of it. In The Joy of Giving Lasts Longer Than the Joy of Getting, giving to others may be an exception to this rule. Repeated studies clearly indicate that giving induces more happiness than getting and supports the old adage, “It is better to give than to receive.” The investigations also make one wonder if happier people give or if giving makes them happier or are the two ideas interchangeable?

Consider reviewing the Sage Journal research data that indicates giving is resistant to hedonic adaptation. People Are Slow to Adapt to the Warm Glow of Giving. Fascinating stuff.

On the Other Hand

So how could giving go wrong? Choosing the wrong gift, spending too much on one, using gift giving for ulterior motives such as trying to win someone over, getting caught up on giving the most unique gift (ugh, that’s me right there), and overthinking it. And what about people who don’t like receiving gifts? Some of those reasons might be that they feel they should reciprocate and don’t want to (or can’t), they feel guilty, they’re embarrassed to receive things from others, they don’t like the attention, they feel unworthy.

One reason I read about was that people are afraid they’re going to get something they don’t like and then they’ll be embarrassed, they might have to fake it. I understand that. If you receive a gift that does not represent you, you might feel misunderstood. “Why would they think I would like or want that?” What about the people who have everything and want nothing? Should you buy them a gift?

Conclusion

Giving a gift is not just about showing someone you care. It’s also a way to show yourself some love and feel good about what you have done for the other person. When we give, it doesn’t only benefit the recipient of our generosity but ourselves as well. The benefits are two-fold because giving something gives us an immense feeling of satisfaction that makes us happy inside which then in turn boosts your mood and self-esteem.

Gifts are a way to show appreciation, love and support for your loved ones in their lives. Giving gifts can help strengthen relationships because it allows people to express themselves through something tangible. Gift-givers often feel happier after they give someone else a gift. And getting others gifts has an even greater impact on our own moods; research shows we get more enjoyment from buying other people things than receiving ourselves. So don’t be selfish with your money or time! Give a gift!