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There are lots of reasons to give gifts — to commemorate an occasion, to celebrate an achievement, to say thank you, and many more. No matter what it is, we give gifts to make people happy.
But do you know that the experience also makes us, the givers, happy?
There is a famous line in the classic TV show Friends that goes, “Selfless good deeds don’t exist. [If] it makes you feel good, that makes it selfish… there are no unselfish good deeds.”
This line makes sense, especially in the whole gift-giving department.
Gift-giving is the beautiful version of selfishness — or on a more positive note, self-care. We feel a certain kind of emotional lift at just getting the right present. We also feel a sense of satisfaction just by seeing a person happy with the gift we got them.
To make sense of the full effect of gift-giving, let’s talk about the benefits of gifting and how it satisfies our well-being.
How Gift-Giving Can Affect Our Well-Being
According to studies, gift-giving is a complex and equally important part of any human interaction. It helps define relationships and reinforces bonds with family and friends. Studies from psychologists further explain that the giver, rather than the receiver, reaps the biggest psychological gain from gift-giving.
But before feeling satisfied with picking the perfect gift, givers first feel anxious about actually selecting the right one. That’s why most people evade gift-giving altogether.
However, psychologists say that avoiding gift exchange shouldn’t be an option. That’s because giving gifts can improve our mental health. It makes us feel happier and good inside.
With all these at hand, here are the reasons why gift-giving makes us feel great:
1. It makes us focus on the happy part of the experience
When we think about bringing someone a gift, we try our best to come up with something that will bring a smile to their face. It must be something our loved ones need, something they want, or a combination of both. Nonetheless, our gift must make them feel happy.
With that, we tend to imagine our loved one’s reactions when they receive our present. We’d wonder if they’d yelp with excitement or show a huge happy grin — notwithstanding the fact that picking out the gift can be exhausting.
Nonetheless, we forget how draining the shopping experience was — as long as the result was satisfactory. In the end, we only remember feeling fantastic during the whole occasion.
2. It makes us become closer with our loved ones
Further studies suggested that a thoughtful gift can reinforce and develop your connection with the recipient. A well-thought-out gift, especially something that holds a symbolic meaning between the giver and the receiver, can strengthen their bond together.
For example, if shoe-shopping has always been you and your sister’s thing, it’s a no-brainer that she’ll get you a pair of pretty shoes on your birthday. When she sees the happy expression off your face, she too gets happy. As such, the positive emotions you’re feeling rub off on her.
Presents make us happy because they represent our relationship with our loved ones. They’re more special not for the monetary value they hold but for allowing us to connect with someone we hold dear.
3. It boosts our physical and mental health
Studies confirm that any form of gift-giving boosts our emotional and physical well-being. It increases our self-esteem, lowers depression, and eventually brings us greater happiness and satisfaction. As for our physical welfare, gift-giving lowers blood pressure and reduces stress levels.
Gift with care!
All in all, the real essence of gift-giving lies with the intention. It’s adorable when we come up with gifts of excellent quality. But at the end of the day, it is always lovelier if it’s done with care and good thoughts in mind.
Best of luck with your gift-giving affair!
Author Bio:
Maria dela Crus is a writer at Localgift.ph. She loves writing about relationships, gift-giving tips, gift ideas, and more. She’s also an avid hiker and reader during her spare time. Connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
