Holiday Season: Gift Giving
As the holiday season begins, there tends to be more panic in the air, a big part of that can sometimes be to find the “perfect” gift. The holiday’s are all about spending time with loved ones and showing appreciation and care for them. The holidays are celebrated with families and groups of friends gathering and everyone coming together to catch up and enjoy themselves, especially after a busy and hectic year. This time allows for reconnections between people who may have been separated from their loved ones physically, but also emotionally, meaning they may not have communicated as much throughout the year. During this season, gifts are almost always exchanged, but what if there is more to gift-giving than just tradition?
Although gift-giving may be an essential part to the holidays, gifts can symbolize appreciation, love, and thoughtfulness. This great gesture not only lifts the receiving person's spirits, but can also impact the gift-giver positively as well. This action can make one feel good about themselves, especially after seeing the reactions of their loved ones, showing that their small gesture can always be heartwarming. Giving gifts can also help people understand each other better, making their likes and dislikes more apparent, which could, ultimately, also strengthen bonds. Something to keep in mind is that a good gift is not defined with a price tag, but rather based on the receiving person’s interests and likes. Additionally, receiving a gift is always uplifting and a nice reminder that there are always appreciative people in your life that are there for you and look out for you. Although many people do enjoy luxuries for gifts, others may prefer something small, handmade, or even just a gesture of spending time or helping the other person with a task. Though luxuries are always nice to receive, they do not always have to be the first thing that pop’s up in one’s mind after hearing the word “gift”.
Gifts do not always have to be material as well, gestures or kind words can also be considered. Doing activities that involve spending time together, or helping someone with a complicated task or through a hard time, or simply looking out for someone are all gestures to make someone feel loved and seen, which is an immense part of the purpose of gifts. The excitement of the holiday season is always a special feeling, knowing that you’ll be able to destress from everyday life and busy schedules to reconnect with loved ones is always a relief, and despite gifts being a major part during the holidays they can also be exchanged throughout the year.