The act of gifting has been in existence for a long time now for different reasons. People gift for various occasions such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, births, housewarming, religious functions, and anything is worth giving nowadays. Besides, people even gift to say ‘sorry’ or to say ‘I miss you’!
Because it is a tradition that never grows old and we keep passing from generation to generation, it has become a way of life. But have you ever stopped and wondered why? What is it about gifting that has become so permanent in our culture?
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Read on.
Emotional Benefits
The best part about giving is expecting nothing in return. That in itself is a selfless act. It is something you do from the bottom of your heart, and it pleases you to add a smile to the recipient with or without your presence at that moment.
Nevertheless, it turns out that there are significant emotional benefits that accompany giving gifts to others.
Gifting is not only for people, but you can also gift your furry friend. Even your pet jumps up in joy when they receive a gift from you. Knowing that they cannot go to the store and pick something for you in return still makes you feel good that you added extra happiness to your pet’s life.
This is the same reaction and feeling you get with human to human gifting – and the emotional paybacks go both ways. Making the recipient feel good about themselves and your relationship will result in a win-win situation.
Simply put, the things that bring joy are those we give rather than receive on most occasions. Do you always want to be happy? Don’t hold back but give a gift!
Health Benefits
Believe it or not, giving a gift is healthy!
Apart from the joy of seeing someone enjoy their gift with all the excitement in the world, science also backs it up. Conversely, gifting is not only based on material things but even the intangible stuff such as time. Yes, you can gift someone your time and let go of your busy schedule to spend some precious time with them.
Research says that people who offer social support to others experience lower blood pressure than those who don’t. Supportive relations with others also benefit people to pull through from coronary-related events.
Experts also state that people who provide their time to help others in the community and organizational participation have better self-esteem, low depression, and stress levels than people who don’t.
There is proof that, during gift-giving actions, humans discharge ‘feel-good’ chemicals in the brains, for example, serotonin (mood-mediating hormone), dopamine (the feel-good hormone), and oxytocin (compassion and bonding hormone).
Volunteering your time can be from the smallest to the most remarkable things, such as helping in the soup kitchen in an elderly home to donate vast amounts for charity. All these are ways of giving gifts to people that can impact your health positively in things like;
- Lower blood pressure.
- Improved self-esteem.
- Less depression.
- Lower stress levels.
- Longer life.
- More happiness and satisfaction.
Of course, when you are happy and healthy from giving, you live longer!
Building Relationships
Have you ever returned from a holiday with souvenirs for your employees or baked cupcakes for your neighbors?
Gifting is the best and quickest way of making and building relationships-it is among the top reasons people do it anyway. Building relationships is not only for new people in your life, but it can also be for someone you know inside out. As a spouse, you can always gift your partner, which helps to solidify a positive bond that already exists.
As an employer who gifts their employees, it makes them feel at ease in their relationship with you even though professional. This way, an employee is ready to air out their grievances or suggestions directly to you without feeling any tension. Gifting softens even the most hardened hearts to bring people closer and show appreciation for each other.
Moreover, it helps us make an effort to get to know people better. When you want to gift someone, you want to do it right. Therefore, you will try to gather as much information as possible about the person to choose the perfect gift and reduce the chances of getting something they dislike. Besides, you should always do your best to select a gift that will be memorable to the recipient hence making a significant positive impact in their life.
Nothing beats the feeling of working or living with the people you know better, feel closer, and appreciate. Gifting enables you to create your little heaven down here.
It Becomes a Chain Reaction
Gift-giving is infectious. When you see others giving and receiving gifts, you also want to be part of the action. Besides, it feels better to reciprocate a good deed of being gifted and gifting in return even though people gift not expecting anything in return.
This act explains why it has become a die-hard tradition to this date since it keeps going in circles and never-ending anytime soon. While everyone enjoys the emotional, social, and health benefits, it is essential to note the chain reaction as a benefit.
This knowledge also inspires you to go out of your way. There are so many times that people find time to stop by a store and grab a bottle of wine or flowers to avoid going to a party or attending an invitation ’empty-handed.’ From a different angle, gift-giving becomes an act of courtesy and good manners.
To wrap up, similar to other highs, giving gifts is addictive. Therefore, figure out how you can gift a loved one or stranger in your life-either by buying the material gifts or merely offering your time as the gift. You will reap what you sow by having your soul, mental and physical health thanking you, not to mention the recipients of your contributions.
