In our modern world of excess, giant-sized everything and apparent waste all around us, you may be wondering why do we even participate in the traditional gift giving part of the holiday celebrations. Isn’t it ever enough? Recent trends are raining down criticism on corporate America for forcing us to buy into their campaign of more, more, more. Some movements have even adopted a “give-no-gifts” position during this time of year, claiming it’s damaging to buy into the craze of materialism. It can make us ask “what does gift giving really mean?”.
Suppose giving a gift wasn’t about adding to a collection of possessions. What if giving and receiving gifts could be about so much more? What if it could actually be a good thing? Good for us, and good for our society?
Three reasons giving gifts is good for the giver and the receiver.
1. Giving is a demonstration of your affection for another person. It shows the high regard you hold for the person. Have you ever wondered where the phrase “It’s the thought that counts.” came from? The Victorian era brought us this idea that giving a gift can actually be a moral act. Thinking about another person more than you think about yourself takes some practice because we humans are naturally a self -protecting, self- absorbed species. But the practice of giving a gift requires one to consider someone other than themselves.
2. Giving can call forth potential in another person. The power of giving a gift can call a person to action. It can demonstrate an intimate knowledge of the person, and call them to fulfill their potential. A Thoughtful gift can spurn the receiver toward a goal, equip them to fulfill a dream, prepare them for a “next Step”, or simply inspire them to take the next step.
3. Giving gifts can be an exchange of joy. Giving gifts that are thoughtfully chosen can stir joy in the person dedicatedly searching for just the right gift, and the person who receives the thoughtful gift experiences the joy of a well-suited gift. We usually only give gifts on a special occasion, but giving “just because” always brings an unexpected joy to the gift giver and the person who receives.
This Holiday Season take some time to think about why you practice a gift giving tradition. Being thoughtful of another person’s potential and unique likes makes you even better at choosing just the right gift! This Season, Gift Giving is even easier with the incredible promotion from Make It A Great Day Bags!