Why Give Gifts?

There have been countless times where I have been asked what I would like for Christmas, or my birthday and my answer is always the same, “nothing.” As a child this question was much easier to answer, I wanted it ALL, the Sun, the Moon, the stars, the entire Universe at my disposal. However, over the years I have discovered that what I want cannot be bought. I already have the Sun, the Moon, the stars, and the Universe is within me, yet I will never grasp them. “Things,” “objects,” everything external to us will never be a part of us, our minds arrive at the conclusion of how we feel about a particular object, our minds attach a value to the object, the object itself does not have value on it’s own. As children we are unable to supply things for ourselves, we are under the care of our parents, therefore it is a lot easier to answer the question. Once we get older we become more self sufficient, and we do not look to others to purchase things that we can get ourselves. Gifts that you receive from people you care about are priceless. As cliche as it sounds, it really is the thought that goes into the gift, even a $5 gift can mean the world to someone, if given with love and the right intentions. It is always nice to receive a gift from someone unexpectedly, it is the thought that overwhelms the receiver with gratitude. I have come to realize that I cannot put value on material things over, friendship, kindness, and love. I cherish the relationships with the people I care about in my life because I cannot receive friendship, kindness, and love from mere objects.

During the holiday season we can hope and wish that we get that cool new tablet, that cool new TV and whatever else it is people want these days. We need to learn how to be happy with whatever we receive this holiday season. The person that got you something, took the time out and made the effort to purchase YOU something, they didn’t HAVE to get you anything. Simply thinking about getting a gift for someone, shows that the person plays a significant role in one’s life. So do not dwell in WHAT is given, but think about WHY it was given, you will walk away feeling loved.  

The price of a gift is irrelevant. Just think back to when you were a child in grade school, remember the countless items you made for your mom, and she actually kept EVERYTHING? That is the power of a gift. My mom was going through some of her things recently and she showed me some pins I made out of clay in the first grade. Now, I don’t even remember what I was trying to make on the pins, but she kept them, as poor and messed up as they looked to ME, she kept them. Those pins had no value whatsoever, and truth be told I didn’t think my mom would keep them for longer than a month or two but all these years later she still has them. Even if they were the ugliest pins in the world she kept them because they came from me, her daughter. Making those pins did not cost me a single penny, but my mom still loved them, because they were a handmade gift from someone she loves and cares about. A gift can mean so much more when there is a shared experienced between the person receiving it and the person giving it. If there is a valuable shared moment represented within the object regardless of the price, the value it holds is what’s most important.

I go through life getting to know people and looking to share experiences and I expect nothing in return, so when I do receive something from someone I am always in shock even if it happens to be my birthday. I do not even need to open the gift to see what is inside, just the thought that someone put in the time to buy something for me gives me an amazing feeling of being loved and cared for. I am always grateful of the people in my life who are willing to got that extra mile just to put a smile on my face. People who expect too much are the ones that walk away disappointed, if you are not expecting anything the surprise always makes you feel better. If you want something for yourself, you should work hard to get it on your own. Do not rely on or expect someone else to get you what you want. If someone gets you something you really wanted without you hinting at it, you will be overwhelmed with joy because that person knows you THAT well and cares enough about you to gift you something you actually wanted.

Some may ACT happy when receiving a gift, only to spare the other person’s feelings, but that goes against the spirit of gift giving. When you give a gift, you give it because you want to give it, not because you HAVE to. When you shop for a gift, you have to put thought into it, you cannot simply expect the other person to fall head-over-heels in love with whatever you put before them. Whatever thought went into a gift it will not go unnoticed. When I give a gift to someone I love to sit and watch their reaction. That moment when they open up the package to reveal it’s contents is what is engrained in my mind, seeing a smile lets me know that this person appreciates what they got. Understanding that it is not about WHAT they got but it is about the THOUGHT that went into giving the gift, is all the more rewarding to both the giver and receiver.

Giving and receiving a gift, is NEVER about the gift itself, but it is about the gesture behind the gift. Whenever I look at and object that someone gave me, I think about the person EVERYTIME I look at it. I am overcome with gratitude and a deep sense of love from the other person.The object itself is irrelevant. The pins I gave my mom were irrelevant, she never wore them but she kept them with care all of these years only because it was given with love. So the next time you give a gift to someone, actually think about the person and put an effort on the gift, your efforts will not go unnoticed. The real gift is the moment shared by two people.

~Happy Hollidays!