By: Karine Chan
There are many joys wrapped into the holidays. It’s a beautiful occasion filled with time with loved ones, lots of hot chocolate, an abundance of festive food, and, of course, gift giving! The holidays hold a different meaning for everyone. However, one thing universally associated with the holidays is gifts. Gift giving can come in many forms. Books, clothing, shoes, or even hugs or meaningful talks can be the perfect gift for the special people in your life.
Picture this: it’s Christmas morning and you hand your loved one a gift that you spent hours carefully picking from an abundance of options. As they unwrap the gift their face lights up and so does yours. You just made someone you love happy, one of the best feelings in the world. Yes, it is nice to be on the receiving end, but the sense of gratification from giving someone a gift far exceeds any gift that could be received. Giving someone a gift shows them that they are special to you and that you love and value them. Contributing to someone’s bliss is more than enough of a reason to give gifts. While gifts are most often given to people near and dear to the giver’s heart, there are just as many benefits, if not more, to giving gifts to those in need.
Being able to give gifts is a gift in itself. Some aren’t fortunate enough to be able to give or receive gifts. It’s a simple, fun task to you, but to someone who could use some love, food, or holiday cheer, it could mean the world. This holiday season, I urge you to think of the less fortunate. Buy some food for a homeless person, visit an old folks home bearing a smile and maybe some homemade cookies, drop toys off at a local children’s center or orphanage, bring your old clothes to nearby donation centers. These are all simple actions that can brighten someone’s day, week, or even life. Whether it’s giving a warm coat or taking time to read to children, I promise you you’re making an impact. Take time out of your day to shine some light on someone’s life.
Abandoning the idea of gift giving for a moment, let’s not forget about all the other important parts of the holiday season. For some families, the holidays are the only times that they are all together. Hold your loved ones close and enjoy every moment spent with them. You also cannot forget to treat yourself this holiday season. Buy that ring you want, splurge on a nice bag, grub on some food. Classic holiday treats like gingerbread, apple cider, hot cocoa, candy canes, peppermint bark and much more are all must-haves.
The feeling of receiving a gift stays with you at that moment, but the feeling you get when giving to others is so much more powerful. Giving has many positive effects on both the receiver and the gift giver. While giving gifts isn’t necessary and doesn’t determine how much you care for someone, it is nice to put in that extra effort. Love your family, appreciate your friends, do something kind, and have a great holiday!
