Who doesn’t love to receive gifts? Whether you receive it on an occasion or get it without any occasion. Receiving gifts make us happy and we feel obliged to the person who has presented it to us, while giving gifts to others gives us inner satisfaction. In fact, gift giving is an important part of human interaction as it strengthens bonds with family and friends.

The practice of giving gifts is learnt from a very young age, you receive gifts on your birthday, on passing the exam or any other big day in your life. It is a surprise that is packed and wrapped to give you happiness and make you feel special. Similarly, when special

days come in your friend’s or a family member’s life, it is then your turn to give a perfect present for their special day.

While giving gifts is a form of showing our feelings to others, it should not be forced. When you are giving a gift, you should do it willingly and the feelings should be from the heart, without expecting anything in return. Your gift tells the recipient that you have been thinking about them and they feel special.

Actions speak louder than words

Everyone knows the significance of words, but sometimes words are not enough to convey a message. There are times when you want to express more and show someone that you care about them, and this is easily achieved through giving a gift, which works as a token of love and appreciation.

Take for instance, there is a party being held to celebrate your friend’s achievement in exams, you go there and greet him/her without a gift. Does it look all good to you? Of course not, this is a time to show your friend that you are also happy for them by doing something more than greeting or congratulating. A gift then becomes a token of appreciation and serves as a reminder of that special day.

While it feels great to be on the receiving end, there is always a feeling of satisfaction that you are the one doing the giving part. The happiness one gets when receiving is temporary, but the gratification one gets in giving something is satisfying and lasts for a very long time. You feel happy and content when you see the happy face of your recipient.

A way to keep in touch

The practice of giving gifts has the power and potential of strengthening relationships. Even if the person is out of touch and is away from your life, or let’s say, the person is not on good terms with you, the simple deed of presenting something to him/her will make them realise you care.

This will ultimately erase the distance, physically and mentally. The recipient will feel connected and will owe you gratitude.

It is not always about the gift

Yes, usually, it is not about the stuff we get — it is the surprise, it is the special feeling that you are remembered, you are cared for and that someone appreciates you and thinks about you enough to have bought something for you.

But giving gifts is not the only thing which shows that someone cares, appreciates or thinks about you. There are many other ways, such as the time someone gives to you, the care through their words and actions, and also the concern someone shows you.

The price tag doesn’t matter

Sometimes, we assume that if we buy an expensive gift for someone, it will show them that we care more, and that we are more thoughtful. Some of us also feel that if we spend more, we will receive more, which is absolutely wrong. Spending more doesn’t ensure a good relationship, it is the feelings that count, the way you give it, rather than what you give.

The person we are gifting can become happy with whatever he/she gets, regardless of its make or worth. For instance, someone buys them an inexpensive thing and we buy something expensive and unique. However, for the receiver, both the gifts remain same in value and they respond in the same way, or in a way that depends on their bond with the giver.

So, we should not feel bad when we can’t buy a very expensive gift, the impact of the gift will depend on our selection, if it is suitable for the person we are giving it to, and our gesture when presenting it.

Forget about uniqueness

Often times, many of us lag behind in selecting a perfect thing to present our friends. Sometimes we want to stand out from the crowd with our uniqueness and want others to stand in awe and appreciate us more. Thus, we spend more time in thinking about the recipient’s unique traits and personality.

But this hyper-specificity leads us to ignore other aspects of the recipient’s wants and needs, which may make us buy them a gift that is of little use and even impractical.

Focus on shared interests

Giving your own preferences when buying something for someone isn’t a good idea. You both may have different tastes and needs, so it is better to think about the interests or hobbies you share with the recipient and decide accordingly. It is always better to think about something common between you and the recipient, so you can have a better idea of what to buy.

Asking is better than surprising!

Most of the time, people are not comfortable in asking someone what they want as a gift, which is understandable since the element of surprise is no more in this case. However, if you can’t come up with something suitable, casually ask what they want or like.

If you present someone with what they really need but don’t have, the happiness and satisfaction that the recipient will have on getting that as a gift will in turn give a lot of pleasure to you.

Don’t overthink

Do not think too much when giving a present to someone you love or care about. Your gesture and effort matter more than the present!

However, your present must leave a good impression on the recipient because giving or receiving a gift that is weird or totally unsuitable can leave a bad impression. In such a situation, your recipient will wonder what you think about them.

For instance, if you present your history teacher with a poster of a rock star, it will hardly make him/her happy. They will wonder if you are trying to play a prank on them or how careless you are not to consider what their preference would be.

Gifts make others happy and you satisfied. They make your bond with recipient strong. Don’t think about the price or size of a gift, think about what suits that person and how you can present even the smallest of things in the sincerest manner — because the best presents are always those which come from heart.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 9th, 2021