Sometimes choosing a gift can turn into a real headache. But, when it hits the mark, it can please both the giver and the receiver. Focus on the effects of this tradition of exchanging end-of-year gifts.
This is one of the most deeply rooted traditions, that of giving or receiving. According the website Historythe offerings are found “from the ‘archaic societies’ of Polynesia, Africa or among many Native American tribes”. Originally, this exchange made it possible to conclude alliances, strengthen social ties, seal a marriage. It can also serve as a dialogue with a higher force. This is the case of offerings, more or less precious objects, consecrated to a deity.
In short, before being wrapped at the foot of the Christmas tree, the gift has gone through the ages and traditions. However, this question resonates in everyone’s mind “what do I offer for Christmas?” “Gifts are the expression of a feeling”explains Dr. Bonnie Buchele, an American psychoanalyst in Kansas City, in the columns of New York Times. According to her, the real question to ask is: “What do I want to offer?”. Behind this question hides, among other things, the spirit of Christmas.
To offer, the most beautiful gift
At the time of gift sharing, you have certainly felt the excitement of offering your gift and seeing a smile on the face of your loved one. Why such happiness? To understand it, you have to look at what happens in the brain. When the gift is exchanged, the reward circuit is stimulated, causing the secretion of dopamine: the hormone of happiness. But it’s not the only one. A second process takes place, that of empathy. This sensation is called the “indirect reward”. in a study carried out in 2015 by Stanford University in the United States.
Because it’s proven, offering causes well-being. A study of 2008 carried out by a Canadian team from the University of British Columbia analyzed the effects obtained by the use of a grant for others. The results are final. “Spending more of one’s income on others predicted greater happiness”, explain the researchers. An idea confirmed by a other study. DSwedish researchers have analyzed spending-related happiness. The specialists noted that the level of happiness was higher when expenses were linked to the happiness of others.
How to choose a gift ?
To please, the idea is to identify the needs and desires of your loved one. Pay attention to clues in a conversation or on the person’s schedule. This “survey” will allow you to better understand the person. This active search allows you, among other things, to postpone the moment of making your Christmas shopping and doing them at the last minute.
If this proves particularly difficult, you can turn to eco-friendly gifts, which cause an “emotional lift” in the recipient. According to chain of scientific trivialization BrainCrafthandmade gifts or donations to charity cause the same effect.
(ETX Daily Up)