Why do we give gifts

But the tradition of giving gifts on birthdays did not start until much later. Some people believe it started with the Persians and was observed by a Greek historian, who then brought the practice into Greece. Later on, the Romans would also include the practice of gift-giving in their birthday celebrations.

Others believe it started when Jesus Christ was born and when the Three Wise Men brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There are also some who believe that the practice of giving gifts to people on their birthdays was started somewhere in Europe some hundred years ago. This theory claims that the gifts were given to people on their birthdays as a symbolic tool to ward off the evil spirits that would otherwise come to harm or haunt the person celebrating their special day.

The gifts would be given to protect the person whose birthday it was from these spirits. The practice of giving gifts has had many different meanings throughout history and will likely mean something entirely different again in a couple of decades. Nonetheless, that is enough of a history lesson for today. We now know that giving gifts is not a new thing and that the reasons we have given gifts in the past have changed a lot over the years. Even now, the reasons why we give gifts are still changing.

Regardless of whether you like giving and receiving gifts or not, there is no denying that they play an essential role in our society, and not only on birthdays. Marriages , anniversaries, special holidays, new homeowners , and noteworthy achievements are all occasions that warrant gifts. So the next time you are scrambling to get someone a gift or need a gift idea , take some time to consider what you want to say with your gift, and then take it from there.

Table of Contents. Just for being who they are. You should do this even for people about whom you feel conflicted. This is a gift. Just think about what you do appreciate about people and describe that part. Let them know what about them makes you smile. What you admire. What makes them special to you. Then hand them your notes and thank them, individually, for working with you. I know, for me, it made my otherwise insignificant, mid-decade birthday the most significant one yet.

You have 1 free article s left this month. You are reading your last free article for this month. Subscribe for unlimited access. Two French writers argue that link in French , within the family, there is no debt creation from gift-giving. Altruism, where people give charitably with no expectation of return, is an entirely different category of giving.

But when it comes to exchanging presents with friends, Mortelmans says that act of giving inevitably creates a debt. Because they receive something and they cannot give back so they need to compensate with other services being corrupt. Gift giving may not share the same negative intentions as bribery but, ultimately, both acts are equally selfish. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy. Skip to navigation Skip to content. Rather than using your own preferences to buy a gift, focus on shared interests first and choose something you both would enjoy Credit: Getty Images.

In order to feel like a good gift giver, people erroneously feel like they need to diversify the gifts, even at the cost of giving the best present, according to Galak. So those trainers of yours that your friend loves? To shop better, psychology professor Dunn suggests starting with something you have in common with the recipient. She says that instead of using your own preferences and adjusting them for how you and the recipient diverge, focus on what you share and pick a gift from there.

For an even stronger gift think about a common interest you share and buy something that your recipient can experience — say, concert tickets or a cooking class. If you have nothing in common, though, Dunn recommends just asking the recipient what they want, or to work off a registry. Galak agrees that the simplest way to make a person happy with a gift is asking them what they want.

Monetary value means less than you may think, as gift receivers tend to care about the intention and thought more so than the actual item Credit: Getty Images.