Why Are Some People So into Gift Giving During the Holidays?

By: Kelly Halonen, MSW, RSW

Everyone has different things they love about the holidays. This could be the decorations, spending time with loved ones, the snow, the food, getting gifts, or giving gifts. Have you ever noticed how some people just love gift giving? They want to find the perfect present and get joy just from you receiving this gift. But why? Isn’t this just buying into the materialistic culture of the holidays? Not always. A lot of the time it isn’t about what the gift is, but how happy it makes the person getting the gift. Let’s explore some reasons some people love gift giving. ​

Tradition. This one may seem obvious, but tradition! If people are raised around the gift-giving culture, then this is usually something that continues as they grow. They want to carry on these traditions and teach them to their family. With some holidays like Christmas, gift-giving and presents have become a big part of the holiday, especially for children.

Holiday Spirit. Getting into the festive spirit of the season may look different for everyone. Some people like to watch holiday movies, bake or cook holiday foods, decorate, and some people enjoy finding the perfect gift. While the shopping rush may not always be enjoyable, knowing that you found that perfect gift and then wrapping it, can help some people start to feel festive and look forward to the holidays.

Love Language. This is a big one that many people may not realize. Gary Chapman came up with the theory that there are 5 main love languages that people use. This includes words of affirmation, physical touch, quality time, acts of service, and receiving gifts. While these love languages focus on the interactions between romantic partners, giving and receiving gifts can be used with family and friends too. This love language means that people feel and also show their love by giving a special, meaningful gift to those they care about. The holiday season can be a great time to show family and friends that you care and love them, by trying to find the perfect gift that you think they will love. By putting a lot of thought and effort into finding this special gift, it shows these people just how much you care about them and can help reinforce and strengthen that relationship. The same is true for receiving gifts for people who have this love language. If they receive a gift from someone, they know that person cares about them enough to buy them a gift and put some thought into the present. This gift doesn’t have to be something extravagant, but just something to show that you were thinking about them or that has some meaning or sentimental value.

To Help Others. Often people feel more strongly around the holidays to give to those in need. The holiday season can highlight the poverty and inequalities in the community, and people want to help in any way they can. This can be money, canned goods, clothing, whatever may be needed for those in need. This can be done through a place like the Shelter House or just if there is somebody in your life that may be struggling.