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Gifts are given to different persons, more so categories of persons, for different reasons or on different occasions. At personal level, gifts are an expression of gratitude, of goodwill, of happiness, of respect, of love, of sharing, of care and of camaraderie. At social level, it is an expression of social acknowledgement. Family members form a very important set of people for giving gifts. For them, no formality and no occasion is needed. Did you give gift to your parents, or if you are a parent, gift to your spouse or siblings or kids for no reason at all? Then it’s excellent. It only helps in spreading happiness in the family.
Most often, gifts are given to family members and close friends. Obviously, this category may also need no reason or season. Such out of reason or out of season gifts are an occasion of delight for both the giver and the recipient. Often, gifts to friends are given out of gratitude which may happen at certain time, or when on a visit, or on occasions like birthdays or marriage anniversary.
Gifts given to acquaintances and colleagues or even the people whom we don’t know, in a social occasion or a social context, is a matter of formal courtesy or social compulsion. Suppose one gets invited in a ceremony by the head of the company. Now one may have never met the top boss, but still being invited, one visits and gives gift – that is social compulsion.
Table of Contents
- (A) Giving Gifts
- (B) Psychology Behind Giving Gifts
- (C) Accepting Gifts
- (D) Giving Gifts in form of Cash
- (E) Exchange of Gifts
- Conclusion
- Web-story of Giving and Accepting Gifts
(A) Giving Gifts
Gifts strengthen bonds of love and friendships and social goodwill. It strengthens connections between people. A gift can be material or non material, it can be to celebrate or to support or to encourage or an expression of love or respect or gratitude. Giving is an expression of kindness of a person. The ability to share and give something is part of good innate traits.
(B) Psychology Behind Giving Gifts
Gifts are acknowledgement of bond and connection between people. Such bonds can be very close, near and dear one, or distant and official, yet still a bond nonetheless. So for the first aspect it could be a gift to one’s family or friend, or in the second instance, it could be a gift – as in the early example – the head of a company where one works.
Besides, the act of giving is a reflection of one’s empathy, when one gifts to charities. In such situation, the recipient is unknown.
(C) Accepting Gifts
Wanting to give a gift is not enough – in fact, the person wanting to give the gift is only half the process. The object of transfer does not become a gift unless there is acceptance by the person receiving it. If the person refuses to accept the object, it does not become a gift – and the process only remains an honorable intention of the person wanting to give.
For the person giving the gift, it is an expression of care, spread of happiness, of gratitude, of emotions. Similarly, for the person receiving, there is a grace in accepting a gift. Giving and Accepting is also an expression of mutual respect. From whom one accepts gifts? Only from a person who is considered having goodwill. One doesn’t accept gifts from strangers or enemies. Not accepting gift is rejecting it, and rejecting the person offering the gift. Consequently, not accepting a gift is disrespecting the person offering the gift.
Besides, gifts have always been a way to break icy or strained relations among people. In old times gifts were sent from one ruler to another as an expression of good relations. Accepting a gift was similar to accepting the hands of friendship between two rulers who may have never met.
Even countries gift projects to another countries as a mark of having good relations. eg. France gave the Statue of Liberty as a gift to USA.
How you receive is just as important to the giver’s happiness as it is to your own. To receive in a good way requires you to do away with the negative thoughts and instead pause and reflect on the exchange and what it means: friendship, support, love, etc. This fuels a great deal of happiness in both the giver and receiver… If you find yourself lucky to be on the receiving end of any of these gifts, be sure to take a moment to pause and truly accept it with a sense of gratitude, honor, and appreciation. In this way, both you and the giver will reap the benefits and be truly blessed.
Rachelle Williams, Vedic Educator
(D) Giving Gifts in form of Cash
While a gift is generally understood as something material or non-material (eg. gift of Kindle Subscription), cash also forms a normal form of gift. Sometimes people prefer to give cash as gift because that gives greater flexibility to the recipient to buy the things they desire compared to gifting something that may not be of much use to the recipient. Now a days, there are many forms of cash that has come into being because of digital payment system. One can gift Amazon Vouchers, or transfer money through apps.
(E) Exchange of Gifts
Exchange of gift is often considered a norm, but is not necessary. More than exchange, the acknowledgement of receiving a gift with a smile is appreciated. The exchange of gift often takes the shape of return gift. It is an equal measure of bonding, and of mutual respect. While exchange of gift is desirable, it is not necessary because every person has their own means and it is not necessary that they can match the gift given to them. There is one important thing to remember that when giving gift, there is no quid pro quo. A gift is a gift that is given out of goodwill with no strings attached.
Conclusion
Gifts form an important part of our social life. Giving a gift is an important part of our social life and its relevance to the individual can range from being symbolic of social situation to that of an expression of gratitude, respect, and love. Receiving a is as important part as Giving a gift. Receiving shows grace. acceptance, and mutual respect a person has for the giver.
Web-story of Giving and Accepting Gifts
You may also like to read (Part 2) Can Gifts Lead to Friction? 4 Situations of Conflicts and (Part 3) Accepting Gifts and 4 Secrets of Manifestation