In all countries of Christian culture, December is the month of pre-holiday fuss. Much of it is a gift. Shops on New Year’s Eve weeks earn as much as a whole quarter, or even more. Because everyone gives gifts to everyone.
Only Moscow spends so much on their packaging that it could feed the population of some small starving third world country for a month. At the same time, we throw away not only the packaging, but sometimes the gifts themselves — first of all, small souvenirs of the same type like «animal» symbols of the coming year and other predictable tinsel.
Why do we give anything to each other at all (if we take out the selfish motives for distributing advertising samples, etc.)? Sometimes it is really important for us that the addressee has what he needs. Such gifts are made to close people: parents, children, good friends. Getting to the point is not easy — you need to know a person very well in order to please him.
Another motif — «it is not a gift that is expensive, attention is expensive» — suggests that the very fact of giving is important. Sometimes this is true: for small children, any gift is happiness. And for people who feel forgotten, unnecessary and lonely, any manifestation of attention is very important. However, for active, family and non-poor people who do not need constant proof that they are not alone in the world, the significance of a “gift for the sake of a gift” is already devalued in many respects.
THE GIVER RECEIVES THE EXPERIENCE OF HIS POWER AND NEED, THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD AT LEAST LITTLE.
In fact, together with a gift, we give our emotional state, mood, which are determined by many factors: the thing itself, the mood of the addressee, the relationship between us, and, last but not least, the process of giving. This is clearly seen in the example of flowers: most likely, they will quickly wither, but the feelings given with their help will last longer. However, the result is not guaranteed: sincerity and psychological sensitivity are required so that the transmitted feelings reach the addressee along with the gift, and are not lost along the way. It is also worth remembering that any gift made from the heart gives the giver no less than the recipient. Nothing causes us such joy and spiritual uplift as something done for others. Many people know this, others have a chance to experience it. So the gift has a double meaning. For the giver, this is an experience of his strength and necessity, the ability to change the world a little. For the recipient — a sign of attention, a carrier of feelings. And for both — a confirmation of their existence, their non-randomness in this world.
We will give joy and good mood to others, but first of all, we will think about those who need attention more: about the elderly, children, those who celebrate the New Year on the street, at the station, in an orphanage, in prison, and just about those who really any sign of attention is dear. After all, it costs us practically nothing.
- What holiday are you dreaming about?
- Are you good at giving gifts?
- New Year: Do you enjoy the holiday?