Each year presents us with all kinds of opportunities to give gifts with feeling. The holiday season, birthdays, anniversaries, milestones and more – they’re all a chance to show someone special that you’re thinking of them. That you want them to feel seen and loved.
The gesture of gift-giving offers plenty of benefits beyond the gift itself. This is true not only for the recipient, but for the gift giver too. Gift-giving is an exchange that can have a range of positive benefits on your body, mind and soul – from feelings of joy to reduced stress. No matter what it is that you’re sharing with a person.
Stress and anxiety expert Dr Jodi Richardson, PhD (Medicine) spoke with us to share more about these benefits – and why the feel-good factor of gift-giving is more connected to science than you might have originally thought.
the positive benefits of receiving a gift
Receiving a gift can be a great experience for many reasons. It can be an unexpected surprise, a long-awaited piece you’ve been hoping for, or another upside to a special occasion. Besides the immediate joy of receiving a beautifully wrapped, thoughtful gift, you also feel these positive emotions every time you use or experience the gift afterwards.
This lasting happiness comes about because of the delightful way the brain responds, releasing ‘feel-good’ chemicals that, well, make us feel good!
“One of these chemicals is a hormone called oxytocin, often known as the ‘bonding hormone.’ Oxytocin strengthens the connection between the gift giver and receiver, making the exchange feel deeply meaningful,” says Dr. Jodi.
“Receiving a thoughtful gift also activates the part of our brain linked with reward and pleasure. Dopamine is released, lifting our mood and creating a warm, joyful feeling that makes us feel valued and appreciated.”
Though it’s not always possible, when you receive a gift in person, you get the added benefit of spending time with someone who cares about you. As Dr. Jodi says, “this experience boosts oxytocin and can also increase serotonin, lifting your mood, while helping reduce the stress hormone cortisol. These effects create a powerful buffer against stress, helping you to feel relaxed, content and more connected.”
the positive benefits of receiving a gift
Receiving a gift can be a great experience for many reasons. It can be an unexpected surprise, a long-awaited piece you’ve been hoping for, or another upside to a special occasion. Besides the immediate joy of receiving a beautifully wrapped, thoughtful gift, you also feel these positive emotions every time you use or experience the gift afterwards.
This lasting happiness comes about because of the delightful way the brain responds, releasing ‘feel-good’ chemicals that, well, make us feel good!
“One of these chemicals is a hormone called oxytocin, often known as the ‘bonding hormone.’ Oxytocin strengthens the connection between the gift giver and receiver, making the exchange feel deeply meaningful,” says Dr. Jodi.
“Receiving a thoughtful gift also activates the part of our brain linked with reward and pleasure. Dopamine is released, lifting our mood and creating a warm, joyful feeling that makes us feel valued and appreciated.”
Though it’s not always possible, when you receive a gift in person, you get the added benefit of spending time with someone who cares about you. As Dr. Jodi says, “this experience boosts oxytocin and can also increase serotonin, lifting your mood, while helping reduce the stress hormone cortisol. These effects create a powerful buffer against stress, helping you to feel relaxed, content and more connected.”
how giving a gift can be just as positive an experience
When you think about – and buy a gift for – someone you care about, you can often overlook the gift you’re giving yourself at the same time. The focus is on making the other person feel loved, celebrated or supported. This is why it’s often more of a joyful experience to give a gift than it is to receive one! The feelings of kindness and generosity involved in giving have plenty of positive benefits for your happiness – but did you know that it can improve your physical health as well?
“Beyond the joy that comes with delighting a friend or family member with something special, you get to experience what’s called the ‘warm glow’ effect, or the warm and fuzzies,” says Dr. Jodi. “This happens because regions of your brain linked with pleasure, connection and trust are activated. By thinking about someone you care about and planning, choosing, wrapping and delivering a thoughtful gift, you’re expressing gratitude. It’s a gesture that brings with it benefits such as lowering your blood pressure, boosting your immune system and even helping you sleep.”
embracing both giving and receiving for our wellbeing
Some people much prefer giving a gift to receiving one, while for others, it’s the exact opposite. Both are just as important as the other, to the point that one of the five love languages is categorised by gift-giving! At the heart of it, this action is a way to show your appreciation for the people you care about.
When you give a gift you’ve chosen thoughtfully, you experience joy by delighting a person in your life. Equally, when on the receiving end, you experience surprise, delight, happiness and a lovely dose of gratitude. This makes gift-giving a win-win either way. And it doesn’t just feel good, it’s genuinely beneficial for our health and wellbeing.
“It all comes down to the way positive emotions like joy and gratitude can connect you with others. You can think of them as nutrients that help you to regulate your nervous system and boost your health and wellbeing. So much so that those who experience warmer, more upbeat emotions live healthier, longer lives,” she says.
embracing both giving and receiving for our wellbeing
Some people much prefer giving a gift to receiving one, while for others, it’s the exact opposite. Both are just as important as the other, to the point that one of the five love languages is categorised by gift-giving! At the heart of it, this action is a way to show your appreciation for the people you care about.
When you give a gift you’ve chosen thoughtfully, you experience joy by delighting a person in your life. Equally, when on the receiving end, you experience surprise, delight, happiness and a lovely dose of gratitude. This makes gift-giving a win-win either way. And it doesn’t just feel good, it’s genuinely beneficial for our health and wellbeing.
“It all comes down to the way positive emotions like joy and gratitude can connect you with others. You can think of them as nutrients that help you to regulate your nervous system and boost your health and wellbeing. So much so that those who experience warmer, more upbeat emotions live healthier, longer lives,” she says.
the ideal gifts for feel-good giving
Finding the ‘perfect’ gift can sometimes feel like a daunting task. You likely want to feel like you’ve gone to the greatest lengths possible to make a person feel good. The good news? Just about any gift can bring about positive benefits for you and the recipient! The gratitude, joy and surprise of gift-giving isn’t measured by how much an item costs, or how grand the gesture is. It’s the intent, thoughtfulness and love with which you give the gift that makes the biggest impact.
Gifts don’t have to be physical items or out-of-the-ordinary experiences either. Cooking a meal for someone or helping someone out with a task they’ve needed to get done can be just as special.
So, when it’s time to start planning a gift, think about each individual and what might make them feel the most joyful. Let that feeling guide you forward and you’re sure to be met with gratitude. While feeling plenty of happy emotions yourself.
