Why Give?

Why Give Gifts?

Every culture values gifts and exchanges them during special occasions. However, we must not let this amazing practice become a routine. It is a pleasure and joy to give and receive gifts, and every single time we give a gift is a time of excitement and anticipation that draws people together.

Gifts make people happy

It is an undeniable fact that whenever someone receives a gift, their faces light up and they start smiling. Everyone likes to receive a gift, not just for the material value, but most importantly, we want to feel appreciated. A gift represents the amount of sincerity and love someone has towards us.

When buying a gift, many thoughts go into deciding on the gift.

1. What does the person like?
2. What does the person need?
3. Would this suit the person’s personality?
4. Is this too expensive, or too cheap?

All these decisions revolve around one crucial thing: We want to make the receiver of the gift know how much they mean to us.

The Value of a Gift

A gift is only worth as much as the effort behind the gift. That is why we might appreciate long, heartfelt letters more than expensive goods.

Time Spent Preparing the Gift:

This represents the time we spend directly purchasing the gift. This could be spending hours surfing online to choose the right gift, or it could simply be the time we spend to make the gift ourselves. That is why people appreciate hand-crafted gifts so much because intuitively, we know that it represents how much time someone has spent on the gift.

 Material Value of the Gift:

This is the amount of money we spend on the gift. If we earn $1million every year, and we give a gift of $50, it would mean that it is very EASY for us to give this gift. In this case, it would imply that the EFFORT (The amount of hard work we have to put in to achieve that $50) is lacking.

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything–all she had to live on.”

Thought behind the Gift:

This is how much thought we put into the gift. Whether we make the effort to understand what the receiver likes, what they need, or choose a gift that is meaningful. That is why sometimes, a well-written letter can mean a lot.

Of course, these 3 components of a gift’s value do not have to be in any proportion. It is up to us to decide if we want to write a heartfelt note, purchase an expensive gift, or spent lots of time crafting out a delicate piece of art to express our appreciation of the other person.