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Olle Lindholm

The science of gift-giving

Published over 2 years ago • 1 min read

Like many of you, I am starting to think about the holidays and all the gifts I will need to buy for the people in my life. But it's challenging to choose gifts for family, friends, and colleagues.

Here are a few psychological insights to help you tackle the holiday season.

(Spoiler: Giving an expensive gift is not necessarily the way to someone's heart. More on that below.)

Let's get to it!

Gift-giving can lead to better health

"According to data gathered by Random Acts of Kindness, expressing kindness to others – for example through gift-giving – can lead to an increase in energy, lifespan, feelings of love and happiness, and can even help relieve pain and lower blood pressure."

Read: One for you, one for me: the psychology behind gift-giving​

Practical gifts build great relationships

"In a recent study, researchers ran serial experiments looking at how close a gift recipient felt to a gift giver—either an acquaintance or closer friend—after receiving an attractive versus a practical gift. In every case, people felt closer to someone who gave them a more usable gift than one that seemed fancier. Though it might seem like the perceived cost of the gift would have made a difference in closeness, it didn’t change the outcome when researchers told participants the two items were the same price. This finding mirrors past research, which has found that giving an expensive gift is not necessarily the way to someone’s heart."

Read: How psychology can help you choose a great gift ​

Why inspiration matters

"In a culture obsessed with measuring talent and ability, we often overlook the important role of inspiration. Inspiration awakens us to new possibilities by allowing us to transcend our ordinary experiences and limitations. Inspiration propels a person from apathy to possibility, and transforms the way we perceive our own capabilities. Inspiration may sometimes be overlooked because of its elusive nature. Its history of being treated as supernatural or divine hasn’t helped the situation. But as recent research shows, inspiration can be activated, captured, and manipulated, and it has a major effect on important life outcomes."

Read: Why inspiration matters (Harvard Business Review)

Outro

Remember that the greatest gift you can give someone is your attention. So, shut off your phone and share a moment with a friend or a loved one. Such fond memories will keep on giving for years to come.

That's what the holidays is really about, isn't it?

Have a great week!

Cheers,
Olle
​

PS. I made strawberry jam last year and that was a popular gift among many of my friends. Got any good gift ideas? Please share them with me. I'd love to hear what you're giving away.

Olle Lindholm

A Sweden-based author and coach.

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