Santa may have figured things out but for most of us, the art of gift giving is a work in progress.
We often think of gift giving in terms of the receiver but let’s flip the script. Research shows that there are tangible benefits for the gift giver – especially when a gift involves acts of service such as your time, attention, and companionship.
In a world that seems wrapped up (no pun intended) in buying, collecting, and consuming, maybe it’s time to rethink gift giving. This article explores the physical, mental, and social benefits of giving back and why families may want to consider charitable options for the holiday season.
Thinking beyond the actual gift
In an era of ‘Elbows Up’, environmental concerns, and businesses reportedly engaging in questionnable labour and manufacturing practises, Canadians think about a lot of things when they shop. Shoppers seem to be asking ‘where is the product made’, ‘by who’, and ‘under what circumstances’, more than ever before.
Gift overwhelm can be real
Let’s face it – gift giving can be overwhelming. A quick online search reveals that you can buy pretty much anything at anytime from anywhere. More choice and more delivery options at faster speed. But have we lost something here?
Pause the idea that spending money corresponds directly with how much we like or love someone. What if we prioritized gifts of our time, presence, or acts of kindness instead?
Gifts that feel good to give and receive
The holidays can be stressful as we navigate complex family dynamics, travel long distances, and juggle family, work, and social obligations. For some, economic pressures, job uncertainty, and health concerns can compound seasonal stress. Service organizations such as food banks and shelters are reporting record breaking demand and usage rates. If there’s a silver lining in all of this, if you want to support a local charity this holiday season, there are plenty to choose from.
Consider something a little different for this year’s season of giving. Here are a few simple ideas:
- Purchase toys for a holiday season toy drive
- Donate to a local food bank
- Drop off homemade cards/gifts for residents of long term care facility
- Knit or crochet hats for premature-born infants
- Volunteer to serve food at a community outreach program
- Offer drives to patients for cancer treatment appointments
Your time, service, and presence can make a difference
Turn traditional gift-giving into something meaningful by adding charity gift-giving to your holiday plans. Plus, you may experience a few other benefits. Here are 12:
- Experience a literal high: helping others causes a reaction within our own bodies that is essentially a release of feel good chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, and dopamine. Collectively, they leave us feeling happy, content, and excited.
- Reduce cortisol: prolonged high levels of cortisol is associated with weight gain and negative stress (the overwhelming and unproductive kind)
- Activate the parasympathetic nervous system: this is the system responsible for counter-balancing your body’s response to stress, helping you feel calm and in control.
- Promote immune function: positive emotions can boost immunity and decrease inflammatory responses within the body.
- Improve fitness: if volunteering involves physical activity such as moving boxes, carrying supplies, walking, sorting toys, or serving food, you’ll get a bonus fitness boost.
- Foster connections: positive group activities build strong relationships, and are a key factor in happiness and longevity (how long a person lives)
- Reduce loneliness: being surrounded by people helping others can make you feel good, protecting against loneliness and feelings of isolation
- Strengthen a sense of belonging: people want to feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Giving back helps create a strong sense of community
- Build a positive family identity: parents who model compassion and empathy are more likely to pass these values onto their children and instill a strong sense of ‘this is what we do’ and ‘who we are’
- Develop key skills: involving children in activities that expose them to experiences different from their own helps build awareness, compassion, and empathy
- Provide perspective: seeing the challenges and circumstances others face provides perspective and promotes appreciation and gratitude for what we have
- Create a sense of purpose: when children see the difference their actions can make, it fosters a sense of social responsibility and helps them understand the impact they can have on improving things for others
Tip: To learn more about how volunteering can positively impact your mental health specifically, check out this article from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Tips to get your family started
Adding charity gifting should not be daunting. Here are a few tips to help you get started:
- Start small – pick one activity that aligns with your family’s interests and values. Whether it’s sports, the environment, or a specific health concern, pick one theme or organization to start with
- Involve the kids – they are more likely to want to participate if they have a say in what, how, when, and where
- Blend tradition with new activities – maintain some familiar traditions while incorporating charitable gift giving for this year
- Consistency over scale – avoid the ‘I don’t have time’ or ‘my contribution is not enough’ trap. Whatever works for you and your loved ones will be valued and appreciated because the demand in our community is so high.
Tip: Hamilton is home to a wide variety of registered charity organizations. Contact them to learn how you can get involved to support what they do.
A final word
The holidays are about spending time with loved ones and creating shared memories. When gift giving goes beyond simply buying things, it has the power to build connections, provide meaning, and create impact. Make this holiday season the first of many to support an organization that helps others: you’ll teach your kids invaluable life lessons and benefit in ways that you may not have even thought of. Holiday cheers to all of that!
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Information for this blog was sourced from the Alliance blog library, Canada Helps, and the Canadian Mental Health Association – Toronto.