Giving and Receiving – How Different Are They?

The holidays are a time for gift-giving and generosity. For many, this is stressful and financially taxing. However, regardless of economics or time, it’s fun and exhilarating for others. These people remain like children. They are excited about decorations, spending time with family, and sharing and receiving gifts.

Gifts don’t have to be costly. Something homemade, whether crafts or food, is a gift from the heart and means as much. For those who are time-crunched, shopping online is easy and breezy. It’s also a good way to find the best bargains. Many sites will even wrap the gift and send it to the recipient.
The exchange can be equally enjoyable whether you are the giver or the recipient.

Some people are more comfortable in one role than the other. Those who like to receive anticipate whether their “Santa or Chanukah list” will be met, while those uncomfortable with this role don’t have a want list. They dread telling people what they like and don’t like.

People who like to give will want to fill others’ lists. Fulfillment comes from sharing — even gifting to someone who has everything. One person told me that one of the best gifts he ever received was a box of (artificial) butterflies that flew out when he removed the lid. Another told me handmade crafts in her favorite color filled her with joy. Another person said he was happiest with a small box of homemade chocolates. Another person loved receiving a handmade card with a loving note of appreciation. Some people like to share by getting rid of things they don’t use or making financial contributions to those in need. Even if someone does not need gifts, being loving toward them is the greatest gift of all.

Whether you like to give or receive, remember that they are the same. If you’re a giver, try to be more comfortable with receiving. Letting people know what you like makes them feel good about their gift. When you show joy, you complete a loving transaction. Also, you can find just as much pleasure in making someone else happy.

Over time, it’s been more fun to give than to receive. Opportunities are abundant. There’s a Santa box or Christmas Angel tree almost everywhere I go. It’s been fun to buy gifts for strangers, just knowing they’ll have something they might not otherwise enjoy. It’s also fun to make Christmas cookies and give them away — a tradition loved ones anticipate yearly. Preparing a holiday meal to share with loved ones is also a tradition and labor of love that provides great joy during the holidays.

If we recognize that both sharing and receiving are acts of love, we can see their commonality. When we withhold from either posture, we block love. The holidays aren’t about how much we spend or do or what we give or get. The holidays are a time to be conscious of the joy of sharing and receiving love. It’s a time to connect – like the elderly lady I just heard on a video who makes new friends frequently — at coffee shops, waiting rooms, or wherever she goes. She enriches her life by sharing the gift of time. For someone like her, life is always a holiday. With a loving mindset, it could be like that for all of us, most of the time.

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