Many of us have much more stuff than we’ll ever need, but giving and receiving presents at Christmas remains an appealing joy.
Gifts that are selected with love and care are capable of moving us, surprising us and making us feel seen and loved. It could be the time and attention poured into a handmade masterpiece, the promise of an experience to help us look forward to the months ahead, or something that we’d never be able to afford – or give ourselves permission – to buy ourselves.
For some, the gift of presence means the most: a listening ear at a time of tumult, or practical help when life gets too much. Martin Lewis, the UK moneysaving expert, has thought even further outside of the gift box. “We do tit-for-tat giving – which means people end up with tat,” he opined a few years, when the cost-of-living crisis in the UK was beginning to bite in earnest.
Lewis suggested we jump off the “gift-giving treadmill,” adding: “I think sometimes the best gift is releasing others from the obligation of having to give to you.”
