When the holidays come around, everyone starts to worry about what presents to buy for the people that you love. For me, it's a combination of stress and excitement when it comes to buying presents. I want to give gifts to the people that I love, but there's so much pressure to get the perfect gift for everyone in your life. When the season of giving comes around, you shouldn't feel controlled by the pressure of the perfect gift.
After being in a relationship for four years, one of the biggest things that I've learned is that gifts aren't everything.
My boyfriend and I aren't big gift givers in general. We've never gone overboard when it comes to buying each other gifts. It's comforting to know that I don't have to outdo the gift that I previously gave, and that whatever I get him is good enough. However, I have friends who are spending ridiculous amounts of money on their significant others.
Showing people you care about them isn't something that is shown in the amount of money you spend on someone. Actions can mean even more than the amount of money you spend on someone. The fact that someone thought enough to get you a gift should matter more than what you actually receive.
The more you spend on someone doesn't translate to you loving them more. When you have rent and tuition to worry about, it's hard to justify spending large amounts of money on someone else, just for one day. All college students are worried about their spending habits, and the people that you're buying gifts for are in the same situation.
Christmas is a time where everyone wants to make sure that they get gifts for everyone that they love. But between family, friends, and gift exchanges that you're involved in, Christmas quickly becomes a time where everyone spends more than they anticipated.
Giving gifts should be something that you should enjoy doing. If there is anyone who expects you to give a big gift in order for them to be happy, then that's their problem and not yours.
Your significant other should be the person that's most understanding of how much you spend on them. There are other ways than giving gifts that should make them happy. Spending time together around the very busy holidays, and small acts can mean more than one large gift.
Society expects entirely too much when it comes to giving gifts. Not only is there a stigma around giving homemade gifts, but there is also the concern that the gift you are giving isn't good enough. I would rather get a small homemade gift than something expensive.
I never expect anyone to give me a gift. It's their choice to do so, and it doesn't change our relationship in any way. I will appreciate a $5 gift the same as a $100 gift. A price tag doesn't change the fact that someone cared enough about you to get you a gift. Even if it isn't exactly what you wanted, the action of buying you a gift should mean more than the physical item.
Giving gifts is something that you should enjoy doing. Putting pressure on yourself in order to get the perfect gifts eliminates the whole point of giving gifts in the first place. I'm not going to be upset I get "small" gifts every year. I know that my relationships with people mean more than any gifts I could receive.
