A few weeks ago I had a conversation with a close friend of mine, during which he tried to convince me that the practice of gift-giving is a materialistic one. That was not the first time I’d heard a similar argument. Every year, right around the holidays there’s always that person who attempts to make a case for gifts being a consequence of capitalism. Granted, the holiday season has been tainted by consumerist traditions such as Black Friday, but gift-giving can be actually a beautiful and necessary thing in human relationships.

Gift-giving has been a significant element in human interactions throughout history. From the well-known Magi bearing gifts for the newborn Christ, to potlatch, a ceremony of extreme gift giving celebrated by some native cultures, the positive impact of gifts has never been consumerism driven; it has been focused on providing a sign of affection and respect to another. A gift is a concrete expression of intimacy.

Psychologists have even discussed the benefits of gift exchanging, as the search for a gift strengthens one’s emotional commitment to the receiver. When we search for the perfect gift, we spend time thinking about the person and what they would like. When we receive a gift, we are recipients of a sign of affection.

Unfortunately, everything can be abused and there is a tendency to feel pressured to spend a lot of money on presents; the issue there, though, is not with gift-giving but with a culture of spending. A small, thoughtful gift is enough, but it is emotionally and psychologically important to show concrete signs of affection is relationships.

Letizia Mariani can be reached at mari8259@stthomas.edu