‘Tis the season for gift giving! I don’t know about you, but I’ve always loved giving gifts. A thoughtful present is a great way to show a person you care. Whether it’s a gag gift –like the water balloons I’m giving one person this year– or something a little more extravagant –like the silver butterfly necklace another friend is getting– gifts are one of my ways of spreading the love.

Recently, the conversation about not being able to gift in return –for reasons ranging from a tight budget to just not knowing a gift was coming– and how that makes the receiver feel has come up among some of my friends. I get it; I really do. When I give gifts, I never expect something in return. That’s the whole point of a gift: it’s given freely because you want to. The smile on the receiver’s face is enough thanks. However, I know the feeling that comes from receiving a gift when you don’t have one to give in return. I’ve been there; we probably all have. Goodness knows I’m as guilty as the next person for feeling bad for not returning the present. However, in a way I feel this misses the point of giving. Just as I don’t ask or want anything in return when I give, it should be safe to say another giver is in the same boat.

I’m a college student. I understand how tight funds can be. I understand that I am also very lucky to be able to afford gifts for the people I care about. This is all the more reason not to feel guilty about not gifting back.

It also comes down to feeling obligated to thanking a person for giving a gift. Don’t get me wrong — a verbal thank you is always appreciated. But I don’t need anything in return. To give a gift as a thank you starts a chain of thank yous that ends in each party suffocating under mountains of wrapping paper. My literal gifts are my way of thanking my friends for the figurative gifts they’ve given me. The gifts are the thank you. When I give a gift, often it is one of my ways of saying thanks to the receiver. The receiver is the friend. He/she is the one who puts up with my grumpiness. The very least I can do is get them a little something on their birthday and holidays.

In other news, my roommate gave me the MOST PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT EVER!