50 Christmas Posts That Are Beyond Heartwarming

Previously, Bored had spoken to priest and psychologist Dr. Fraser Watts, about the spirit of giving.

He explained that if we ever happen to receive a gift we’re not entirely happy with, we ought to imagine what our loved ones felt when choosing or making it. We should value the effort they put in, not the actual physical thing.

Meanwhile, during an earlier interview, Vanessa King, the Head of Psychology at ‘Action for Happiness,’ told Bored Panda that people keep themselves happy when they go out of their way to help others.

What’s more, there’s an evolutionary basis for altruism. When we’re kind to eat other, we build trust and maintain our social relationships with other members of the group. Meanwhile, our biology rewards us for this. “When we do things for others, it activates the reward center in the brain, so when we give a gift, it feels the same as receiving a gift,” she explained.

As we're covered recently on Bored Panda, gifts aren't essential for happy and healthy relationships. Though, if you're with someone who places a lot of importance on them, you can use the act of gift-giving as a way to show that you care about them and that you understand what they value.

Far more important than all of this, however, is helping the people you care about feel loved, understood, appreciated, wanted, and respected.

How are you celebrating the holidays this year, dear Pandas? Did you find the presents that you wanted underneath the Christmas tree? What are your plans this jolly weekend? Tell us a bit about it all in the comments. Merry Christmas!