1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to realize that when it comes to 4 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: gift giving, it really is the thought that counts. We 5 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: value such thoughtfulness in other people, but we have a 6 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: hard time trusting that people will equally value it in 7 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: our gifts. Recognizing this, though, can make the holidays feel 8 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:40,080 Speaker 1: far less stressful. The information for today's tip came from 9 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: an interview my producer Lowell Berlante did with doctor Jeff 10 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: Gallick for Bowell's new podcast Prodigy. Doctor Gallick is a 11 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: marketing professor at Carnegie Mellon University, where he studies consumer 12 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: behavior and hosts the YouTube channel Data Demystified. Gifts are 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: a huge part of our economy. Billions of dollars are 14 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: spent each year just on Christmas gifts alone, and that's 15 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: partly because the whole concept of gift giving is deeply 16 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: embedded in the human psyche. Gifts are how we tighten relationships. 17 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: They are a physical manifestation of the psychological state of 18 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: caring about another person. Of course, if a gift is 19 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: a physical manifestation of caring, you might think that a 20 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,119 Speaker 1: more expensive gift means you care more, or at least 21 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: that it will be perceived that way. But Dr Galax 22 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 1: says this is a misperception. There is virtually no evidence 23 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,399 Speaker 1: supporting the claim that a more expensive gift will make 24 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: the recipient happier, and there is a lot of data 25 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: suggesting that what gift recipients care about is the intention 26 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: and thoughtfulness of the giver. In other words, it is 27 00:01:56,880 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 1: the thought that counts. On some level. We know this 28 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: when we serve as gift recipients. When we receive gifts, 29 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: we say to ourselves that the gift is a sign 30 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: of the other person's thoughtfulness, and in almost all cases 31 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: that is correct. But once we switch to being gift givers, 32 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: we seem to forget that experience and assume that people 33 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:21,399 Speaker 1: won't value us if we don't spend X dollars or more. 34 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 1: It isn't true. Now, you could theoretically give a bad gift, 35 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: but if the gift is given with love and you 36 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: are not passively aggressively trying to tick the other person off, 37 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: it's pretty hard. Once you know that it is the 38 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: thought that counts, you can lean into that reality. Writing 39 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: a card that says something genuine and meaningful will be 40 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: more valuable to most people than a random object ordered online. 41 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: Sentimental gifts are good too. They aren't necessarily valuable from 42 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 1: a monetary perspective, but they signify something important about the 43 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: relationship that you have with that person. And yes, useful 44 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: gifts are just fine, since it is the thought that counts. 45 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: Flashy and useful things both meet the requirement of you 46 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: thinking about the other person. But the useful stuff, well, 47 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 1: it will get used. Same thing with pulling something off 48 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: a person's wish list. Sometimes gift givers overthink this and 49 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: think that they can prove their thoughtfulness by going off 50 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:31,119 Speaker 1: the list. Since any gift shows thoughtfulness, you are perfectly 51 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,560 Speaker 1: fine giving the person something that they specifically stated that 52 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: they want. Here's one last manifestation of the principle that 53 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: it is the thought that counts. Dr Galax research shows 54 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: that non obligatory gifts are the most powerful because they 55 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 1: show you were thinking of the person at an unexpected time. 56 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: People expect gifts at the holidays. They're still great, of course, 57 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 1: but a card on a random Tuesday might actually make 58 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: the person happier than an expensive gift for Christmas. Because well, 59 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: you didn't have to have that thought on a random Tuesday, 60 00:04:09,960 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: but you did. So maybe stash a few gifts away 61 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: for January and February. You'll become known as one of 62 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: the most thoughtful people around. In the meantime, This is Laura. 63 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening and here's to making the most of 64 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: our time. Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 65 00:04:36,320 --> 00:04:39,239 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 66 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 67 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four, then 68 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 1: Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 69 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:56,120 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast podcast. At iHeart media dot com 70 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 71 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 1: Thanks so much. Should look forward to staying in touch. 72 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I heart Radio. 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