Christmas time is a time for a lot of festive activities, and
they’re all aimed at spreading joy and the spirit of the season. Some of these
activities involve the giving of delicious baked goods; many a cookie delivery
has been made in the name of the holiday season. However, some people claim
that receiving a baked gift on your doorstep creates a feeling of obligation
rather than joy. Now that they’ve received a gift, they feel obligated to
reciprocate. So, should we all stop giving gifts to prevent others from feeling
obligated to return the favor?
Givers
The givers, those who are responsible for the sweet deliveries,
seldom expect anything in return. Their intentions may not be entirely
selfless, they may want to feel better about themselves by helping others, or
they may want to foster good will with their neighbors, but that doesn’t mean
they want a physical gift in return. In most cases, they just want to do
something nice. Sometimes they may even feel obligated to give the gift in
return for something the receiver did for them in the past.
Happy Recipients
Many cookie recipients are more than happy to receive these
types of deliveries. They don’t ask questions, they don’t feel obligated to
return the favor, and best of all, they get to enjoy a guilt-free plate of
cookies that appears out of nowhere. This is the type of response givers
envision when they plan the delivery. This recipient may return the favor or
keep the holiday spirit rolling by doing a favor for yet another individual,
but this is done in a spirit of giving and not obligation.
Reluctant Recipients
So the root of this obligation problem lies with those few
reluctant recipients. They may feel like the giver is expecting reciprocation,
but in most cases this simply isn’t true. It’s one thing to refuse a large gift
that costs hundreds of dollars, but cookies, brownies, fruitcakes, and holiday
breads are nothing to fret over. So, if you’re planning a cookie delivery, don’t let the few
reluctant recipients spoil your small act of service. And, if you’re the
recipient, you don’t have to feel obligated to do anything but enjoy the
treats.
I don't think it should make one feel obligated to reciprocate the act. I mean, it's more heartfelt if it comes directly from the heart and not because one does it out of obligation or guilt. The giver naman din, I'm sure, expects nothing in return and does what she does simply because she wants to. =)
ReplyDeleteI don't think it should make one feel obligated to reciprocate the act. I mean, it's more heartfelt if it comes directly from the heart and not because one does it out of obligation or guilt. The giver naman din, I'm sure, expects nothing in return and does what she does simply because she wants to. =)
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