Life

Find Out If You Gave The Perfect Christmas Gift

by Cecily Trowbridge

Gifting-hunting can be stressful, worrisome, and difficult; the key to the perfect gift for a loved one is hard to pin down since that key is different for every recipient. Every year, thousands of retail shops, online stores, and magazines weigh in on the items they consider to be ideal for your friend.

It seems, however, that the secret to the ideal present was always far simpler than any of us imagined. Psychology and neuroscience YouTube channel Braincraft brings you the newest research on what makes a gift worth giving, in rhyme and Christmas tune. It's pretty fundamental:

"For those people seeking gift-giving perfection, what counts is the thought that goes into the selection."

As it happens, the secret is the amount of effort we put into connecting the nature of the gift with the interests of the person we're shopping for; socks for your friend whose feet are always cold let her know you feel her pain; a Starbucks card for Aunt Bette who works nights and can never get her hands on enough caffeine; a Netflix account for your boyfriend, who never logs out of yours. All of these will purportedly mean more and be received more positively, as you've thought the purchase out, tailoring them for each individual.

The video itself is fascinating. It also goes into the "emotional lift" a gift recipient gets when they receive "environmentally friendly" fare.

The take-away? "Spending more money doesn't lead to elation."

Click the video above to partake of the full rhyme.

Images: Getty (1), Braincraft/YouTube (1)