Season of gift giving

By Liliana Ma,
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

Abby Lo’s most memorable gift was the heart-shaped locket that came with a book that she received from her mother in the first grade.

Zephyr Tyner-Tikanen’s appreciates the Wii he got when as an 8-year-old for Christmas.

Emma Taylor loves her orange tabby cat her parents gave her for her tenth birthday the best.

For a gift to be special it doesn’t have to be expensive. According to Neel Burton, a psychiatrist and philosopher who works on human reaction, it’s the thought that counts not the monetary value.

Things like a wrapping the object, adding meaningful note and getting the person something he or she will truly appreciate is key to making a nice gift.

As a 10-year-old, junior Michelle Martinez remembers receiving a set of books from her mother. It helped her develop a love of reading.

“It gave me an escape,” Martinez said.

Some presents might inspire the receiver to do more. Sophomore Ady Schwarz received a “Fault in Our Stars” CD for her birthday three years ago. It was her first CD she had ever owned and it influenced her to continue buying them.

“I own like 20 and I’m still buying more. It’s nice knowing some of my favorite music is saved in my room on a physical CD,” said Schwarz.

A surprise is also nice, according to Burton.

Sophomore Tyner-Tikanen recalls when he received his Wii on Christmas. He had opened all his presents and he thought he hadn’t received the Wii.

“I really really really wanted it, but I didn’t think I was going to get it.”

His parents surprised him with it in the end.

“Look behind the curtains,” his mom said. There lay his Wii he had been dying to receive

Not every present is memorable for the same reasons. Junior Jack Walsh was given a sweater for Christmas. “I really liked the sweater. It was soft and comfy, wore it three days straight” Walsh said.

Until his mom shrank it in the wash.

“I recall it wistfully,” Walsh said.

Vinita Mehta, a psychologist and journalist, works with many patients everyday and studies human behaviors. Mehta says a gift reflects the bond between the giver and recipient. It’s really important to find something that matters and shows the bond to family or friends.

Junior Miyan Grasso most clearly remembers a gift he received tenth grade year.

“It was like a box of motivational and funny quotes and silly pictures. Made me smile. I knew my friends cared,” Grasso said.

Ben Skinner, sophomore, remembers a fish his brother gave him. “The fish itself was just a fish, it was meaningful because it showed that my brother was interested in sharing his hobby with me,” Skinner said

Sophomore Mireille Peauroi’s most memorable presents was not one she “begged or hoped for”. Before the start junior high she got her first phone.

“My parents thought I deserved it and was responsible enough to take care of it,” Peauroi said.