Gift Giving Anxiety: It’s A Real Thing

Ever feel that overwhelming amount of pressure after selecting holiday gifts for your family and friends? As it turns out, you're not alone. You're not crazy. That feeling is REAL.

According to a new survey reportedly conducted by DeBeers, 60% of people actually see gift-giving as a competition with those around them. If you find yourself agonizing over whether or not those cookies and that gift card you made for your mail carrier was enough, then consider yourself diagnosed.... with gift giving anxiety.

Unfortunately, I have to admit that I'm definitely a part of that 60%. I don't necessarily feel like I'm in competition with other people for who can give the better gift, but moreso with myself. I never know how to say "enough is enough". Sometimes, I give those that I really shouldn't be spending a lot of money on a much nicer gift than I probably should. Let me clarify, I'm not saying that these people in my life don't deserve nice gifts, but coming from me and judging based on the relationships I have with them, a card and a bag of my homemade chocolate covered pretzels would have sufficed. I didn't have to throw in a gift card for people that I barely talk to any other time of the year, does that make sense?

The survey says that 24% of people are worried about being out-gifted by a random individual. Not necessarily a family-member or close friend, but anyone. I guess that's where I would fall. I've gotten it in my head over the years that the more I give, the more those in my life will realize what they mean to me. Let me tell you, I've given a lot more over the years than I could even afford to. This year, I'm trying to keep myself in check by reminding my inner-self that it's not about how many gifts I give or how much money I spend on anyone (spoiler alert - I don't have much to spend this year, anyway), but it's about the fact that I thought about them enough to get them ANYTHING at all.

Easier said than done, of course. At least I know I'm not the only one in knots over Christmas shopping. Gift giving anxiety... yep, I definitely have it.

Source: SWNSDigital.com