Guiltgifting Syndrome – Any fellow sufferers?

Are you religious?

Ok… I see where you’re coming from now. To me it seems that the desire to live up the the expectations of others, or to a normalcy based on traditions have put you in this mindset that allows you to suffer when it comes to this time of the year. You celebrate the giving part of Christmas, but what about the actual origin of it? I was raised Christian, and I found that it didn’t fully make enough sense for me, and so I dropped it around the age of 11.

Up until earlier this year from then I wasn’t celebrating the values of Christmas, just enjoying the material abundance that came about. Once I let go of the attachment to the material world however a little while ago, the whole prospect of Christmas giving time became much more clear. My conclusion is that if you’re going to give someone a gift, do it because you want to, not because tradition said now is the time. This is going to be the first Christmas where I don’t worry about buying anything for anyone, and where I don’t expect or want any gifts in the first place from anyone else. Can you imagine being in that state of mind about this time of the year?

I think you just need to set up some rules as to by what criterias you gift people. – example, my parents mostly buy gifts for children (younger than 18) and just people we are with at christmas – imagine the mayhem if everyone had to gift everyone who ever sent them a gift – no one could afford it, and we would all be depressed with guilt.

you just need to rationalize. Would you considder it bad if someone didn’t gift you for x reason? then maybe you should just focus on the people close to you, or whoever you feel like gifting because you’re excited about it. try to eliminate your guilt, it’s crazy and you know it!