Friendships are the mutual relationship between people. It is a strong bond that is built with enduring trust, affection, and intimacy. Friendships are essential throughout a person’s life span in many cultures. Many fields like anthropology, communication, sociology, social psychology, and philosophy have long considered friendship as a deeper level of interpersonal relationship. Having a special bond of friendship is a blessing, and many people want to show their love and appreciation to their friends. The way you express your affection to your friends can come in many different forms, and they can be special or unique to every person. Some people show affection by simply being there for their friends and listening to them, others choose to send them gifts occasionally. Sending gifts to your friends can be an incredible way of letting them know of your love and care for them, or how grateful you are for their presence in your life. Gift-giving can be a tedious process, but with the help of services like flower delivery Singapore, it should not be tedious anymore.
Giving Gifts as a Love Language
Receiving gifts is one of the five ways people sense love, according to Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Lasting Love. The book mentions that physical touch, acts of service, spending time together, and words of praise are other ways we can perceive love. Gift giving as a love language means the expression of our affection through gifts, varying from simple little gestures to a big surprise delivery. To a person whose love language is getting gifts, presents are considered as physical representations of love that somehow actualize someone’s devotion for them. Just because a person’s love language is receiving gifts, that does not necessarily imply a sense of being materialistic. That is a common misconception because gift-giving is more than materialism. Many intangible aspects, such as emotion, plays an important role in the love language just as much as the material aspect like the gifts. People who communicate in the love language of getting gifts take into account the element of surprise, the excitement of unwrapping, and the idea behind the symbol of affection. They do not simply focus on the monetary value or how precious the gift is, but the thoughtful gesture that goes into the act of giving a gift is the one highlighted. Aside from that, the experiences of gift-giving occasions can linger in their minds for years.
The person with a love language of receiving gifts takes gift-giving very seriously. They take delight in selecting the ideal, unique gifts for each occasion. Whether it is a flower bouquet for their birthday, or a get well soon hamper when they are not feeling well, they would love it as long as the thought is there. They enjoy receiving little sentimental gifts with a lot of thought rather than an expensive gift that is not thoughtful. Small gifts of affection, even if they are simply a few dollars at the local convenience shop, can mean the world to them, they would value those sentiments more than anything.
When your friend has the love language of receiving gifts, there are a few tips to express the flow of affection well. If you have a habit of forgetting important dates, setting up periodic reminders on your calendar can help. When it comes to communicating with them, consistency is crucial. Make it a point to share gifts multiple times a year, and it does not have to be expensive gifts. It can be as little as a seashell but would mean a lot to them.
Beyond Giving Gifts
Gifts, big or small, can be meaningful not just to those who have a love language of receiving gifts. It tangibly represents affection, letting the people you love know that you love them. However, giving gifts is not the only means of expressing affection. The greatest one can actually be the simplest one: your presence. Being there for your friend and listening to them is also a tangible way of expressing love. Noticing them, giving them your attention, and hearing them can be the ultimate gift because that is what friends are for.
Another way is to let them know how much you care if you have not expressed it before. In friendships, we frequently think that our friends already know how we feel, so we do not take the time to express ourselves fully. However, saying how much they mean to you clearly to your friend can really be worth the effort. It would make both of you realize how important your bond is, plus being appreciated is one of the greatest feelings. Another thing you can do is to check in with them regularly. “How are you today?” is a simple question to ask, but that can mean a lot. This is especially significant if they appear to have some issues.