By Bernadette Dimitrov

Christmas is a time for giving and giving is the act of generosity. It nourishes love in our relationships and builds the human spirit. Research shows that people who give without expectation and who do not feel diminished by the act of giving are the most psychologically healthy in our society today. Here are seven benefits of giving:

1. Builds Relationships - giving reinforces appreciations and acknowledgement of each other and thus is an important ingredient for building relationships.

2. Deepens Relationships - by sharing past and future thoughts we give of our selves in an intimate way. It can be a wonderful ritual such as at Christmas to come together and openly give and share feelings, experiences and wishes for the coming year. This deepens relationships as we share and express more of who we are.

3. Expresses Feelings - giving is a way to express and show feelings especially if you are not comfortable expressing feelings through words. Giving is an opportunity to express a whole range of feelings such as gratitude, appreciations and thanks.

4. Creates Memories - through giving we have many ways to create and leave lasting memories. Our willingness to care, show interest, give time, loyalty, honesty and by going out of our way to do something extra for someone else such as preparing a special meal, writing a special verse on why we love and cherish someone or making a special gift as a symbol of our love, are some of the ways we can give and create lasting memories.

5. Creates Predictability - we all love predictability; especially children as it gives them a sense of security. Through the predictable act of giving especially at birthdays and Christmas celebrations, the expectation of appreciations, acknowledgement, love and being made to feel extra special is created by the ritual of giving.

6. De-stressor - giving is all about looking outside of ourselves with no expectation of anything in return. It is putting others first for concentrated moments in time. The ritual of giving takes the focus off ourselves and our stresses in life are handled with a more balanced focus.

7. Creates Miracles - connecting into the community by giving has huge benefits. It reinforces love in all our lives. It creates leverage which creates miracles when together we give for the greater good.

Giving is an expression of our love. We give in many ways with our supportive words, our listening, attention and giving of our time and of course through material giving too. Giving materially, emotionally and physically is the glue that holds people together and is a way to renew our love for one another, create lasting cherished memories, deepen relationships and create psychological health and happiness for ourselves!