The whole point of a gift is that it doesn’t have strings attached.

In its purest form, giving a present is simply a nice gesture to express that you care about someone, and maybe help them out in some way. It is the kind of thing that occurs at special events and life milestones, a way to make a positive time even better. Gifts are not everything when it comes to forming relationships, but they can certainly speak volumes about them.

The unfortunate truth is that when many people give gifts, the process is actually not so clear. They can often come with hidden expectations that the individual receiving the gift will do something for the gift giver in return. This can make an act that should be selfless and enjoyable into something that is stressful for everybody involved, and many would argue that it goes against the spirit of generosity. Nonetheless, there are many people who engage in gift giving because they want to send a message, and sometimes it isn’t even intentional. It can leave the recipient feeling like the thing that they have ownership of is a burden, as opposed to a treat. It’s an unpleasant scenario to deal with.