When Gift Giving and Receiving Is Your Love Language
There are so many ways to show your partner how much you love them – but do you know what exactly they appreciate the most? Thankfully, there is a way of finding out and it relates to love languages.
This is a theory that states that people feel most loved when their partner expresses affection in their predominant “language.” The theory was developed by author and pastor Gary Chapman in 1992. Although the book “The 5 Love Languages” was originally written over 30 years ago, it continues to help couples today.
The 5 love languages describe the ways in which people express and perceive love in a romantic relationship. Knowing your partner’s love language can help improve your relationship by making your significant other feel loved and appreciated.
Make sure to also let them know your own love language, so they can do the same for you. After all, you both needed to feel cared for and appreciated in your relationship. Here are the five love languages as described in the book with the same name:
- Words of Affirmation
- Quality Time
- Physical Touch
- Acts of Service
- Receiving Gifts
Understanding Gift Giving and Receiving
If you know (or suspect) that your partner’s most strong love language is the act of giving and receiving gifts, we’re breaking it all down for you. Shopping for gifts for siblings or gifts for parents may be a tad challenging, but we all know it – shopping for your partner is a lot more pressure. Whether we are talking about the latest version of his favorite gadget or that gorgeous pair of gold stud earrings she has wanted for a while, giving the right gift is an art.
Are you wondering what exactly it means when your predominant love language is gift-giving and receiving? This is a pretty straightforward language that means that you feel loved or show love when people give you tangible symbols of their appreciation.
Whether that item is a blanket you knitted yourself or a jewelry piece from a trendy shop, the message is the same: I care about you. After all, it’s not the price tag that’s important to this person — it’s the thought and effort that went into selecting or making that gift.
Determining Your Partner’s Love Language
Most people ‘speak’ the love language to their partners that they would want to receive themselves, but in most cases, that is not what their significant other is expecting. Determining your partner’s love language is critical if you want to show your appreciation in a way they would understand, so pay attention to details.
If you notice that your partner buys you that purse you loved in the store a couple of days earlier and couldn’t stop talking about it, their love language is likely gift-giving. Another way you can confirm this is by observing their reaction to presents. If they get excited about anything they receive and love showing it off to everyone they know, they likely feel very loved by the gesture.
The same goes for when they are offering you a present. Is it happening for no reason? Are they very excited to see your reaction? Then, most probably, your partner’s love language is gift-giving and receiving.
Even if you and your partner are not ‘speaking’ the same love language, it’s still important to try and learn the gift-giving language if it’s the one you previously determined that your partner ‘speaks’.
This doesn’t mean that you have to make big purchases, and it doesn’t have to happen every day, but incorporating the act of giving gifts into your life will significantly impact your romantic relationship. Even if it’s just a chocolate croissant from their favorite bakery, a little tangible reminder that you are thinking of them will do the trick.
We talked about all the good things that come with knowing your partner’s love language, but this story has another side. If your partner’s love language gifts, you can’t forget special dates like anniversaries, birthdays, or other milestones.
Set reminders in your calendar, so you make sure you don’t miss them because if you forget to give your partner a present on their birthday, you risk hurting their feelings and making them feel very unloved. Since they prioritize gift-giving and that’s the way they express love, they will most likely think that you don’t care enough about them to get them something for their special day.
Understanding Gift Giving and Receiving: Final Thoughts
Everyone’s language of love is different. While some prefer quality time or physical touch, others may understand acts of service or words of affirmation. For some people, their language of love is receiving or giving gifts.
People that speak this language feel most loved by their partner when they receive meaningful gifts – both big and small, inexpensive and expensive. But remember, the true meaning of gift giving isn’t an extravagance; it’s feeling. If you put a lot of thought into your gift, your partner will appreciate it.
