Valentine’s Day Gift Giving with a Purpose: How to Make a Difference Together

My wife and I had always been very traditional in our Valentine’s Day gift-giving, such as me buying fancy chocolates for her or she buying a bottle of premium liquor for me. But last year, she gave me the most heartwarming Valentine’s Day gift I could have ever imagined.

Shortly before the holiday, she approached me about changing that tradition. She asked: did sweets or alcohol truly convey our affection for each other? Was it more important to stick to tradition or to give gifts that would promote happiness and well-being for the other person and the world at large?

Instead of candy and liquor, my partner proposed giving gifts that would benefit our mental and physical well-being, as well as the well-being of others, by donating to charitable organizations in each other’s name.

She shared an article she had read about a study that found that people who give to charity are happier than those who don’t. The study had given participants money and asked them to spend it either on themselves or on others. Those who spent it on others felt greater happiness.

Not only that, but giving to charity also had positive effects on physical health. Another study showed that participants who gave to others experienced a significant decrease in blood…