I remember the first time I got a gift sent to me anonymously.
I was around 13 years old – still in my early teenage years at the time, and this was way before e-commerce platforms were even invented, so the gift was just dropped off on our porch.
It contained a pretty silver necklace with my initials on the pendant.
The gift didn’t come with a note or message. It had my name written outside the box, so I assumed it was from someone I knew well because they knew where I lived.
I never figured out who sent the gift, but it felt nice knowing someone was thinking of me. I felt loved and appreciated, and it was a good feeling.
So why do people send anonymous gifts?
In this article, we’ve looked at the main reasons why it can be a good idea to send an anonymous gift.
1. Maintaining Privacy
This is one of the most common reasons why people send anonymous gifts.
Doing so maintains their privacy, which can benefit them regardless of how much the gift is or whether it is big or small.
In some ways, how we give gifts can say a lot about us. Sometimes, people who can afford to buy lavish gifts don’t really want to be known as someone wealthy.
They don’t want other people to know about their financial status, which is why sending an anonymous gift can be beneficial to them.
The reality is that when people find out that you’re rich, you might get some unwarranted attention.
By sending an anonymous gift, you can spoil someone with expensive gifts and not have to worry about feeling awkward about it. You don’t have to worry about unwanted attention because of the money you spend.
You also don’t have to worry about that person pretending to like it in front of you (in case they don’t) because it was sent anonymously.
It also works the other way if you have an extremely tight budget. You can send a cheap gift without worrying about feeling embarrassed because it was all you could afford.
2. Prevent Being Paid Back
The recipient can’t pay you back if they don’t know that it was you who sent them the gift.
Suppose the recipient is someone who cannot afford to pay you back and give you something nice in return.
In that case, sending them an anonymous gift can help you avoid a potentially awkward or uncomfortable situation.
This also takes off the pressure on their part to give you a gift in return.
3. Prevent Refusal of the Gift
This is another obvious. If they don’t know who sent the gift, then they can’t refuse it.
Some people have too much pride that they don’t like receiving gifts. They may look at gifts differently and see it as an obligation to pay someone back.
They may look at gifts and see themselves being indebted to the person who sent them.
Sometimes, people also tend to refuse gifts because they don’t like getting nice things they didn’t work hard for.
This is a common mindset of people who strive hard to be successful on their own.
It’s not that they think they don’t deserve nice things. It’s just that it gives them a greater feeling of satisfaction when they buy themselves nice things after working hard and saving up for them.
If you send them an anonymous gift, it prevents them from allowing their pride to get in the way and they have no choice but to accept it.
Just make sure you aren’t sending gifts to someone who doesn’t want them because it makes them uncomfortable.
Trying to be thoughtful, and accidentally making someone feel uncomfortable, is a really hard feeling.
4. Focusing on the Recipient
Have you ever received a nice gift in front of other people only for the sender to get all the attention?
The sender ended up getting remarks like “That’s really thoughtful of you!” or “You’re such a nice friend for giving that gift,” which shifted the focus on them instead of the recipient.
Sending an anonymous gift can help prevent scenarios like this from happening.
This ensures all of the attention and focus is on the recipient so they will feel special, loved, and appreciated. Sending a gift anonymously allows them to feel all these emotions in the purest way.
5. Deepen your Connection with Someone
Even if they don’t know that it was you who sent them the gift, it can still increase your connection with them knowing that you made them feel special without expecting anything in return.
When you focus on that person, even if it was through an anonymous gift, you celebrate them and in a way, this strengthens your connection with them.
When you do something nice for someone, even if you get nothing back, you get boosted levels of oxytocin, which is known as the “love hormone.”
This hormone is associated with trust, empathy, sexual activities, and strengthening relationships. It’s the same hormone that your brain releases when you hug or kiss someone.
So scientifically, sending an anonymous gift deepens your bond with that person and can intensify your feelings about them.
6. Make Yourself Happy
Have you ever done something nice for someone and ended up feeling elated after?
There is more science behind this, too!
Being kind and doing nice things for others releases dopamine and endorphins in your brain. Dopamine is a hormone that increases feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, while endorphins are known as “happy hormones.”
These are the same hormones your brain releases when you work out or do something fun, which is why you feel so happy after.
Sending an anonymous gift and expecting nothing in return releases more of these hormones, knowing that you did it selflessly and can actually make you feel happy.
7. Kindness and Giving
Sending an anonymous gift is one of the highest forms of kindness and giving because it is an unconditional and thankless act.
This act comes from pure motivation and with honest intentions because there is no hidden agenda.
You’re not looking for some recognition, gratitude, or anything in return. You are not even expecting them to thank you.
It gives you a better giving experience because it is a quiet act with no self-centered motive.
You do it because you just want to make that person feel loved and special, with no strings attached and no obligations. You do it because you want to make that person happy.
Be Responsible with Gift-Giving
Giving an anonymous gift to a friend, family member, coworker, or even aquaintance can be a selfless, kind thing to do.
However, it is important not to take things too far.
Be mindful of the recipient’s feelings and make sure that the gift does not make them uncomfortable. If the recipient is not familiar with the giver, the gift could be misinterpreted or seen as inappropriate.
It’s important to strike a balance between showing kindness and respecting the recipient’s boundaries.
Sources:
Why Anonymous Gifting Has Power