That’s right. The drugs. But maybe not the drugs you’re thinking of…
People all over the world LOVE Christmas. It’s their favorite time of the year. Just thinking about it puts them in a good mood. And that’s no surprise because of all the drugs this time of year. Here’s a quote from Paul J. Zak that might help explain…
“There is another reason we feel good when we give to others. Oxytocin is the “feel good” chemical that is released in the brain whenever we hug someone, shake hands, have sex (tons of it is released then)…”
(You can learn more in his article entitled “My Favorite Ways to Raise Oxytocin” here)
One of the activities he suggests is to give a gift. Their first studies showed that when we receive gifts, that raises our oxytocin levels. So why shouldn’t we make this a regular part of our routines? The key is to not expect anything back, but rather to surprise people “for no reason”.
In other studies, researchers found that when we give money away, oxytocin is released during these activities as well.
Then there was a Harris Poll of more than 2,400 adults that showed that Christmas was the most favorite holiday.
Think back to where it all started…
God gave us the gift of His Son Jesus. To celebrate this gift, we give gifts to each other. Some of us even look for ways to give to others we wouldn’t normally think of like the mailman, the garbage man, or the plumber. We even send cards to people we haven’t seen or talked to in years.
Bottom line? We’re pretty much addicted to giving and receiving. We all love Christmas because of the drugs!
When we do all of the crazy marketing projects at my restaurant, it may be good for business, but I also know that we are giving to our community — and I love doing that! It is just another way for me to get my fix.
Now go out and get your oxytocin fix today!