When asked about what people’s favorite part of the holiday season is, most would respond, “the gifts!” While receiving a gift is sure to bring a smile to your face; there are times when giving them brings all the more joy.

The joy of gift giving is typically from the response of the one receiving it. Whether that be from a hug received by a significant other, a warm smile delivered by your kid, or even seeing that same person wearing the shoes you bought them. Those reactions and many others are sure to make the gift giver feel some type of way.

At Benilde-St. Margaret’s that joy is very evident. Students, teachers, faculty and staff are handing out gifts and embracing the spirit of Saint Nicholas. “I bought my sister a bunch of records for a new video player which she doesn’t know she got yet,” freshman Harper Stevenson-Shimek said.

Freshman, Jaidyn Garibaldi, loves seeing his friends wearing and using the gifts he bought for them. “Last year I bought my friend a new pair of shoes and I’ve loved seeing him in the hallways wearing them,” Garibaldi said.

A significant other will always be a good person to give a gift to. For English teacher Paul Canavati the person he saw deserving the most was his newly-wed wife. “So I got married in June and I put together a custom vinyl with 10 songs and sound bites from our wedding,” Canavati said.

Sometimes gift giving isn’t just for giving to others you love. Sometimes you need to spoil yourself. Senior Raymond Jasper went all out last year. “Last year I got my money up and had to buy myself a Playstation 5,” Jasper said.

Spanish teacher Mary Murray also bought something for herself and her husband. “I’d have to say the best gift that I bought is probably my husband and I went in on a new TV together and I was thinking that it would cost like $2,000, and it was like $250. So I was really happy about that and my husband was happy because it costs a lot less. And now we have a smart TV, which is very nice,” Murray said.

For most people giving a gift it isn’t about the gift itself but the sentiment. Canavati has also made an effort for his students to recognize this during the season. “I tell my students this, but I just think that as you get older you start kind of enjoying giving to people and making them feel good. I think more than receiving things, just knowing that you made a positive contribution to somebody’s season,” Canavati said.

Murray finds her joy in seeing the other person’s reaction on the moment of opening it up. “I don’t like getting a list necessarily. I’d rather have it be something I’ve heard the person talk about. Or giving a gift that the person doesn’t expect, and then having them open it up and be super shocked but then also say, ‘Oh my god, I love it.’ And it doesn’t necessarily have to be something that costs a lot either,” Murray said.

With Christmas coming, that’s the type of reaction everyone hopes to see. “My sister will probably be really surprised, and I hope she’d be really happy,” Stevenson-Shimek said.