We humans know that we are anything but ordinary creatures. We experience emotions galore.According to respected psychologist Paul Ekman, the basic emotions are: sadness, happiness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise. These emotions combine in different ways to form other emotions, including compassion, boredom, embarrassment, rage, hunger, and more.The total emotion list is even longer: Acceptance, Affection, Aggression, Ambivalence, Apathy, Anxiety, Boredom, Compassion, Confusion, Contempt, Depression, Doubt, Ecstasy, Empathy, Envy, Embarrassment, Euphoria, Forgiveness, Frustration, Gratitude, Grief, Guilt, Hatred, Hope, Horror, Hostility, Homesickness, Hunger, Hysteria, Interest, Loneliness, Love, Paranoia, Pity, Pleasure, Pride, Rage, Regret, Remorse, Shame, Suffering, Sympathy. **Consider it amazing that any of these emotions can change our mood and our psyche in an instant!What we don’t see in this enormous list is the concept of giving. Is love considered giving to another? Compassion? Sympathy? Gratitude? Perhaps, but charitable people often give endlessly to people they’ve never met, don’t even know, and may not even like.Where did giving come from? Our natures, our traditions, our culture, mass media advertising, peer pressure?Do we give to make ourselves feel good, primarily, or is it the other way around?I think we give because we are civilized, because we are principled moral beings.Because we believe in the greater good for our society. Because it is the right thing to do. Because we give without expecting reciprocity. Because it makes us feel far, far better about ourselves.Many of us also give because the gift comes from the heart and the soul.After all, the definition of civilisation is “a human society that has highly developed material and spiritual resources and a complex cultural, political, and legal organisation; an advanced state in social development. We are the people or nations collectively who have achieved such a state of intellectual, cultural, and moral refinement.” ***Giving is a life mission for families of philanthropists. They are to be respected, and applauded for their service to humanity. We are grateful to them.Ordinary folks also give when they can.The holidays are more stressful, though, because of the great emphasis placed on the ability to provide gifts.How can we not give?Even if we are not in the mood, cannot afford it, or have given all that can be given, we are incessantly reminded that it is that time of year.The time when subliminally, certain expectations are asked of us, from ourselves, our family, our friends, our neighbours, and our community.We cannot avoid the peer pressure of these expectations, for to do so completely is the beginning of a slide into isolation.So, we move with the crowd, more or less in step, stressed and often embarrassed about how to handle ourselves when financial circumstances arise that severely limit our giving ability.Are purchased gifts better than those that are not bought even though both are chosen with tremendous thought and sincerity?Should we be asking, which has more value: precious jewellery, electronics, a loaf of homemade bread or cassava, two hours spent cleaning up your elderly neighbour’s home, the gift of donated blood, or the supreme sacrifice of a kidney, and so many other wonderful gestures?We should not allow ourselves to fall for the trap of mercenary reasoning.We are looking at this the wrong way.It should never matter, at all, what the value of the gift is, but rather the sincere unqualified intention of the giver.Never, ever be ashamed about a gift that comes from your heart and soul.Do what you can, for who you can, with what you have, when you can. Theodore Roosevelt.A blessed holiday to you all, dear readers.* http://www.listofhumanemotions.com/listofhumanemotionsMartha Myron, CPA CFP (US) TEP JP www.marthamyron.com is an international Certified Financial Planner™ providing Financial Counsel for Cross Border Living™ on international tax, estate, and retirement strategies for Bermuda residents with US connections, and US citizens living and working abroad.Member of the American Citizens Abroad Tax Advisory Council. www.americansabroad.org Contact mmyron[AT]patterson-partners.com or 296 3528 at Patterson Partners Ltd.