WASHINGTON (AP) — The holiday season is a time to give thanks and give gifts, and for many, a time to give back.
Food banks, meal delivery services for seniors, and other U.S. charities routinely see surge in volunteering between Thanksgiving and the end of the year. But there are good reasons to volunteer at any time of year.
Alfred Del Grosso volunteers weekly on the lunch shift at Shepherd's Table Food Bank in Silver Spring, Maryland. “I feel more connected to the broader community,” he said.
Most Thursdays, the retired chemist from Kensington, Md., also provides pro bono service, helping clear fallen trees and brush from local trails with the Potomac Appalachian Club. “Basically it's volunteers who help support trails,” he said.
Researchers who study human evolution and social psychology say giving is deeply ingrained in human nature. Volunteers say they feel more connected to the communities they serve.
“When we feel grateful for everything we have, it motivates us to do good things for other people who have helped us, as well as to do good things for new people,” said Sarah Schnittker, a psychologist at Baylor University.
“There's a nice upward spiral between gratitude and generosity” that often intensifies during the holidays, she said.
For many people in the United States, the season most associated with giving, giving, and volunteering begins with Thanksgiving Day through Hanukkah And Christmas To New Year.
But around the world, the gift-giving season, or holiday, is present in many cultures, says Amrisha Vaish, a developmental psychologist at the University of Virginia.
“Almost all cultures have events or public festivals that allow people to express gratitude,” she said. “In Hinduism Diwali “It’s a time of light, celebration and good food, but also a time when people give gifts to truly express what people mean to them.”
For Muslims, Ramadanwhich ends with Eid al-Fitr, is a time of reflection, gratitude and charity. Many Buddhist traditions also emphasize gratitude.
The overall goal of such seasons, which also include non-religious acts of service, is to enhance our natural inclination to cooperate, Vaish said.
“In the history of human evolution, over hundreds of thousands of years, we have had to cooperate in order to work together and survive as a species,” she said.
“We don't have sharp claws, high speed, or many other natural abilities. But what we do have is that we are super cooperative; we can do more in groups than we can alone.”
Of course, people aren't always cooperative and generous—we're also sometimes selfish and stubborn.
Even Darwin recognized the tension between selfishness and altruism, says Michael Tomasello, a psychologist at Duke University. “That's why life is so complicated. We have all these motives combined.”
But thinking gratefully about what we have and watching others do good can stimulate our most generous tendencies, experts say.
On an individual level, “giving, volunteering and generosity can enhance our sense of meaning and purpose in life,” said Janay Nelson, a developmental psychologist at Brigham Young University.
“There is a rapid release of dopamine, which is sometimes called the ‘helpers’ high’. But there is a deeper reward in helping us find purpose and meaning,” she said. “By helping other people and believing that small acts can change the world, you can bring consistency to your life.”
After Mia Thelen retired as a nurse in Owosso, Michigan, she began volunteering with the American Red Cross, starting by manning office phones during blood drives and then gradually taking on more organizational and administrative responsibilities.
“It’s a good way to spend time while making life a little easier for others,” Thelen said. “I wanted to do something that would help the community.”
“And I'm learning a lot: learning computer skills, learning communication skills. I have wonderful colleagues.” She likes to feel more connected to her neighbors.
Another common holiday tradition—sending holiday cards to family and old friends—also provides an opportunity to improve or renew social connections, something people are often surprisingly reluctant to do, says Lara Aknin, a social psychologist at Simon Fraser University.
Her research found that “people are actually hesitant to reach out to old friends; they're afraid of becoming a burden or an inconvenience,” she said. But on the other hand, “people who have just heard news from old friends report it as a really positive experience.”
So go ahead, write those cards or make those phone calls, she said. Use the holidays as an excuse to reconnect, have a laugh, or drink some hot mulled wine.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
