As Christmas approaches, are you wondering how to avoid the elaborate boxes and bows for your gifts? Recent research from Chinese scientists suggests you’re on the right track. Skip the extravagant boxes, intricate ribbons, and bows.
This brings to mind a scene from the movie “Love Actually,” where Rowan Atkinson’s character painstakingly perfects a gift’s wrapping, even adding dried lavender for a pleasant scent.
According to the new study, most people prefer gifts in simple packaging and find extravagant options unnecessary.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
A team of scientists from Beijing University of Technology and Business examined people’s attitudes toward gift wrapping. The study involved over 2,600 participants.
Volunteers were asked to evaluate their feelings about giving and receiving gifts wrapped in three types of packaging: overly extravagant, plain, and not wrapped at all.
The analysis revealed that gift givers generally favor excessive packaging, believing it shows they care. Recipients, however, typically prefer simple wrapping. They view extravagant boxes and bows as over the top and say the decorations draw too much attention, the Daily Mail reported.
When participants perceived gift-giving as a gesture of obligation—especially in situations where the relationship between the giver and receiver was distant, like exchanging gifts at the office—their negative feelings toward extravagant packaging grew stronger.
Conversely, when the gift was seen as a genuine gesture of goodwill or the relationship was closer, such as a birthday present for a good friend, people were less bothered by excessive wrapping.
Lead author Haijiao Shi said, “Givers see wrapping as a thoughtful gesture, while recipients view it as wasteful.” Shi added that the study highlights the importance of understanding this difference and suggests that simpler packaging may improve recipient satisfaction. Shi also said recipients often have to work through multiple layers to reach the actual gift, which can lead to disappointment.
The researchers also found that recipients must find a way to dispose of extra packaging, which adds inconvenience.
The findings were published in the Journal of Retailing.
