gifts

Studies show when people are given something they are more likely to give back.

Giving gifts boosts happiness, research shows. So why do we feel frazzled?

5:10am December 18, 2023

by Allison Aubrey

Researchers who told people to either buy themselves a gift or give one to a stranger, found those who gave to others felt a lot happier. Here's how to get the mood boost without the shopping stress.

Members of the Supreme Court sit for a group portrait following the addition of Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson last October.

Politics & Government

The Supreme Court adopts first-ever code of ethics

6:59pm November 13, 2023

by Washington Desk

The U.S. Supreme Court is adopting a code of ethics for its justices amid mounting criticism of gifts and trips from wealthy benefactors to certain justices.

Queue Listen Now

Bruce Pascal is an avid Hot Wheels collector who boasts a collection of more than 4,000 cars.

Arts

Why Hot Wheels are one of the most inflation-proof toys in American history

11:08am December 16, 2022

by Fernando Alfonso III

Inflation, the curse of our pocketbooks and the Federal Reserve, has hit almost every good in the U.S. But the price of a beloved toy has managed to hover around $1 — for more than 50 years.

Kathleen Murray gave family members Advent calendars that, alongside candy, included hand sanitizer and masks. "It's the closest thing to safety that you can give them," she said.

For Christmas, My True Love Gave To Me ... Hand Sanitizer, Because It's 2020

5:38pm December 24, 2020

by Alina Selyukh

All year, cleaning products have been flying off the shelves — now, they're flying straight into Christmas stockings and wrapping paper.

Queue Listen Now

While the days of sharing mixed tapes and audio cassettes may be long gone, exchanging playlists doesn't have to be.

Economy

Need A Last-Minute Gift? Don't Want To Buy Stuff? All Tech Has Ideas

10:56am December 21, 2015

Sometimes, they say, the best things in life aren't things. In that spirit, we've come up with a few ideas of last-minute presents for your plugged-in friends and family that don't involve shopping.

Each item, including boots from Guatemala, a basket from Rwanda and a soda can cuff from Kenya, are handmade. And when people buy these gifts, the profits go back to the artisans and their community.

For Giving Tuesday: A Guide To Gifts That Give Back

2:18pm December 02, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

Boots from a Guatemalan village. A basket woven in Rwanda. Kenyan soda cans that became cool cuffs. Money spent on these and other items provides a better life for artisans in the developing world.