The non-Grinch part of my message is: there are better places to find pleasant surprise than gift-giving rituals. Indeed, detaching gift-giving from ritual occasions seems to increase the surprise.
I’m sure it would increase the surprise, but it also decreases the anticipation, which is part of it.
Personally, the gifts that I got the most enjoyment out of were usually video games; I’ll revisit a good video game many times, even after the system has become outdated. Whereas I’ve bought most of my favorite books myself, most of my favorite games were given to me. However, given the choice, I would not have asked to receive only video games for Christmas, first because receiving several games rather than one or two would probably have resulted in a decrease in their average quality, and second, because it would prevent anyone who had a really good gift idea that wasn’t a video game from giving it to me.
On average, I would have probably received a greater total enjoyment from my gifts, but I would have lost much of the mystery and anticipation. The experience of knowing you might get something special and unexpected has utility in itself.
I’m sure it would increase the surprise, but it also decreases the anticipation, which is part of it.
Personally, the gifts that I got the most enjoyment out of were usually video games; I’ll revisit a good video game many times, even after the system has become outdated. Whereas I’ve bought most of my favorite books myself, most of my favorite games were given to me. However, given the choice, I would not have asked to receive only video games for Christmas, first because receiving several games rather than one or two would probably have resulted in a decrease in their average quality, and second, because it would prevent anyone who had a really good gift idea that wasn’t a video game from giving it to me.
On average, I would have probably received a greater total enjoyment from my gifts, but I would have lost much of the mystery and anticipation. The experience of knowing you might get something special and unexpected has utility in itself.