As we enter the peak of the festive season, the pressure to give and receive the “right” gifts skyrockets.

This collective worry has prompted a surge of online conversations about the hidden stress behind holiday generosity. One such Reddit post , by a 37-year-old British man under u/thebrainitaches, placed a spotlight on this particular seasonal phenomenon: gift anxiety.

Board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Gil Lichtshein, told Newsweek that the experience is more common than people realize.

“Gift anxiety is a real thing,” he said. “Some people find gift-giving joyful. Others find it overwhelming, irritating, and downright cumbersome.”

The Reddit post detailed the man's personal struggle with the unspoken rules of holiday gifting, describing it as a “balancing act.”

In the post, th

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