The Science of Generosity & Holiday Gift Guide

Schauer Thoughts

Sarah Schauer & Studio71

Comedy, Education

4.8 • 669 Ratings

🗓️ 10 December 2025

⏱️ 75 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Get ready for a strange mix of holiday cheer and fear, this week we’re serving up the science and psychology of generosity with a side of lore (my lore.) Don’t worry, things will be merry and bright… eventually. I’m just joshing, but make sure to check out the links below for sources, ideas, and much more. Hope to see you in the communal shower! Link to my substack: https://substack.com/@sarahschauer Full reading list will be posted tomorrow, Dec. 10, around noon PST - it is simply too long for this caption lol. Resources: Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction Is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addition - Maia Szalavitz Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins - from Spices to Vices - Noah Whiteman What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice & Change - Emily Falk Give Well, Feel Great: The Science of Gift Giving and Receiving https://www.templeton.org/news/give-well-feel-great-the-science-of-gift-giving-and-receiving The Psychology Behind Perfect Gift-Giving https://swipegifts.com/blog/gift-psychology Gift Resources & Links: Scientific American’s Best Nonfiction of 2025 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientific-americans-best-nonfiction-of-2025/ The Scientific American Staff’s Favorite Books of 2025 https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-scientific-american-staffs-favorite-books-of-2025/ Gifts for every kind of nerd https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/2025/10/24/gift-guide-nerd Craft Club https://www.craftclubco.com/pages/gift-guide?srsltid=AfmBOorxPL2GQZwm70XO8bEjQWQ03oM2MFEh4jgRFMYXqaJrtxXNtnbp Customer Stained Glass Piece https://www.etsy.com/market/custom_stained_glass Custom Vinyl Records https://www.freestyle-vinyl.com/collections Canva Magazines https://www.canva.com/magazines/ Custom Lego Figure https://www.lego.com/en-us/minifigure-factory Fibonacci Wall and Desk Clock https://www.etsy.com/listing/1576771073/fibonacci-wall-and-desk-clock-unusual Gifts for math lovers https://www.mathnasium.com/blog/great-gifts-math-lovers-2024 Educational Subscription Boxes for Kids https://www.cratejoy.com/collections/educational-subscription-boxes STEM Build Boxes https://coolsciencefinds.com/articles/stem-build-boxes Lighting for Lego Sets https://www.lightmybricks.com/blogs/learning-centre Science Art - Scientific Illustration Artworks and Wall Art https://cognitive-surplus.com/collections/wall-art Planet Bath bombs https://www.kiwico.com/us/store/dp/planet-bath-bombs/3205 Custom Star Map from special nights - jewelry, art, etc https://www.thenightsky.com/ They have star map lockets! Library Check Out Card Bookmark - Vintage https://www.etsy.com/listing/1081591959/library-check-out-card-bookmark-vintage Custom Book Embosser https://www.etsy.com/listing/840508076/book-embosser-personalized-custom-ex?ls=s&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=ex%20libris&ref=sr_gallery-1-35&sr_prefetch=1&pro=1&frs=1&pop=1&content_source=5d442138550e8a17059979d09cb92cbabcd17809%3A840508076&search_preloaded_img=1&organic_search_click=1&logging_key=5d442138550e8a17059979d09cb92cbabcd17809:840508076&source=aw&utm_source=affiliate_window&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=us_location_buyer&utm_content=740219&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=740219&awc=6220_1764911312_c63edd94bc322514623e5c6d663ea839 Jane Eyre Embroidery Kit https://www.etsy.com/listing/1008531760/jane-eyre-embroidery-kit?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=jane+eyre+embroidery&ref=sr_gallery-1-2&organic_search_click=1&utm_source=affiliate_window&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=uk_location_buyer&utm_content=1266099&sv1=affiliate&sv_campaign_id=1266099&awc=6091_1764911520_293ebbe0bc58c5494c72236acc01f8ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi guys, welcome back to Shower Thoughts. My name is Sarah Shower. This is a podcast for left and right
0:13.0	brainers, middle brain nerves, anyone with the cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, striatum, substantial
0:19.9	egg drive. If you've got it, it is a podcast for you are humans truly
0:24.5	left or right brain in terms of like i guess right brain is is more associated with creativity left brain is
0:29.9	more associated with being logical you use all parts of your brain whenever you really i'm not all
0:36.5	parts simultaneously but like it just
0:38.5	it crosses over like so it's it's not like pure right or pure left brain you need both yeah
0:45.2	anyway so um welcome to a more festive episode of shower thoughts because Christmas is coming up
0:53.1	so is the holidays and And I wanted to talk about
0:56.7	something a little bit more positive. This is going to be so funny because I initially did have
1:02.1	another topic in mind, but realizing when the episodes go out, I want to get out a suggestion
1:08.9	for like a holiday gift guide. This is more than a holiday gift guide.
1:11.6	It's also like the science of generosity and like what it means, like gift giving like the ideal gift to give for each person.
1:20.6	Because I think that's a fun angle to approach it from.
1:23.6	And I also have, you know, gifts for more nerdy people or people who I say nerdy in a very
1:30.3	loving and during way like people who love sciences or math or anyone who loves classic literature
1:35.5	if you have a you know more I guess what society would call nerdy hobby or you just love to
1:43.1	learn and create and be immersed in the world and understanding.
1:47.1	Then I have some gift suggestions for you.
1:50.1	Most of them are highly customizable because, you know, when it comes to the holidays, you know, putting some custom elements into the gift is ideal, right?
1:59.6	Because, I mean, you could just do it the old-fashioned
2:02.8	dad way and go to 7-11 on Christmas Eve. And there's nothing wrong with that. There is nothing
	...

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