The gift of a bar of chocolate can give people a lift on a tough day.
Chocolate is a great gift for someone having a bad day
A study of over 3,600 individuals found that they would prefer a sweet treat to a shoulder to cry on during troubled times.
This is because gifts are seen as a greater 'sacrifice' because they are more focused on benefiting the receiver than the person giving it out.
Holly Howe, lead researcher and assistant professor of marketing at the HEC Montreal business school in Canada, said: "When people think about sacrifice, they take the sacrificer's motives into account. When it comes to conversation, they assume that the supporter's motive is to benefit both parties.
"When it comes to gifts, the supported person assumes that the supporter's motive is more altruistic - that they are sacrificing solely to benefit the recipient."