Struggles and hardship also breed empathy. If you are completely independent and self-sufficient it is hard to relate to people who need help. Breaking my leg with no family around, being broke and dropping out of college, working retail for 8 years, it all sucked, but there was no option but to commiserate with people around me. Now 5 years later I have a fancy tech job and keep to myself during my commutes.

Also a simpler example of your above point, Christmas gifts: they are helpful gestures of goodwill when you're broke and strapped for necessities, but sort of meaningless tokens of ritual when everyone has everything they need already.