Her eyes twinkled with joy when she opened the little velvet box. It had a beautiful Swarovski pendant. Just a charm, but the experience is more meaningful.
It’s both a cliché and a scientific fact that experiences bring greater happiness than material possessions. The research adds that the same theory now applies to gift-giving. While materialistic possessions bring momentary joy and see their decline over time, experiences stay with us for a lifetime- a boost of pleasure to your happiness. People tend to invest in experiences to connect and arouse a feeling of mutual understanding. The idea of experiential consumption incorporates the sense of gratitude. Material gifts might physically last longer, but experiential gifts leave a more lasting mark psychologically.
It all comes down to the simple theory: happiness is in strengthening the relationships with family, friends, or the workplace. After all, we, as humans, are inherently social creatures. The size of the gift never mattered; it is your sentiments that do.
