During the holiday season, the pressure is on for finding and giving just the right gift. How do you pick the perfect item for someone that they will cherish? How do you make the people you care about happy this holiday season?
Maybe it’s time we rethink the way we choose to give. Psychological studies show that experiences make us happier than possessions. The beauty of giving the gift of an experience is the excitement often lasts well beyond the holidays – for both the giver and receiver. Happiness starts first at the moment of gifting, throughout the waiting and preparation for the experience, the enjoyment of the experience itself, and the lasting memories that come with it.
Some excerpts from some of our favorite articles on experiential gift giving:
“The key lies in adhering to five key principles: Buy Experiences (research shows that material purchases are less satisfying than vacations or concerts); Make it a Treat (limiting access to our favorite things will make us keep appreciating them); Buy Time (focusing on time over money yields wiser purchases); Pay Now, Consume Later (delayed consumption leads to increased enjoyment); and Invest in Others (spending money on other people makes us happier than spending it on ourselves).”
From Forbes, Want To Buy Happiness? Purchase An Experience.
"You can think about waiting for a delicious meal at a nice restaurant or looking forward to a vacation," Kumar told me, "and how different that feels from waiting for, say, your pre-ordered iPhone to arrive. Or when the two-day shipping on Amazon Prime doesn’t seem fast enough."
From The Atlantic, Buy Experiences, Not Things
“Experiential purchases (money spent on doing) tend to provide more enduring happiness than material purchases (money spent on having)… …Four studies demonstrate that people derive more happiness from the anticipation of experiential purchases and that waiting for an experience tends to be more pleasurable and exciting than waiting to receive a material good.”
From Cornell University, paper published in Psychological Science Magazine.
At Reset Retreat, we believe in giving those we care about an experience or memories that will last well beyond the holidays, birthdays or anniversaries. Something that will truly have a lasting impact on their lives. This is why we have created the Happiness Fund - where friends and family can contribute to giving their loved one a life changing experience. Different people can purchase their own credits for combined experiential gifts that last. Do you or someone you care about need the opportunity to reset?
This holiday season, send yourself or someone you love to Reset Retreat, an exclusive women’s wellness and adventure retreat to begin your unique journey- to reset your path- in an unforgettable manner. Commit to giving yourself the time and space to heal, reset and grow in a luxurious setting. Learn more about Reset Retreat and the Happiness Fund.
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