Do experiences really make kids happier than material gifts?
A look into the research on experience gifts
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Have you seen this video online?
It really hits home, doesn’t it? As I’ve been thinking about what gifts to get my teens for Christmas, this video kept running through my mind.
This video, of course, points out the idea that although children and teens often make lists and crave material things like toys and electronics, they often don’t remember them long after they receive them as gifts. Do gifts that are experiences really leave more of a lasting impact?
Being the research nerd that I am, I set out to uncover if this idea has any basis. The cultural cliche of “experiences over things” is widespread and catchy, but is there research to back it up?
The research on experience gifts
I did some digging and it turns out there is at least some research to support the idea that experience gifts have more emotional power than material gifts.
Study 1
