#experiencesnotthings
Oh how we love a cliche hashtag here at Follow Alice – but this one could not be more true! We believe that we should all be spending our hard-earned money on new experiences rather than things, especially now that Christmas is round the corner. After all, doesn’t it make more sense to spend £1000 on buying your mum the trip of a lifetime rather than an iPhone X?
Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.
Though we admit, there is that thing called the material-experience paradox
Admittedly, an object or thing does tend to have a longer duration than an experience. While a sofa can be used for decades, a trip to Kilimanjaro that costs the same only lasts for several days. With this logic in mind, wouldn’t it make sense to go for the sofa? Not at all. The benefits and memories last way after the event is over and ultimately help to form our identities. Don’t believe us? Science has evidence to back it up.
Experiences not things – its backed up by scientific research
Over the past decade, an abundance of psychology research has shown that experiences bring people more happiness than do possessions. Cornell University psychology professor Dr. Thomas Gilovich conducted a 20-year study that analysed how product purchases versus experience purchases make us feel, according to Big Think. The research indicated that purchasing trips or other experiences leas to greater happiness than buying a tangible possession. What’s more, the feeling of bliss associated with adventures lasts longer, too.
Dr Gilovich explains, “One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation. We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them.” Basically – we get bored of new things. Experiential gifts give us memories to last a lifetime. No brainer really!?
“People often think spending money on an experience is not as wise an investment as spending it on a material possession… But in reality we remember experiences long afterward, and we also enjoy the anticipation of having an experience more than the anticipation of owning a possession.”
Dr Gilovich
We decided to so some of our own
We thought we would conduct some of our own research by hitting the (freezing cold!) streets of East London. We asked people whether they would rather a stocking full of memories or material things. Watch what they had to say below…
Experiential gifts this Christmas
Giving out presents to your nearest and dearest is one of the most rewarding and exciting things to do on Christmas Day, but its hard to know what to buy them! Don’t stress over last minute shopping and spending money on gifts they probably wont use. After all – they prefer experiences not things! ‘Tis the season of giving and all that, so what better way to celebrate your loved ones than giving them the gift of travel?
Reckon your Dad would fancy a weekend kayaking the fjords of Norway? Can you see your bestie gorilla trekking for a week in Uganda? Whatever the adventure and whatever the budget, get in touch so we can tailor-make the perfect gift together. Leave us your ideas below and we will get back to you.
Don’t have any ideas? Need some inspiration? Take a look at our destinations and trips to get your mind brainstorming. Or get in contact anyway and we can brainstorm together!
