Does Nice Stuff Really Make People Happier?

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Like most of us this holiday season, you’ll likely presume you’re making someone feel good by giving them a gift, or maybe several. Whether you do so out of love, friendship, obligation or even guilt, the psychological equation at work here remains essentially the same: “Nice stuff makes people happier.”

But it just ain’t so. In fact, multiple studies show this equation is so fundamentally flawed we can only wonder why we cling to it, let alone make it the main act of our holiday season. Except in special circumstances, things don’t make us happy, at least not for long. Even big-ticket items like expensive jewelry, room-eating TVs or a sparkling new smartphone provide only a short burst of good feelings, soon followed by a return to one’s pre-gift level of life satisfaction. In neuroscience, it’s called “habituation.” The brain rapidly acclimates to new things, so that initial burst of pleasure soon dissipates.

Don’t buy it (pun intended)? Well, there is plenty of research to back me up, but let’s consider one particularly fascinating study in this regard. The National Lottery in Great Britain commissioned research to assess the impact of winning the big prize on the recipient’s degree of happiness. Using a life satisfaction scale from the University of Illinois, the study compared lottery winners with a control group of non-winners. They determined that while the folks in the winners’ group were, in fact, a tad happier, this was not derived from the stuff they bought with their monetary largesse. Instead, it came from the freedom the money afforded them to spend more time doing things they enjoyed.

Cost-Free Pleasures

So, what did these instantly wealthy people like doing with their newfound free time? Very simple pursuits—listening to music, playing a game with the kids, a hot bath, a stroll in the park, gardening, volunteering, learning a new hobby—experiences that don’t require much money or stuff. In fact, the authors of this research referred to these activities as “cost-free pleasures.” A tad ironic, I’d say. Lottery winners, flush with cash, were more satisfied when doing things that didn’t require moolah.

In contrast, the lottery winners who used their winnings to purchase all manner of toys and treats, including lavish vacations, new homes and flashy cars, were less happy than their counterparts who simply spent more time doing everyday activities. So, when it comes to life satisfaction, it isn’t what you’ve got that matters: it’s what you do.

What’s more, there is additional research showing that giving of one’s time and energy, as opposed to gifting stuff, is associated with an elevated sense of personal fulfillment. Even donating money or materials to a benevolent cause or purpose does not generate as strong an impact on mental well-being as extending one’s time and energy. We call it “the season of giving,” but the emphasis should be on giving happiness, not gifts.

Lasting Positive Change

There are some notable exceptions. When the gift we give is one we crafted ourselves, we enjoy greater satisfaction than from simply purchasing it. Also, if the gift, whether made or purchased, meets a pressing need for the recipient, creating a palpable and lasting positive change in their life, that enhances one’s gratification, as well.

Absent these exceptions, when you give of yourself, rather than just gifting objects or money, your life and the lives of those you touch grow in goodness. Combine this—giving of self—with time spent in enjoyable, cost-free or inexpensive pursuits, and you have a behavioral formula that consistently yields greater life satisfaction.

What all this tells us about the holidays is that heartfelt moments built around simple pleasures easily eclipse gifts as sources of joy, and that true giving is really about extending your person more than your wallet. Happiness isn’t found under the Christmas tree. Seek it elsewhere.

For more, visit philipchard.com.