WHY YOU SHOULD GIVE EXPERIENCES—NOT STUFF

Shop, wrap, deliver, repeat. Too often, gift-giving feels like a chore. This holiday season, we’re re-thinking our gift giving strategy — and we found a way to give better gifts in the process. Enter experiential gift-giving, the scientifically proven way to give better presents. Here’s why you should gift experiences (rather than things) this holiday season. It will benefit your relationships. According to Cindy Chan, an assistant professor in University of Toronto, “the reason experiential gifts are more socially connecting is that they tend to be more emotionally evocative.” An experience gift helps you connect in a more meaningful way than if you gifted them the latest tech gadget. It’s proven to make the recipient happier — even before they use it. On average, experience gifts result in happier giftees. According to a study in Psychological Science, “experiential purchases (money spent on doing) tend to provide more enduring happiness than material purchases (money spent on having)”. The same study found that one of the biggest advantages of experiential gifts is that they start garnering you happiness before they actually “happen,” in the form of pleasant anticipation.  Your loved ones will actually use and enjoy the gift. Too often, well-intentioned presents end up gathering dust in the back of a closet. Experiences don’t clutter their home. Our tip: give experiences that never expire so your loved ones don’t have to adhere to a deadline. It lets you skip the hassle. Gift cards for experiences, tickets, or other experience gifts are easier to purchase and share with your loved ones. That means you get to skip those holiday shopping lines… and give them something they’re more likely to love. Ready to gift the ultimate wellbeing experience? Shop Exhale gift cards here.