Christmas Econ Lesson: You Can Buy Happiness (If You Know How)

A look at the science of gift giving

Just in time for a weekend of last-minute shopping, the hit YouTube series ASAP Science takes a look at that age-old question: Can money buy happiness?

In a whirlwind overview of some recent research on the subject, the Canadian educators reveal a few valuable lessons. Money can make you happy, it turns out, if you spend it on other people. What you buy matters too; people derive more happiness from experiences than from material things. So maybe procrastinating on your holiday shopping wasn't such a bad idea after all -- just snap up a few gift certificates for your loved ones and call it a day.

Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown, who produce the videos, talk about the making of the series in an interview with the Atlantic Video channel here.

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