You know the best thing about Christmas? Rhyming couplets. Okay, okay, spending time with family, pretty lights, gingerbread cookies, and eggnog with too much grog in it are all slightly better than rhyming couplets, but they're right up there. And in the latest episode of BrainCraft, Vanessa Hill manages to stuff her rhymes full of some handy science for those of us who stress about giving our loved ones The Best Gift Ever, every year.
"For those people seeking a gift of perfection, what counts is the thought that goes into the selection," says Hill. We all know where this is going. Researchers found that when people were told the gifts they had received were environmentally friendly, they actually experienced an emotional lift. Something homemade or a charitable donation can also cause the same effect, and studies have shown that giving an experience can prolong feelings of joy in the gift-receiver.
Watch the latest, very Christmassy episode of BrainCraft to discover what's the most important thing this holiday season, according to science.
Source: BrainCraft