NYTimes posted an interview with the social psychologist, Daniel Gilbert. The best part is this quote:

“Another thing we know from studies is that people tend to take more pleasure in experiences than in things. […] One reason for this is that experiences tend to be shared with other people and objects usually aren’t. […] People think a car will last and that’s why it will bring you happiness. But it doesn’t. It gets old and decays. But experiences don’t. You’ll “always have Paris” — and that’s exactly what Bogart meant when he said it to Ingrid Bergman. But will you always have a washing machine? No.“

On a related note, It struck me recently how there are more and more companies selling experiences as gifts.