Gift Giving Guy

When giving multiple gifts, always save the best for last. Or consider giving a single “best” gift rather than several “good” presents. Why? When we recall pleasurable events (or even painful ones), we tend to overemphasize the most intense moment and the end of the experience. Behavioral scientists call this the peak-end rule.

The peak-end rule might seem counter-intuitive. If you give several presents, you would think those extra gifts add more total worth. But the milder gifts sap the vibrance of the giving experience if they are revealed at the end. In fact, researchers at Dartmouth College found that people who received two gifts — a desired gift followed by a second, mildly desirable gift — were less satisfied than others who just received one desired gift. The intensity of a single great gift dominates our memory; it’s both the peak and the end of the experience.

Keep the peak-end rule in mind when your planning that surprise travel gift too. You’re better off arranging a shorter, more eventful vacation (with a marquee concert at the end) than a longer one with less splurges and intensity.