It’s the simple things we remember
We're not sure if you've noticed... but these days the holiday season seems to bring with it more than its fair share of stresses - growing to-do lists, pressures to buy (and receive!) amazing gifts, and nailing that picture-perfect, ‘instagrammable’, selfie.
But do these things really bring us happiness? This summer, All Right? is challenging Cantabrians to reflect on the moments that really matter.
Do you remember when you always looked forward to summer holidays? What were the truly legendary summers all about? We reckon it's the simple things that stand out in our memories, years down the track. Like a trip to the beach with the whānau, backyard cricket on Boxing Day, staring at the stars, or sharing kai with friends.
For Ciaran Fox from the All Right? team, a memory that stands out for him are Christmas day picnics with the whanau at Kaituna Valley near Little River.
“I’ve got amazing memories of Christmas day picnics at Kaituna. Yummy simple food, playing in the river, actually laughing and having fun instead of stressing over cooking elaborate meals. ”
“Closer to home, I remember jumping on the back of my sister’s bike and cruising down to South Brighton Beach to play in the sand dunes and in the water. Years on, those little adventures I had with my sister remain some of my favourite memories.”
This is what our Moments That Matter campaign is all about – getting people to think about the things they really value and encouraging them to do these things more often.
Christmas time doesn’t need to be an expensive black hole – the best things in life are free. And if we still want to spend money on others or ourselves, the evidence is clear that experiences bring the most bang for our buck in terms of happiness and wellbeing.