Give Memories, Not Just Things: Stock Tank Pools as the Ultimate Holiday Gift

Give Memories, Not Just Things: Why a Stock Tank Pool or Hot Tub Makes the Ultimate Family Holiday Gift

Why Experiences Outlast Material Gifts

Every season brings new gadgets, clothes, and products that feel exciting for a moment, but the thrill rarely lasts. What does endure are the memories we make together. Research consistently shows that gifts centered on experiences—especially those that create shared moments—deliver more lasting happiness than material possessions.

• Studies by Chan & Mogilner (Stanford, UCLA) found that experiential gifts strengthen relationships more than physical gifts do—even if the giver isn’t present for the experience. Stanford Center on Longevity

• Another paper (“Experiential Gifts Foster Stronger Social Relationships than Material Gifts”) found that people who receive experience-based gifts report greater feelings of gratitude, meaningfulness, and social connection versus those receiving physical items. UCLA Anderson School of Management

• Large survey data shows a growing preference for experiences over material items—people increasingly say they’d rather get a trip, show, or outdoor activity than a tangible gift. BYU Daily Universe

So, when you give something like a stock tank pool or hot tub, you’re not just giving a product—you’re giving time together, shared memories, and experiences that will be talked about long after the holiday wrapping is gone.

Why a Stock Tank Pool or Hot Tub? The Gift That Builds Memories

Here are some reasons this type of gift hits differently:

1. Group Experience Built In: A pool or hot tub becomes a gathering place: family parties, summer afternoons, late-night stargazing, maybe even a holiday dip. It’s naturally social—everyone uses it, everyone remembers it.

2. Lasting Utility: Unlike many holiday gifts that lose their appeal or usefulness, a well-built stock tank pool or hot tub can last for years. Maintenance might be required, but the enjoyment doesn’t fade fast.

3. Flexibility & Location: You can set it up in a backyard, in a cabin, on a patio. With design touches, lighting, small additions like decking or warm water heaters, it can become a feature people want to spend time around.

4. Wellness & Relaxation: Hot tubs especially warm water, bubbles, shared relaxation. These contribute to stress relief, bonding, even improved sleep. Not just a gift for fun, also one for health and well-being.

   
   

Research-Backed Happiness: Numbers That Make You Feel Good

• In the Chan & Mogilner work, people who gave or received an experiential gift reported significantly higher relationship strength after the gift compared to those with material gifts. Stanford Center on Longevity+1

• The “Spending on Experiences vs. Possessions” study (University of Texas) with over 5,000 participants found that experiential purchases led to greater happiness before, during, and after the experience compared with material purchases. UT Austin News

• A survey by GetYourGuide showed that more than half of people now prefer experiences over physical items during holiday gifting seasons. That preference has grown strongly in recent years. BYU Daily Universe

Bottom Line

If you want a gift that keeps on giving, one that builds family bonds, laughter, late night splashes, and cozy evenings—then a stock tank pool or hot tub is a gift that delivers more than joy in the moment. It becomes part of the story of your family, something sentimental, physical, social.