MyHeritage DNA Is an Ideal Gift for the Holidays. Science Says So

So you’re trying to find the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday. Have you considered what science has to say on the matter?

Yes, science! While gift-giving is certainly an art, research in the field of psychology has reached three important findings about what brings people joy — and it just so happens that the MyHeritage DNA Ancestry-only kit fits the bill on both.

1. The secret to a happy, healthy life: good relationships

One of the longest-term studies of adult life was the Harvard Study of Adult Development. The study followed 268 adult men for 75 years to examine the factors that contribute to happy, healthy lives. Over the course of the study, one factor emerged as being more important than any other: good, meaningful relationships. People who maintained positive relationships with friends and family were more likely to live longer, be healthier, and feel happier.

Gift-giving, in general, is a great way to nurture relationships, but the MyHeritage DNA test takes it a level up. Not only does the gift of a MyHeritage DNA test provide your loved one with a message that you care, it gives them the opportunity to learn more about what makes them who they are — and to discover new family bonds that may develop into more nurturing and meaningful relationships!

2. Experiences are better than things

Research by Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University, showed that spending money on experiences brings us greater happiness than spending money on things. He explains that while we may hold on to possessions for a longer time, the experience stays with us in a different way: it becomes part of the stories we tell about ourselves. Shared experiences form strong bonds between people, which brings us back to item #1 above. We quickly get used to objects we have, but the memories we create from experience bring us joy for the rest of our lives.

A MyHeritage DNA kit is not just a thing. Yes, it may come in a super cool box with beautiful gift wrap, but what it essentially provides for the recipient is an experience: the experience of learning about where they come from and what makes them who they are.

3. Knowing family history makes us more emotionally healthy

Researchers at Emory University found that adolescents who know stories about their family’s pasts show higher levels of emotional well-being. They studied 66 14–16-year-olds from middle-class, two-parent families, and found that teenagers who knew more stories about their extended family were more emotionally healthy and a more developed sense of identity — even after controlling for a general level of family functioning.

“Family stories provide a sense of identity through time, and help children understand who they are in the world,” the researchers explained in their article.

What this tells us is that a MyHeritage DNA kit benefits not only the person who takes the test but also the younger generation in their family. Providing your loved ones with more information about their family history helps them feel a stronger sense of identity and belonging, and this contributes to their emotional well-being.

So why not take advantage of our pre-holiday sale price and give your loved one something that, according to science, can truly make them happier and healthier? Buy a kit now.