When I vacation I am not normally much for souvenir shopping. I'll buy a fridge magnet and add it to the collection so I can reminisce about my adventures while making a grilled cheese. And, on occasion I may splurge on something more. But by and large, I don't leave room in my bag while packing so I can bring stuff home!
But that's not how many travelers think. In fact, the majority of people will say the exact opposite. And is has to do with the way our brains are hardwired which lends itself to the addictive nature of consumerism and collecting, but also to the excitement of shopping while on our travels—where unfamiliar items appear exotic and alluring.
You see, the psychology behind retail therapy is well-documented. There are therapeutic benefits, like a chemical dopamine release, that come with buying objects simply for their aesthetic qualities. Then there’s the rush we get from the anticipation before buying.
However not all souvenirs are created equal, and many sightseers are often buying ‘tat’—plastic items mass produced in overseas factories. In 2022 in the USA alone, more than USD21 billion dollars was spent in souvenir and novelty stores. And according to Rolf Potts, author of Souvenir, the vast majority of modern tat is made “inexpensively in China”.
That said, small mementos continue to spark big memories, and can be imbued with immense meaning. People have long collected pebbles from beaches (despite being told to take nothing but memories). London-based psychotherapist Ania Herbut says humans feel compelled to collect things as a reminder of happy times.
Any many people purchase things to bring back home to friends and loved ones. But while giving gifts might come with good intentions, are we actually just assuaging our own itch to consume without the guilt of ownership? Or maybe it’s simple altruism at play, where the act of giving activates pathways in our brains that release oxytocin and generates a feeling of connection.
Turns out that the act of buying simple souvenirs can actually be quite complex!
From the trophies plundered by invaders and explorers, and medieval pilgrims collecting pebbles from the Holy Land, to shopping for shiny trinkets in a foreign flea market, bringing a memento back from our travels has long been accepted—perhaps even expected. But where does this impulse to buy and collect come from? And what does it mean for a world that’s already drowning in ‘stuff’?
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