Clean bed sheets, a cuddle with a partner and booking a holiday are among a list of the 50 most pleasurable things in life, a new study has revealed. Christmas dinners, chocolate and someone saying ‘I love you’ also made the list, as did country walks, catching up with old friends and getting a compliment.
A cup of tea or coffee, sitting down in your clean home after tidying it and even a crisp winter’s day also made the top 50.
The poll, of 2,000 Brits, was commissioned by Ordnance Survey to launch its Custom Made map campaign, allowing you to make the perfect personalised gift, based on someone’s favorite pleasure.
Nick Giles, Managing Director of Ordnance Survey Leisure said:
”Our everyday lives are becoming so much more stressful and busier than ever before, so the things we used to take for granted are now few and far between.
”Because of this, many of us appreciate things like reading a book or going for a stroll a lot more than we used to.
”With over 80% of those polled enjoy exploring the countryside and 74% of those preferring to do it on foot, something as simple as a relaxing countryside walk can turn a bad day into a good one.
”And if a friend or loved one is having a particularly stressful day, doing something you know is one of their life’s little pleasures can go a long way to cheering them up.”
A cuddle with a partner was named as the number one pleasure in life, while the feeling of getting into a freshly made bed came second.
Tucking into some chocolate, booking a holiday and sitting down to Christmas dinner complete the top five.
Country walks with loved ones came sixth followed by being told ‘I love you’ and meeting up with friends you haven’t seen for a while.
A freshly cleaned house and an alcoholic drink completed the top ten.
Food and drink featured several times in the top 50, with a cup of tea or coffee, a hot chocolate, hot drinks on a cold day and just tucking into food in general all on the list.
Other edible pleasures include cheese boards, steak, pub roasts and picnics.
Feel good moments among the list also included being giving a compliment, receiving presents or flowers and cuddles with children or babies.
The weather has an effect on some of life’s little pleasures with crisp, icy days in the top 50, as well as watching films under a blanket when it’s raining outside, sitting in a beer garden on a sunny day and stepping off a plane after landing in a hot country.
Other little pleasures include payday, first kisses, duvet days, having your hair done and buying new clothes.
Sitting down to read a book, Christmas TV and traffic free journeys also featured on the list.
The study also found that 80% try to indulge in their little pleasures whenever they can, with 94% saying they act as a pick-me-up after a bad or stressful day.
LIFE’S TOP 50 LITTLE PLEASURES
1. A cuddle with a partner
2. Clean bed sheets
3. Chocolate
4. Booking a holiday
5. Christmas dinner
6. Country walks
7. Someone saying ‘I love you’
8. Catching up with old friends
9. A clean house
10. Alcohol
11. A cup of coffee
12. Buying new clothes
13. A day at the beach
14. Getting a compliment
15. Giving presents
16. Cuddles with your children
17. A cheese board
18. Reading a book
19. A cup of tea
20. Hearing ‘I love you’ from a child
21. Receiving presents
22. Cuddles with a baby
23. Watching films with a blanket and a fire when it’s raining outside
24. Crisp winter weather
25. Sitting in a beer garden on a sunny day
26. Payday
27. Eating
28. Tea and cake
29. Dinner with friends
30. Getting off a plane into hot weather
31. Receiving flowers
32. Being productive
33. First kisses
34. Hot drinks in cold weather
35. Duvet days
36. Having a fridge full of new food
37. Christmas television
38. Hot chocolate
39. Going to the theatre
40. Traffic free journeys
41. Having your hair done
42. Putting my pajamas on
43. Steak
44. Good photos
45. Receiving post
46. Going to the cinema
47. Getting really dressed up
48. Pub roasts
49. Birthday parties
50. Picnics
