Can money buy you happiness? Up to a point, yes

Maybe you enjoy the songs and the pageantry of Christmas, or the tradition of lighting your menorah candles.

But it’s also a sad time for a lot of folks who look at the holidays as a time when there’s something missing. Or something that could be better.

Sounds like life in general, right?

There’s no question, there are times when you just don’t feel inspired. Or accomplished. Or happy.

And then there are times when you feel like the world is at your fingertips. You made it! Success! Yes!

What’s interesting about those ups and downs is the fact that research shows those extremes to transcend societies and countries, ideologies and races. But they typically – for each of us – happen around the same time in life.

And it’s all a part of something that’s called the U-curve, brought to light in research done by – among others – Richard Easterlin, who is Professor of Economics at the University of Southern California. He spoke to KCRW’s Steve Chiotakis.