'Tis the season to be jolly, fa lala lala la la.

They find that natives are happier than immigrants and that immigrants tend to become unhappier as they spend time in the country of destination. In addition, immigrants cannot buy happiness. The team observed that although income helps to mitigate some of the negative feelings experienced by immigrants, they do not earn enough money to overcome the hardships associated with the immigration experience. Moreover, the longer immigrants live in the new country and the more they achieve economically, the more likely it is that the extra happiness experienced early in settlement slips away. 

In the realm of social work and integration, pay is significant but the holidays point to the many losses experienced by the first generation, the migrant. From an unfamiliar climate and patterns of eating, to a loss of networks and extended family assistance, the new life is never the rich, familiar and comforting life that has been left. Whether a person migrates for safety, or opportunity or even to follow one's spouse, immigration means uprootedness and can often leave a deficit that cannot be filled by work. The newcomer may be happier with the pay than the local but the local has a happier existence.

One might appreciate the effort in Prince Edward Island, Canada, to welcome newcomers at the holidays. Sharing traditions is not only a component in yuletide celebration but it can also provide cultural education. For many, the dislocation and loss of tradition cannot be measured but the inclusion into new traditions and feeling some connection begins a promising journey, perhaps toward something like 'happiness.'

Westy Egmont, Director