Vacations bring more happiness than birthdays, finds survey

Being on vacation topped a list of pleasures, edging out birthdays and finding money that was thought to be lost, in a recent survey conducted by strategic consulting firm Northstar on behalf of travel website Expedia.com.

The firm surveyed a group of 7,855 employed adults over the age of 18, hailing from a total of 24 countries.

When asked of the pleasures they would give up for a week in order to have just one extra day of vacation, 54 percent of respondents replied they would give up junk food.

Forty-eight percent would give up alcohol, 24 percent would give up sex and a whopping 42 percent would give up social media.

Only 20 percent said they'd give up the Internet for a week in order to gain an extra day of vacation and just nine percent said they'd give up showering.

On a more serious note, 91 percent of respondents agreed with the statement "Regular vacations are important for general health and well-being."

According to survey results, Europeans are given an average of 28 days of vacation, of which they take full advantage, whereas Americans are only given 15 and take 14.

Asia-Pacific workers are given 19 days vacation, of which they take 14.