If you have someone on your list with literally everything, why not gift them an experience? An experience is something that can be gifted year after year because once it has been experienced- it’s gone! In fact, this is the second year we will be gifting our daughters an experience as their main Christmas gift. I’ve brainstormed just over 20 experiences you can gift this holiday season.
20 Experience Gifts for the Holidays
- AmazingCo Picnic- These planned picnics are at select cities. The clues take you to restaurants and locations around the area where you pick up food for a final picnic at a suggested location. Matt and I did one and it was so fun!
- Local zoo pass- No matter your age, you can always appreciate the zoo! There are always things to see and many events throughout the year.
- Theater tickets- Many community theaters put on great shows and musicals for far less than a Broadway show. And they are closer and easier to get tickets for.
- Concert tickets- Give the gift of a musical experience! Whether it is a holiday concert or specific singer your recipient is a fan of, this is sure to be a hit!
- Summer camp- There are numerous day camps or summer camps available. Check your church, YMCA, park district, zoo, scouting, or local theater to see if any are available in your area.
- Trampoline park- There is nothing like a room full of huge trampolines to appeal to a child. These trampoline parks are popping up all over and make the perfect place to play on a day off from school or some weekend, especially when the weather is less than stellar.
- Inflatable playplace- A day pass to an indoor inflatable park is a wonderful gift for a child. And it’s nice for their parents to help them get energy out on a day off from school.
- Ceramic painting- There are often local stores that allow you to select a ceramic piece to paint and then will fire it for you. Whether you make a serving platter, pitcher, or a cute mug, the experience and resulting item will make a memory to last a lifetime.
- Lunch out at a themed restaurant- The gift of time is priceless! Take a child to a restaurant of their choice like a tea house, train restaurant, or even just McDonalds and they will feel incredibly special.
- Subscription box- The infamous subscription box. They come in every size, shape, theme, and price point. Think about what your recipient would like: cooking, crafting, decor, makeup, skincare, or books. There are many options and you can always chose to gift one box or multiples depending on your budget.
- Storyworth– This is an electronic subscription that guides the recipient to answer questions about their lives and develop a book over the course of a year. Afterwards the book will be printed and mailed to them. I got this for my mom last year and am excited to see it in print! It’s a nice way for them to get their memories into text for their family and themselves.
- Hunt a Killer games– These games are so fun to work on by yourself or with others. They have clues, locked clues, and cracking codes. Use code Mystery22 for a mystery discount on any games at huntakiller.com!
- Board and Brush- This is a craft event that allows you to choose a wooden sign, tray, or something similar and personalize it with staining and stencils during one of their workshops. It’s really fun to do with friends.
- Spa services- There are numerous spa services to gift someone like massages, pedicures, manicures, facials, and body treatments. There is sure to be some kind of service your recipient would appreciate.
- Pop up event- If you live in or near a larger city, be on the look out for traveling pop up events. My kids have gone to a few of these themed events like Jurassic Quest, Immersive Van Gough and one planned for later this month (shhh!) that are great! These are typically interactive and LOTS of fun!
- The Adventure Challenge– This is a scratch off book with ideas for date nights that is perfect for a couple. There are also options available for families.
- Cocktail Box– Learn to mix up bar-quality cocktails from recipes designed by award-winning mixologists. You can gift one box or a subscription.
- Home Design– tried this service for sprucing up our master bedroom and I was really pleased! They worked to stay in my budget and use my current furniture. You can get an extra 25% off their mini and full packages with code LBAMBRICK.
- Create a custom fragrance- Includes 3ml samples of 9 of their core scents – choose your favorite scent to customize! Created by some of the world’s top perfumers and using only the highest quality ingredients.
- Swimming lessons– Our girls love their swimming lessons! Avie has made so much progress. I really think she will be ready for swim team this summer because of her time at Goldfish. They have a New Member Holiday Package is a stocking stuffer that can save lives! For $199, you’ll get four family swim passes, a special Goldfish welcome bag with a tee shirt, Bubbles plush toy, goggles, and two Goldfish board books, and 6 weeks of lessons plus registration fee. Valid at all 15 Chicagoland-area Goldfish Swim Schools for NEW members only!
- National Park pass– Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and US Army Corps of Engineers.
So what did you think of all of these experiences? A gift of an experience means a memory that lasts forever. It’s a unique approach to gift giving. What experience intrigues you most?
