The Best Experience Gifts For The Whole Family

A gift is a special thing, but it can be hard to find the perfect gift.

Finding the right gift for your family and friends is notoriously difficult. Especially if they don’t even want physical items and are trying not to increase the clutter.

You want something that will make them feel loved and appreciated, but you also want to give them something they’ll actually use.

PIN FOR LATER!

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Experience gifts are popular because they give people something they will remember. They also have the potential to bond people closer together. Whether you are buying an experience gift for your spouse, children, parents or family friends, it’s sure to be something they remember.

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Table Of Contents

What are Experience Gifts?
Why Experience Gifts are Better Than Physical Gifts
How to Wrap Experience Gifts
How to Ask for Experience Gifts
Experience Gifts For Men
Experience Gifts For Women
Experience Gifts For Couples
Experience Gifts For Kids
Experience Gifts For the Whole Family
Conclusion: The Best Experience Gifts

What are Experience Gifts?

Experience gifts are unique because they allow you to give people memories rather than material items.

An experience gift is something your loved one can ‘do’ and make memories from rather than keeping a physical item. Experience gifts are perfect for anyone. You can buy experiences for men, women or children of any age. There’s an experience gift out there for anyone and everyone on your Christmas list!

Why Experience Gifts are Better Than Physical Gifts

It’s something different – Everyone loves a bit of retail therapy and the excitement of getting something new, but an experience gift is so much better than a material item. It’s something they can do with other people and create memories from.
Experience gifts are great for groups – If you’re looking to buy an experience gift for a whole family or large group then it’s perfect. All the family can be involved and you can all go together, making memories that last forever.
Taking photos makes for great memories – While your experiences are happening, take photos to capture those great moments, then these souvenirs will be with you forever.
It doesn’t add clutter – The great thing about experience gifts is that you don’t get something that will just sit there and take up space in your home.
There’s something for everyone – no matter who it is you’re getting a gift for – grandma, uncle, sister-in-law, kids, your other half – there’s an experience gift for everyone.
They are perfect for friends or family who live far away – If your friend is living in another country, offer them an experience gift instead of buying something material. It saves on postage and an experience is something you can both do together when you see each other.

How to Wrap Experience Gifts

A lot of the fun of Christmas morning is unwrapping your gift, the surprise of not knowing what it is. With experience gifts, you don’t always get the same element of surprise.

You can of course wrap the envelope the experience comes in but here are a few creative ways to give your gift:

Make a video on your phone explaining what the gift is.
Put together a scavenger hunt for the recipient to search for their gift.
Print out a few pictures of the experience. For example, if it’s a trip to New York, show them a picture of Times Square, Central Park, etc.
Give them clues and have them guess what the experience is.

We were never meant to live life accumulating stuff. We were meant to live simply enjoying the experiences of life, the people of life and the journey of life – not the things of life.
joshua becker

How to Ask for Experience Gifts

It can be difficult to put guidelines in place when it comes to other people getting you gifts. Some people find it awkward having a conversation about what they want.

In my opinion, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with letting your family and friends know what you’d like for Christmas. Isn’t it better that you have something you love rather than getting a gift just for the sake of it?

Don’t be afraid to point people in the direction of experience gifts this year. Often, you’ll find that they are stuck on what you get you so they’ll welcome the inspiration!

Here are the best experience gift ideas you can give the whole family this Christmas:

Disclaimer: While I have separated these out into different categories such as ‘experience gifts for men’ or ‘experience gifts for women’, I am in no way insinuating that a woman can’t enjoy a round of golf or a man can’t enjoy a day at the spa. Please take these headings as loose categories, but of course they can be mixed up and used for anyone.

Experience Gifts For Men

Best Experience Gifts Man playing golf — Photo by Epic Stock Media

Supercar Driving Experience

This unique gift is perfect for the man who loves cars. If your dad, brother or boyfriend is passionate about supercars then they’ll love this experience.

The supercar driving experience allows you to get behind the wheel of a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Porsche. It’s an unforgettable day out.

Pilot Lessons

Does a love of flying runs in the family? If you know someone who loves planes but would never have a chance to learn how to fly, this experience gift will be perfect for them!

The lesson is done in a small private plane and it gives your loved one the chance to get up in the air and really take control. This experience isn’t for everyone but if your man has always dreamed of flying, he’ll be over the moon with this gift.

Round of Golf

Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world, so why not get your husband, dad or boyfriend a round on his favorite course, if that’s what he’s into?

This gift can be anything from an 18 hole game on a local course to teeing off in an exotic location. If any of these sound like fun to you then this experience will be perfect for your loved one.

Indoor Skydiving

For those into extreme sports, this will be the perfect gift. Indoor skydiving lets him get the feeling of jumping out of a plane without actually having to jump out of a plane! And without the hefty price tag.

The experience takes place in a special wind tube which creates enough of an updraft to give your loved one the sensation of freefalling. It’s a once in a lifetime experience for someone who is always up for an adventure.

Sports Car Rally Driving Experience

This experience gift is for someone who loves fast cars and adrenalin-pumping activities. The car rally driving experience allows you to drive around an off-road track in a rally-style sports car!

It’s an opportunity to release your inner hooligan without destroying anything (including your car!).

Experience Gifts For Women

Best Experience Gifts Two women at the spa — Photo by Vasyl Dolmatov of Getty Images Pro

Day at the Spa

If you know a lady who loves her pampering, the day at the spa experience will be right up her alley.

The day can include anything from a facial to a massage. The whole thing will be tailored to your gal pal’s preferences and she’ll leave feeling relaxed and refreshed!

Afternoon Tea with Friends

Afternoon Tea is an English custom that has now spread all over the world. The afternoon tea experience gift allows you to enjoy some high-quality tea and delicious pastries with your friends or family.

It’s a great way to spend an afternoon catching up on life, talking about everything and nothing! And of course, enjoying some tasty treats. Treat the woman in your life to an outing for afternoon tea with her friends.

Cake Decorating Session

Cake decorating is a popular hobby so if someone close to you loves baking, this gift will be right up her alley.

The cake decorating sessions allow you to gain some practical experience and learn how to decorate a cake from scratch. You’ll decorate the cake in any way you like and of course you’ll get to eat the cake too! It’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

Wine Club Membership

The wine club membership experience gift is great for someone who loves the finer things in life.

The gift allows you to explore different types of wines and pick up top-quality wines from around the world.

The experience is delivered through a monthly membership and you’ll be able to learn more about wine while enjoying some great bottles every month. It’s a great way to expand your palate!

Cocktail Making Class

If you have a lady in your life who loves to party, she’ll love a cocktail-making class experience. It gives her the chance to learn how to make some of the most delicious cocktails!

Take her out to her favourite restaurant or cocktail bar for the evening and get making cocktails!

Cameo Video

A cameo video is a great gift for the woman in your life. Arrange to get a personal video sent to her by her favourite actor or singer.

Experience Gifts For Couples

Best Experience Gifts Two glasses of wine and a rose on a table — Photo by Kieferpix of Getty Images

Couples Massage

If you’re trying to come up with a gift experience idea that both of you can enjoy, a couples massage is perfect!

The experience is tailored to be relaxing and enjoyable for both of you. It’s something that can be shared together which will help strengthen your relationship.

Murder Mystery Night

A murder mystery night is an experience that will give you and your partner some fun time together. You’ll dress up in period clothes, solve a riddle or two and go on the hunt for clues.

It’s an immersive experience which really gets your brain working. It will be sure to bring out your inner sleuth.

Romantic Dinner

A romantic dinner is the perfect date night. Book a table at one of your favourite restaurants and enjoy a romantic meal together!

It’s an opportunity to spend some time with each other, catching up on life and enjoying tasty food (and maybe even wine). If you’ve got kids, it’s nice to get a night out for just the grown ups. What more could you ask for?

Weekend Away

A weekend away is necessary every now and again for couples. Rather than giving each other gifts that you might not want or need, spend the money on a staycation or short trip away.

It’s also nice to have something to look forward to after the holiday season is over.

Concert Tickets

Who doesn’t love a concert? A lot of concert tickets go on sale just before Christmas so choose one you both love and book your tickets!

A concert is a great way to spend some quality time together, enjoying one of your favourite artists, and it’s something you can look forward to in the coming months.

Experience Gifts For Kids

Best Experience Gifts three kids at a waterpark — Photo by Imgorthand of Getty Images Signature

Cinema Tickets

Most kids love a cinema experience. Take them out to the cinema and let them watch their favourite film together with popcorn and sweets.

For an even better experience, book a few movies to see in the same day! Or you could buy some cinema tickets for their friends so they can enjoy with them instead.

A ‘Yes’ day

This one is definitely not for the faint-hearted! A ‘Yes’ day is a full-day experience in which parents must say yes to every activity their kids suggest.

You do put some rules in place to begin with (such as no travel abroad, no spending over a certain amount, no doing anything illegal!) but after that, it’s YES all day!

If they want ice cream for breakfast, that’s a yes! If they want you to wear a tutu and rollerskates, that’s a yes too!

Museum Membership

Give your kids the opportunity to learn in a fun environment by giving the experience of a museum membership this year.

With so many types of museums out there, you’ll find something that suits every child’s interests – science museums, history museums, art museums, technology museums.

Waterpark Tickets

If your kids are water babies, they’ll absolutely love tickets to a waterpark for Christmas instead of a physical gift. They’ll be able to splash about and have fun on the slides, jets and in the pools.

Amusement Park Passes

This is another experience gift idea if you don’t want to give something physical this Christmas. Amusement park passes are perfect for the family who loves rollercoasters, rides and thrills.

Scavenger Hunt

Give your kid an adventure this Christmas by getting them involved in a scavenger hunt. This can either be a separate scavenger hunt or incorporated into finding their Christmas gifts!

It’s a fun activity that will have them running around the house in excitement – they’ll be sure to enjoy it!

Music Lessons

Have you ever received a musical instrument that you tried out and then forgot all about? Music lessons are a great idea for kids who are just starting out You can either rent or borrow the musical instrument until your child has had a few lessons and you know they’re interested in continuing on learning.

Ballet / Martial Arts / Theatre Classes

If your child has a hobby, interest or talent, it’s always nice to get a gift that enables them to continue developing their skills.

For example, if they love ballet but only get time for one lesson a week at the local studio, you could buy them some dance lessons so they can have more opportunities.

One-on-One Day Out With Mom / Dad

Sometimes it can be nice to have one-on-one time with each of your kids, and it’s even more important that they have this time with mom or dad.

This gift is perfect for the parent who would like to make a day of it with their child. Find out what’s going on in your kids’ life and get to know them better away from their siblings.

Ultimate Sleepover Night with Friends

Rather than a physical gift, offer to give your kids the ultimate sleepover night with their friends after Christmas.

Build a fort in the living room where they can all sleep, arrange games and get some treats in for food. Let them stay up late and enjoy their time together.

Experience Gifts For the Whole Family

Best Experience Gifts family sitting next to camping tent — Photo by Lucky Business from Getty Images Pro

Escape Room

If you want to give an activity-based gift, look no further than an escape room experience.

This is a great family activity.. The entire group will work together to solve puzzles and hopefully escape the room before time runs out!

Be Tourists for the Day

How often have you actually toured around your own hometown? And not just when you have visitors. If you want a family day out where you’ll see the sites together, this is perfect.

You can even print out bingo cards of places to see in your hometown and have a competition to see who can spot the most places!

A Camping Trip

Plan a camping trip for the whole family as a Christmas gift this year. Camping is a great family experience, especially because there’s no technology getting in the way of you spending time together.

Surprise the family with a camping trip they’ll never forget.

Bowling Night

If you want to give a family activity, opt for a bowling night! It’s great because it doesn’t require much preparation – there are bowling lanes in many towns and cities, so it’s easy to pop over for an evening of fun!

Conclusion: The Best Experience Gifts

Experiences make the perfect gift for the whole family, rather than items that are just going to collect dust in the house. These activity-based gifts will give your family some memories that they’ll always cherish.

Whether it’s an outing to a museum or a night out at your favorite restaurant, these types of experiences leave lasting memories and make great presents.