When you’re a child, you can’t wait for Christmas. You count the days until Christmas, and the night before, you might have trouble falling asleep because you’re so excited. Christmas morning you likely got up bright and early ready to tear through your presents. Christmas was so much fun!
As you age, the joy can go out of the holidays. You know you’ll need to spend both time and money to find the perfect gift for someone. Others buy you gifts, but often, the items are things you really don’t want or need. If you have the means, you might return the items for something you do want, but often, the gifts just join a pile of clutter somewhere in your house. Sound familiar?
Let’s be honest. By the time we’re early middle aged, we can buy most of what we need. Getting presents isn’t nearly as exciting as it was when we were younger.
But what if we could change that?
How, you ask?
Simple. Instead of giving “stuff”, give the gift of experience.
Do you know someone who loves to snowmobile? Why not book a night or two at a cabin where he can spend the day snowmobiling with friends? If he doesn’t have a snowmobile, make the arrangements to rent him one. If you still want to give a traditional gift, why not buy a top rated snowmobile helmet to wear while enjoying his experience gift?
You can also give the gift of your own presence with your experience gift. Kids usually receive way too many toys during the holidays. Instead, give your child a gift that expands on her interests and talents. If you have a child who loves to cook, why not sign her up for a kids’ cooking class? You could take the class with her and give the gift of your presence, too. A nice accompanying gift might be her own cookbook or apron for cooking at home.
The gift of experience also works nicely for parents in their sixties. Parents this age are often retired and have more time to pursue their own interests. To pick the perfect experience gift for them, focus on their interests. You could buy them tickets to a musical or theater performance. If your parents are very adventurous, you could buy them a skydiving package. You know best what they would like.
When buying a gift of experience, you can search the web and find businesses that offer already prepared gifts of experience. Or, you could make the arrangements yourself, contacting the business and purchasing the items needed for the experience. The one advantage to buying an already prepared experience through a business is that you may be able to return it if it is an experience the person would rather not have.
If you’re looking to spice up your holiday gift giving, try giving the gift of experience. It’s a gift your recipient will likely never forget.
