Time and time again studies reveal that experiential spending/gifts create higher levels of happiness as opposed to material gifts. This year, I thought I’d create a round up of some fun ideas that don’t involve material items.

all images are from Unsplash

1. Classes/Lessons– cooking, dancing, sign making, ceramics, card making, wreath making,dancing, flower arranging… learning something new is a great bonding experience.

2. Spa Experiences– often this is a huge luxury that people rarely will indulge in for themselves. This is a great gift for the one who you know gives it all to everyone else but doesn’t necessarily make time to take care of themselves- regardless of gender! Men deserve pedicures and facials too!

3. Specialized Fitness Classes/Lessons- tread lightly here…this one can be tricky, and some of us probably remember the poorly received Peloton ad of 2019. However, specialized classes like aerial yoga, partner yoga, ski lessons… are creative and thoughtful ( as long as the person has some interest in those sorts of things!)

4. Wellness Experiences– think sound baths, sensory deprivation, – even a subscription to a mindfulness app for the individual who is into wellness.

5. Trees/ Perennial Pollinator Friendly Plants For the Garden- I know that these are actual THINGS, however this is a gift that also will benefit the environment and will bloom year after year. Truly a gift that keeps giving!

6. Memberships/Season Passes– this could be to the zoo, local botanical garden, or a local museum.  Casey’s aunt gifted us a gift membership to the Bay Area Discovery Museum when we lived in the Bay Area and we thought it was a brilliant and thoughtful gift and we felt immensely grateful every time we visited!

7. Tickets To a Show Or Concert– Highly personalized, this gift shows that you really care about their interests. This gift is another experience that you can enjoy with the recipient to form memories at the event. It doesn’t even have to be in the very near future- everyone likes looking forward to something!

8. Gift Card To a Local Restaurant- support local restaurants while also giving the gift of an intimate dinner! 

9. A Weekend Away– Ok, this is certainly not in everyone’s budget, but what else screams making memories like airline tickets to a weekend getaway?

10. Meal Delivery Kit– This is perfect for the busy family member. You get to the duration of the gift- one month or several!

I haven’t yet decided if I am going to do a gift guide yet this year….I’ll keep ya in the loop if I do!

Thanks for being here

xx, Allie