Every year I find myself in this position, and every year I tell myself, “I’m going to do this ahead of time next year,” yet, here we are… once again.
It’s always the people that are the hardest to shop for that I find myself in this situation because I keep waiting on the perfect gift idea to “come to me” and then here we are, three days till THE day and the idea hasn’t “come to me” yet.
Well, what I’ve learned is the best thing to give the person who has everything, and pull it off at the last minute is the gift of experiences. Memories are one of those things people say money can’t buy. They’re so precious that you’ll talk about memories for years to come… but silly gifts won’t be talked about, they’ll be sold for $1 at a garage sale (trust me, I witnessed it).
But I’m here to tell you that you CAN buy memories. You CAN buy their favorite gift of the year 3 days before Christmas and not step foot into a mall after searching an hour for parking. YOU CAN DO THIS.
For my last minute shoppers, or the person who still doesn’t feel 100% about the gift they bought, here are some of my FAVORITE experiential gift ideas that will be talked about for years to come!
Grab them a gift card to an Escape Room! You can purchase the experience for just two people, or a whole group. Escape rooms are fun, unique, and always end up leaving you with a great memory and a funny story. It’s an unexpectedly awesome experience that will light an adventurers soul on fire.
Snag them a helicopter tour! First of all, how fun. Second of all, what a phenomenal memory. Third of all, that view of the skyline from up top is amazing. Fourth, who doesn’t want pictures of themselves in a helicopter? Like, who wants to get me a helicopter ride for Christmas, because I am here for it!
Grab ’em a gift card to the hottest new restaurant (or their favorite spot)… make sure you look at the menu and purchase an amount that actually gifts them a dinner experience. I’ve done this and tried to factor in cocktails for two, an appetizer, and two entrees. It’s a perfect expense paid date night for that person who loves to indulge in some fine dining.
For the Movie Buff in Your LifeGrab ’em a gift card to that really awesome theatre… you know, the one that has the fancy recliners, with a blanket and pillow, and a delicious menu? Hook ’em up with movie tickets and dinner for two so they can go see that new movie they’ve been talking about!
Grab ’em some dance class lessons! If they’ve been talking about wanting to learn hip-hop, or salsa, or Irish dancing, this can be their year all thanks to you! This could be something that you both do together or that you gift to your favorite couple. Either way, it’s a fun and unique experience that you’ll be able to use and remember long after the class.
I hope these ideas helped spark some ideas and alleviate some of that last-minute-shopping stress. Comment below your favorite experiences and creative gift ideas!