Give the Gift of Experience Next Holiday Season

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The Christmas season is now well behind us, and we still have another 10 months before we start to frantically shop for gifts.  Admit it, often when you buy a gift, aren't you just buying it because you feel obligated to?  You may not know what to get some people on your list such as your parents who have everything they need or your best friend who can buy anything she needs. If you routinely struggle with buying the perfect gift (and who doesn't?), why not vow to do something different next holiday season. Instead of buying "stuff" that your friends and family may or may not appreciate, why not give experience gifts? What Are Experience Gifts? Experience gifts are when you pay for your gift recipient to have a fun adventure on your dime.  There are all sorts of experience gifts from the safest (such as taking a cooking class) to the exhilarating (such as riding with a race car driver on a race track) to the awe inspiring (such as visiting the Grand Canyon skywalk). Experience gifts are likely to touch people emotionally more than other gifts because you must listen to people and know their interests, hobbies, wishes and dreams to pick the perfect experience gift. A Gift That Won't Soon Be Forgotten Think.  What gifts did you receive for Christmas 2011?  My guess is that you can't remember.  What about Christmas 2012?  That holiday is only a few weeks removed, but you may still have trouble remembering what gift you received. The gift of experience is different.  Give someone a gift of experience, and they won't soon forget it.  In fact, they may remember it for the rest of their lives. Perfect for Any Event While you may just think of giving a gift of experience for Christmas, they are also well-suited for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays and anniversaries.  If you can afford it, you may challenge yourself to give a gift of experience each year or for each major present giving occasion in a calendar year.  Your friend or family member will look forward to your gift more than any other. While friends and family may seem to love the traditional gifts you give, chances are, they are probably indifferent or dissatisfied with your gift.  Next year, give the gift of something they have always wanted to do, and they won't be able to stop telling you how much they loved their gift.

The Christmas season is now well behind us, and we still have another 10 months before we start to frantically shop for gifts.  Admit it, often when you buy a gift, aren't you just buying it because you feel obligated to?  You may not know what to get some people on your list such as your parents who have everything they need or your best friend who can buy anything she needs.

If you routinely struggle with buying the perfect gift (and who doesn't?), why not vow to do something different next holiday season.

Instead of buying "stuff" that your friends and family may or may not appreciate, why not give experience gifts?

What Are Experience Gifts?

Experience gifts are when you pay for your gift recipient to have a fun adventure on your dime.  There are all sorts of experience gifts from the safest (such as taking a cooking class) to the exhilarating (such as riding with a race car driver on a race track) to the awe inspiring (such as visiting the Grand Canyon skywalk).

Experience gifts are likely to touch people emotionally more than other gifts because you must listen to people and know their interests, hobbies, wishes and dreams to pick the perfect experience gift.

A Gift That Won't Soon Be Forgotten

Think.  What gifts did you receive for Christmas 2011?  My guess is that you can't remember.  What about Christmas 2012?  That holiday is only a few weeks removed, but you may still have trouble remembering what gift you received.

The gift of experience is different.  Give someone a gift of experience, and they won't soon forget it.  In fact, they may remember it for the rest of their lives.

Perfect for Any Event

While you may just think of giving a gift of experience for Christmas, they are also well-suited for Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays and anniversaries. 

If you can afford it, you may challenge yourself to give a gift of experience each year or for each major present giving occasion in a calendar year.  Your friend or family member will look forward to your gift more than any other.

While friends and family may seem to love the traditional gifts you give, chances are, they are probably indifferent or dissatisfied with your gift.  Next year, give the gift of something they have always wanted to do, and they won't be able to stop telling you how much they loved their gift.