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Last week, in Paper Doll’s Ultimate Guide to Clutter-Free Experiential Gifts: Educational, we began our look at the importance of giving gifts that are experiential rather than tangible. As a reminder, experiences are not only more memorable, but unlike gadgets or clothing, they feel unique to us. As such, gifts of experience make us feel unique, as well.

In a recent Vox article, How To Become a Truly Excellent Gift Giver, the author turned to experts in the field of the art of gift giving. (I recommend reading it to help you for this holiday season, but for giving gifts in the future.)

Too often, we become fixated on spending too much, or getting the perfect gift to prove we know the recipient well. But in the piece, the author quotes Erica Cerulo, co-host of the podcast A Thing or Two, who suggests asking oneself:

“Can I introduce someone to something they might not otherwise know about? Can I get them a nicer version of something than they would buy for themselves? Or can I make them feel seen?” 

To this, I add, can I give a gift that someone might not think to lavish upon themselves at all? Whether they know of something or not, or whether they’d restrict ourselves to the bare minimum rather than an upgrade, when we gift someone an experience of delight, it says that we see them as deserving of something special and unique — that we see them as unique! What more could someone want?

So, today, we continue with a variety of experiential gifts to charm your holiday recipients.

GIFTS OF ADVENTURE

One person’s adventure is another person’s nightmare, so you do need to know your giftee. My sister once went on a blind date with a guy who leaned across the table and with great gusto pronounced, “Don’t you just love camping?”

No, she did not.

In fact, for my sister, as well as for myself (and Paper Mommy, too), the thought of hanging out with bugs and critters in a locale absent air conditioning and hot-and-cold running water is misery-making. For us, last year’s (COVID-safe) escape room was ideal Thanksgiving adventure. But for others, a few days in one of the 63 National Parks or 2000+ federal recreation sites is an adventure worth dreaming about. Know your person.

So consider what adventurous gifts might appeal to those on your gift list. Here’s a sampler platter of ideas:

• National Parks Pass — Give your recipient the chance to explore America’s natural beauty. An annual parks pass is $80; if this gift is for Grandma, note that annual passes for senior citizens are only $20 (and Lifetime passes are $80)! Purchase through the USGS. Each pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges, as well as standard amenity fees and day use fees for a driver and all passengers in a personal vehicle at per-vehicle fee areas (or up to four adults at sites that charge per person). Kids age 15 or under are admitted free. 

• An AllTrails+ subscription is another great option for your favorite outdoor adventurer who wants some guidance in picking the best walking, hiking, camping, and riding trails. They can filter for distance from their current location, activity types, difficulty, length, suitability (is it dog/kid/wheelchair-friendly?), and more. For $2.99/month (billed once annually at $35.99), your giftee gets off-route notifications, downloadable maps so they can stay on track even when they’re somewhere without cellular service, real-time map overlays, and a Lifeline service to keep friends and family informed and worry-free.

• Axe-Throwing — For about $20-$25/per person per hour, your recipient can get a heart-pumping physical adventure without having to traipse out into the woods; they can then get dinner afterwards without having to build their own fire. Most places have throwing “lanes” where there’s a target on the wall, and players take turns throwing axes — like bowling except a little more apt to help get out those frustrations! Lest you think I’m making this up, here’s some news coverage about the trend.

• Escape Room — This is more of a gift for two or more people; consider escape room tickets for a couple or a group of housemates. There are always a number of different adventures, and it puts a variety of skills (logic, knowledge of trivia, creativity) to work, so it’s fun for a all types of personalities. Tickets tend to range from $25-$45/person, depending on the activity and location. While escape rooms have been popular for most of the past decade, they (like most venues) saw a downturn in attendance in 2020. You’ll find most now have great COVID-safe rules.
• Batting Cage Rentals — Google “batting cages near me” and you should find a bevy of solutions. Nationwide, D-Bat has memberships which yield discount pricing for batting cage rentals and lessons, but non-members can play too, for a slightly higher price. (Pricing examples; but expect to pay from $12-$30/half-hour rentals, depending on where your giftee lives.)
• Trampoline Parks — A few years ago, I went to a friend’s son’s birthday. When I heard “trampoline,” I was thinking of the kind we had in gym class, with one person jumping and lots of spotters waiting to take a turn. Fun for one, but boring while you wait. However, modern trampoline parks are enormous, with “bouncy” opportunities laid out across the floor. You can usually buy a pass for about ninety minutes or two hours for kids to get their bounce-mode on for upwards of $20, or an all-day pass for $25+. (Some indoor trampoline parks have memberships, like bouncy country clubs, for the young or young at heart.) Get a sense of what it’s like:

• Pre-paid rounds of golf at a public course
• Zipline rides
• Hot-air balloon rides
• A Getaway — literally! Could someone in your life use some time away — from a difficult situation at work or at home, or to finish a meaningful project? A gift certificate for Getaway (in increments from $50-$2K) for a tiny cabin rental for a night or a weekend surrounded by nature might give them the ideal experience to regain equilibrium or achieve that elusive goal. (Want to rent one for yourself? Try this link; it should get you $25 off, and send me some affiliate coin, too.)

• Fantasy sports camp — If you’re looking for a big-ticket adventure for your favorite big kid, fantasy baseball camps abound. Major League Baseball leads in this kind of project; Google your bestie’s favorite team and “fantasy camp” and you’ll see the (pricey) options. But there are other adult sports camps, Nike has sports camps for everything from baseball and basketball to water polo and pickleball, and there are other camp experiences, like for golf and tennis or surfing. 
• Racing Ride-Along — It’s another big-ticket gift, but if you’ve got someone on your list who loves racing, a day at the NASCAR Racing Experience program or Daytona Speedway course would be an experience to remember.
• DriveShare lets you rent a fun-to-drive “classic” car, whether you feel like that means a 1957 Chevy Bel Air, a 1963 Ford Falcon, or a 1981 Delorean. Type in your zip code, search the auto options, and book! Since this takes some advanced planning, consider making a gift certificate and let your recipients pick their own dream car; package it with a toy car.

GIFTS OF PRACTICALITY

On the other end of the spectrum from adventure, we find gifts of experiences that are practical in nature.

Practical gifts don’t have to be boring; but to be winning, they have to be something the giftees can use for an experience that makes their lives easier or better. 

If you save your BFF time she’d otherwise spend on the drudgery of adulting, she’ll have more time to focus on things that really matter to her (whether that’s work or play). Gift your favorite dude something he’d otherwise have to pony up the Benjamins to experience, and he’s got folding funds for fun! 

As with the adventures above, these can really range in price from stocking stuffers to once-in-a-lifetime presents, but with gifts of practicality, you can control the size of your largesse, picking how long an experiential subscription might last, or how many opportunities you’ll buy. So, it’s not only a practical gift for them, but a practical (affordability) consideration for you!

Does your giftee need to drive from here to there? How about gift certificates for:

• Car washes or detailing services — More card wash companies are offering membership services where, in return for a monthly membership, drivers can get their cars washed an unlimited number of times. Many people forgo the expense of getting their cars washed, especially in winter, but regular maintenance includes keeping a car clean; you’ll be saving the money in the long run! (For some busy folks, three quiet minutes in the car wash tunnel might be their only calm moments in the day, so getting to go more often makes this experiential gift good for the car and the care owner!)
• Oil changes — Yet another adulting expense I suspect most grownups resent.
• Annual AAA or other automobile club membership — I’m a huge fan of AAA because you get so much more than a tow when you’re stranded. Yes, your GPS has probably replaced those TripTiks of long ago, but AAA membership yields a variety of other benefits, from bicycle servicing to free travel services to discounted rates for everything from Disney World to local movie tickets. 

Does your gift recipients live in the 21st century?

If so, they’re paying for a lot of services nobody purchased (because nobody had them) 30+ years ago. It’s hard to find gift certificates for these, so consider them as kinds of gifts you could give in the form of cash, earmarked for specific services like:

• Internet Service — Pay for months or a year of service, or buy your favorite gamer an upgrade on the household internet plan so nothing is every sluggish when they’re on the cusp of achieving a big win!
• Cellular Service — Just about everyone has a phone, but not everyone has a plan that lets them do all that they want. If you’ve got a college student on your list who isn’t on a family’s plan, covering the costs for a few months to a year could make all the difference in how they experience keeping in touch with others, stress-free.
• Cable (yes, some people still have cable television!) or Satellite TV
• Streaming Television Services — There are the big guys, like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hulu, AppleTV+, Paramount+, Disney+, or HBOMax. But you might want to give a year of a specialty service like BritBox or Acorn (for the Anglophiles), ESPN+ or Fubo (for sports fans), Fearless (for friends who care about stories about inclusivity, whether for LGBTQ+, women, BIPOC, or disability communities), Univision Now (for Spanish-language content), PBS Passport or Criterion Channel (for the classy stuff)…and so many others. For more ideas, check out Consumer Reports’ recent Guide to Streaming Video Services.
• Streaming Music/Audio Services — Video gets all of the attention, but from a Spotify Premium gift card to Apple Music to SiriusXM Satellite Radio (which you can listen to online as well as in the car), nothing improves your humdrum life experiences (commuting in the car or by public transportation, doing housework, waiting on hold) like listening to something fun.

Do they lead a digital life?

If the people on your gift list do literally anything with computers, tablets, or phones, there are so many practical options to make the experience of being in the digital realm less costly or stressful. Consider purchasing a year (or at least several months) of the following:

• Computer (and device) backup services — I’m a fan of Backblaze (and if you buy through my link, we will both get a free month) but iCloud, Carbonite, iDrive, and LiveDrive are all popular. Not convinced that backup services make for a sexy gift? Read through Paper Doll’s Ultimate Stress-Free Backup Plan and then imagine how your giftees might feel if all their photos or assignments or drafts of their novel went kablooie. (I have it on good authority that Kablooie is the technical term.)
• Digital password managers — Again, this is another one of those “if you know, you know” kinds of gifts. From LastPass to Roboform to 1 Password to Dashlane, digital password managers do so much more than just remember passwords. They help you create secure login credentials, safekeep important documents, and allow you to grant access to your important information to someone (like the person with your Power of Attorney) when you need them to handle your affairs. (Read more at How to Create, Organize, and Safeguard 5 Essential Legal and Estate Documents, if you’re not sure why that might come up.)

• Evernote — As an Evernote Certified Expert, I’d be remiss if I didn’t suggest that you gift a year’s worth of upgraded services to someone you know would benefit. (If your person uses Microsoft OneNote, Bear, Notion, or SimpleNote, that’s also a valid experience help get their thoughts and plans organized.) And while you can’t buy a gift certificate from Evernote for coaching/training, you can offer gift your loved one the services of an Evernote Certified Expert.
• Software Services & Apps — How are these experiences, you wonder? If you’ve got a writer in your life, Grammarly Premium or Pro Writing Aid can improve the quality of their writing, while Scrivener goes one step further to give them the ability to organize their research and their writing, and then format it for publication. Need a gift for someone visually creative? Canva Pro will give your special person some premium features to create and design like a pro, whether for a Science Club flyer or small business web site. And, of course, if your loved ones have a favorite app, a year’s membership or an upgrade is the cherry on the sundae for showing them you’ve been paying attention to the experiences that matter to them.

GIFTS OF PAMPERING

Somewhere in the middle, between high adventure and nitty-gritty practicality, is where you’ll find holiday gifts that acknowledge that your recipient deserves to be treated with kid gloves. Gifts of pampering can be found at all price points, but you might consider the following:

• Hair Care Services — Your giftee probably has a favorite salon or barber. If you know where they go, it should be easy to get a gift certificate for services or products.
• Massages & Spa Treatments — Having someone touch your body is a pretty personal thing; if you’re not sure if your recipient would be into a massage, consider buying a gift certificate to a full-service spa, where anything from a pedicure to a full-on shiatsu are all on the table (no pun intended). By the way, don’t overlook the men and teen guys on your gift list. “Sportsman services” — a manly rebranding of everything from massages to facials to manicures — have become very popular in recent years.

Massage photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

• Relaxation Apps — Not every pampering experience needs to be an all-day event. Sometimes, what your recipient needs most is a moment of quiet. Monthly or annual upgraded subscriptions to apps like Headspace or Calm can help your recipient achieve a moment of zen.
• Meal Delivery Services/Meal Kits — Mama is tired of cooking, and that’s true whether Mama is an actual mom (or dad) of three or a Grandpa or a one-year-out-of-college GenZer. If they don’t love cooking (or even if they do, but are busy), meal delivery services save shopping, measuring, and prep time, making the meal experience more delightful and less fraught.

And it’s not all Blue Apron or Hello Fresh or the other usual suspects; whether they prefer plant-based meals (Sunbasket) or high protein (FlexPro), there’s a meal kit alternative for everyone on your list. Check out Self Magazine’s article, The 35 Best Meal Delivery Services to Cut Down on Prep Work in 2022 to get identify your person’s best option.

• Personal Chef — Maybe what your giftee needs is a break from cooking altogether. I’ve used a personal chef, and it is definitely not always a fancy-pants service for rich people. A personal chef will meet with a client to find out favorite cuisines, flavors, and textures, and ascertain what dietary restrictions (kosher or halal, low-carb, low-sodium, heart-healthy, etc.) are needed. Personal chefs go shopping (saving your giftee time), cook the meals (more time), clean up (time and sanity) and package the meals so usually all they have to do is pop a meal into the oven. Search your local listings, visit Hire A Chef (run by the United States Personal Chef Association) or the American Personal & Private Chef Association, or search Chefs for Seniors to make dining a little easier for your older loved ones.

About a decade ago, I had a stellar personal chef who really understood my picky eating habits. She came once a month, left me with 4 servings of entrees sides for each of five meal experiences, giving me a month or so of dinners, not counting my regular evenings out. I saved money on groceries because I wasn’t roaming up and down the candy aisles, making impulse purchases (or well-intentionedly buying vegetables that would just die ignoble deaths in the fridge’s crisper). Personal chefs rock!

• Professional Organizing Services — Although organizing is a necessity to lead a calm, orderly life, some people would never consider hiring a professional organizer for themselves because it seems like too much of a luxury. So why not let your giftee luxuriate?

This is not to say that a gift of professional organizing services can’t be a sticky wicket. There’s definitely a right way and a wrong way to give a gift of organizing.

Most professional organizers offer gift certificates or gift services. When people call me to buy a gift certificate, I ask the husband/mother-in-law/adult children if the recipient has already indicated an interest in working with a professional organizer. If the answer is yes, it’s easy to go ahead; however, just as often, the inquiry may come from a well-intentioned person who doesn’t like someone else’s clutter. That’s an interpersonal issue, not an organizing issue. In those instances, the actual client may never call to schedule an appointment, or may do so reluctantly. (As the years have passed, I’ve encouraged gift givers to offer the gift, rather than immediately give it without inquiring. Your mileage may vary.)

While many professional organizers are generalist, there are dozens of specialties, from the spaces where we work (kitchens to closets to offices) to the clients we service (from new moms to seniors to executives). For example, I’m a generalist and in the past month, I’ve trained a client how to use Evernote, organized two clothing closets and a laundry room, and helped a small business owner plan her 2023 marketing needs. I specialize in paper and information management, as well as productivity training. But each professional organizer has different skills and offers different services.

If you’re in North America, start with the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) or Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and search the zip/postal code for an organizer near your recipient. (Many of us also offer virtual services, so if you find a professional organizer/blogger whose style you like, see if they offer organizing or productivity help virtually, via Zoom, phone, or similar arrangement.) Outside of North America, we have sister organizations around the world; check out the International Federation of Professional Organizing Associations (IFPOA) to find professional organizers near you.

If your giftee needs specialized assistance with chronic disorganization or organizing while dealing with brain-based challenges (like ADHD, anxiety, depression, hoarding disorder, PTSD, or traumatic brain injuries), you may also want to cross-check the organizing services of professionals who are subscribers with the Institute for Challenging Disorganization.

And while working with a professional organizer may feel like luxurious pampering, you’ll soon see how the experience is a gift that keeps on giving.

You may give a BIG WOW of an experience. Or, your gift could make some or all of the other experiences in someone’s life a little easier (or less expensive). Either way, there are lots of opportunities for you to give gifts that your loved ones will never have to dust or dry-clean or find a place to store.