Gift Experiences
Gift experiences, also known as "experience gifts", are perfect for the guy or gal who has everything.
You know the person in your life that you can never impress? No matter how deep into the Internet you dig or how specific an item you buy, you never feel like you really made an impression. A gift experience is a unique present that the receiver won't soon forget -- how about an all-day dune buggy adventure for two or a day's survival training in the wilderness? Far from your average gift certificate or the old standbys (ties, pajamas, boxer shorts, etc.) a gift experience is an interactive activity offering full immersion in an experience that turns a birthday or other special occasion into a memorable holiday.
How to Pick A Gift Experience
When looking for the perfect experience gift, be sure you know two things: the region where the gift will take place and the amount of cash you're willing to spend. The region of the gift experience is important because depending on where you are in the world your experience gift choices will change. As for your budget -- different gift experiences cost different amounts. You can find perfectly good experience gifts as low as $70 or up into the thousands and even more, depending on the gift and the region.
Another tip for picking a good gift experience -- know something about the person you're gifting. Let's say you're looking for an experience for your husband, well into his 50s, a casual golf fan, weekend warrior at the barbecue pit, and father of 2.5 kids. Though on paper this guy may seem pretty plain, you may be surprised to find out how badly he wants to feed sharks, be a radio DJ for a day, or go hang gliding. The lesson is -- don't always pick close to type.
Gift Experience Examples
Browsing through the dozens of websites offering gift experiences here in America, I find a wide variety of options. In the Philadelphia area, choose from a weekend sailing experience including sailing lessons, a guide, two meals, and offshore fishing for about $500. Down south in Houston, you can gift your favorite youngster a weekend snake experience with snake hunting, up close and personal snake handling instructions, camping, and all the trimmings for just $250. From making glass art and learning about glass sculpture in Denver to an aerobatic biplane "dogfight" and wine dinner for two in DC, the experience gift is as open-ended as a gift gets. The point of these examples? To prove that an experience gift can be whatever you want it to be.
Gift experiences are all the rage right now, and for good reason. Making a special impression on a person takes more than a stop at the Hallmark store. If you're looking for a "new" kind of gift or something to brighten up a friend's weekend, an experience gift is what you're looking for.