Holiday Experience Gift Guide

Do you have a friend or family member who is really hard to shop for because they just don't like having stuff? Gift them an experience. Or twelve.

If you really like having something under the tree, here's an idea: Wrap up a box, full of folded handwritten pieces of paper with things you would like to do together.

If you live nearby, here are some things you can do:

Go for a hike together. 

Go catch-and-release fishing together.

Watch a sunset together.

Play at the park together.

Go for a run together.

Schedule a monthly lunch together.

Plant an indoor garden together.

Go cloud gazing together.

Go star gazing together.

Go bird watching together.

Hunt for lichen together.

Visit a botanical garden together.

Photograph flowers together.

Clean together.

Organize together.

Volunteer together.

As you do these things, invite others along. Then you can build a community together.

If your loved ones live far away, you can still gift them experiences and attention. While you may not be able to be there in person, you are gifting them something to talk about with you. 

What would you like to chat with them about the next time you call? 

Here are some ideas for if you are far away:

Gift card to a local ice cream shop

Gift card to a fun restaurant

Tickets to the symphony

Tickets to the ballet

Tickets to the botanical garden or zoo

Museum memberships

Season pass for a nature preserve

Movie tickets

Music lessons

Pay in advance for activities at the local community center or library

Painting lessons

Ceramics lessons

If you really want to spend money on them:

Make a donation in their name to a cause they love.

Make a donation to their school.

Pay for their extracurricular activities.

Pay for a membership for their favorite thing to do (gym, ceramic painting, mini golfing, etc).

What is the most important of all? 

Remind them that you love them and that you are proud of them. Call them often, just to say hi. Send them pictures. Make some memories. Even from afar, you can share your love. Together.