When you’re shopping for loved ones, you want them to feel truly special. Instead of settling on yet another sweater or gift card, have you considered experience-based gifts? These unique gifts are activities or events that create priceless memories—and they’re gaining in popularity.
An experience-based gift is perfect for people who:
- Value emotional connections and memory-making
- Prefer minimalist gifts or live a clutter-free lifestyle
- Enjoy experiences over objects
- Want something more personalized
Discover how to gift experiences—from brainstorming ideas and incorporating tech to practical tips—so you and your loved ones can make the most of every moment.
Why choose experience-based gifts
How many times have you received a gift and put it away, never to be seen again? It happens to many of us, despite the best intentions of the gift-giver.
Skip buying another must-read book your loved one won’t touch and give them a real-world experience. That’s the real beauty of giving one of these gifts: experiences feel special.
Compared to physical items, experience-based gifts offer more:
- Emotional value – Gifting an experience creates opportunities for making lasting memories. The joy of trying something new and the thrill of an adrenaline-packed adventure are unforgettable moments tied to experience-based gifts.
- Flexibility – Many outings and activities are flexible enough for loved ones to schedule at their convenience. Thoughtful and flexible—a winning combination.
- Personalization – Anyone can gift-wrap a new coffee maker and call it a day. But only you can handpick something that shows how well you know—and love—the recipient. Giving someone an experience—especially one you share together—shows far more thoughtfulness on your part.
While experiences make incredible gifts, physical objects—especially tech—can make them even more enjoyable. Specifically, smartphones and tablets can enhance almost any event or activity.
Devices make it easy to stay connected during the experience—and relive the best moments afterward with photos and videos.
But first things first: choose an experience they’ll want to remember.
Ideas for experience-based gifts
You know your friends and family best, but a few helpful ideas never hurt. Some popular options include:
- Classes and workshops: Classes and workshops make great gifts because there’s nothing quite like learning something new—especially a skill your loved one has always wanted to try. Depending on their interests, gift them an introductory lesson in pottery, taekwondo, computer programming, another language, photography, or a new sport. The possibilities are endless.
- Adventure activities: For adrenaline seekers and outdoor lovers, adventure gifts are a chance to live life to the fullest. Plus, nothing beats being out in nature. From guided hiking tours to bungee jumping, skydiving, and white-water rafting, there’s no shortage of adventures to gift.
- Food and drink experiences: Food, beer, and wine connoisseurs are relatively easy to buy for. An exciting ingredient or a fancy bottle of wine is usually well-received. If you want to think outside the box and give something truly memorable, try gifting an experience such as a food tour, cooking class, or distillery visit. Also, remember the value of a good meal with loved ones. For example, treat your foodie to a trendy new restaurant.
- Entertainment and live activities: If your recipient loves the thrill of an in-person performance or match, consider giving them tickets to an upcoming event. Based on their passions, you might arrange tickets to a sports game, concert, comedy show, or play. You might only spend a few hours at these events, but the memories can last a lifetime.
- Travel: Looking for a show-stopping gift? A travel experience—either solo or with you by their side—may be perfect. You could give plane tickets, hotel bookings, car rentals, all-inclusive travel packages, or a local or cross-country train pass. Because travel is personal, choose a destination they actually want to visit. Consider their comfort level, too—if they prefer a more laid-back trip, avoid peak-season travel.
From weeklong trips to weekend workshops, there are countless gifts worth giving. To make them even better, pair them with the right technology to elevate the experience.
Tech and accessories for experience-based gifts
Experience-based gifts are already unforgettable. Bring the right technology along for the adventure, and you can almost guarantee you won’t miss a moment.
Live events and workshops offer plenty of chances to capture photos, videos, and audio recordings, so you can look back on your experience anytime.
Capturing the moment when your mom makes her first vase or when you and your best friend jump out of a plane is priceless.
Not only can you go back and relive the moment, but you can also share the experience with others. Photos and videos let your gift recipient do just that.
Capture memories without letting technology distract you from what’s happening right in front of you. Some of the best tech and accessories for convenient and reliable memory-making are:
- Smart glasses – If you’re looking for a hands-free way to capture photos, check out a wearable solution like Ray-Ban Meta Glasses. These high-tech glasses let you shoot video and snap photos (and handle many other tasks) without pulling out your phone. All you need is a wireless plan and a compatible smartphone to record memories from your perspective.
- Smartwatches – You can also simplify your picture-taking with a smartwatch. Options like Apple Watch connect to your smartphone and act as a remote shutter. That way, you can set your phone down and snap pics from a distance—perfect for solo-trip selfies. Plus, if you’re participating in a physical activity, it can count your steps and monitor your health metrics.
- Stands and tripods – Rather than leaning your phone against a random object, bring a phone tripod, phone grip, or stand on your adventure. Tripods let you capture clear, stable video, while stands, grips, and selfie sticks allow for on-the-go posing.
Tech gifts like these pair perfectly with experiences. Consider gifting tech alongside an event or adventure for the ultimate present—especially for those who love unwrapping gifts.
Now, all that’s left is to pick the perfect experience for your loved one.
Tips on picking the right experience gift
With so many experience-based gifts to choose from, how do you land on the best one?
As you browse, make sure the present reflects your recipient’s passions, interests, and personality. Do they prefer to take classes alone or with friends? Are they a morning person or a night owl? Is hiking their idea of a good time?
Use what you know about the person to guide your gifting and pick the experience they’ll enjoy most. If you need a little extra help, ask a trusted ally, such as a partner or sibling, to gather information about interests, schedules, and more.
Sending your loved one on a trip can be a once-in-a-lifetime event and an extremely thoughtful gesture, but you still have to be practical.
If they’re traveling abroad, they’ll need a passport—so help them plan ahead in case they don’t have one.
Consider expenses such as food, transportation at their destination, and accommodations. Also, think about communication.
Make sure they have the right international wireless plan or AT&T International Day Pass, along with the necessary phone accessories, so they can stay connected while traveling abroad.
Keep this advice in mind, and you’ll have no trouble selecting the perfect gift. Taking time to prepare and curate the perfect experience will help ensure your gift has the impact you want.
Experiences make the most meaningful gifts
Whether you choose a karate class, a wine-tasting adventure, or a museum tour, you’ll be gifting your loved one a unique and unforgettable present.
When you’re looking to give your friends and family the experience of a lifetime for a birthday, holiday, or other special event, start asking questions, learn about their interests, and search the web for fresh ideas.
And when it’s time to capture the special moment, trust us for the right wireless plan and devices that provide reliable connectivity and help make lasting memories.
Let us be your partner in gift-giving, helping you put a smile on a loved one’s face.
