It is that time of year that we all scratch our heads and contemplate what to get that special someone. Christmas is just around the corner, and we need to find that perfect gift… fast. I think that most of us are familiar with that panicked feeling. What do you get somebody that deserves a thoughtful gift but already has everything they need? How about an experience instead of a tangible gift?

DIL #1 manages a jewelry store, and she says that the week before Christmas is their busiest time of the year. That and Valentine’s Day. Mostly men coming in to find a “meaningful” last minute gift. After all, what woman doesn’t love diamonds? However, a quick last-minute purchase dilutes the meaning of an expensive gift.

Personally, we are at a point in life where we do not need more Stuff. We don’t have room for it, and I don’t want to keep feeding the consumerism machine unnecessarily. Not to mention that we just did a major household purge when we downsized.

Both Mr. U and I have been guilty of getting each other gifts that have never been used. It creates a nagging sense of guilt while it takes up precious real estate on the shelf. The matting and framing kit that I got Mr. U comes to mind. Never taken out of the package. (Just for the record, he did say he wanted one.) Neither of us want to continue to buy each other unused gifts. Yet, it feels Grinchy, and a little anticlimactic, not to give a gift at all. The gift conundrum is particularly challenging when birthdays and Christmas roll around in the same month.

Experiences instead of more stuff

I just had a birthday this month. And like most people that have birthdays around the holidays, their family members struggle to come up with both a birthday gift AND a Christmas gift. Poor souls. This struggle caused Mr. U to come up with a great idea for our birthday gifts. There isn’t really anything we need, so why not get each other experiences for our birthdays instead? This year Mr. U got me an overnight stay at a local resort, with dinner in their beautiful dining room. We had a lovely room with a fireplace and view of the lake. The memory of it will last longer than anything he could buy me. Now I am already planning where we will go for his birthday.

One of my favorite birthday gifts

One of the very first gift experiences I received was from son #3. Several years ago, he gave me a “paint and sip” evening. The best part was that he got it for him too, so that we could do it together. It was such a wonderful evening as we created, laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. Bonus that we got to take our art home. My painting is mediocre at best, but I put it up every year because it reminds me of that thoughtful evening with my son.

Gift experience ideas

So, as you are desperately trying to figure out last minute gifts, consider giving a Christmas card with an experience tucked into it. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• tickets to a favorite game or show
• an overnight get-a-way
• dinner and a movie
• an afternoon at the spa
• a round of golf together
• an invitation to a high tea
• a hike with a pack lunch
• a fishing excursion or lake cruise
• an art night

The ideas are endless, and it can be as elaborate or simple as your budget allows. It just needs to be something you can do together. It would be easy to get busy and forget to follow through, so you may want to include a specific date with the gift.

My sister and I have been getting my dad an experience for his Christmas gift for a few years now. We take him to dinner and a wonderful live Christmas musical. It puts you in the spirit of Christmas and at 98 years old, he appreciates it more than anything we could buy him.

So, forget fighting the crowds at the mall or the endless scrolling to find the obligatory gift that will sit in the closet and eventually end up in a landfill. Instead, try gifting an experience that you can do together. Mr. U and I still get each other a small gift and stocking stuffers, because, well… it is Christmas and it is nice to have something to open in the morning. (And the grands still get gifts, of course.) But birthdays are going to be about experiences together.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from our house to yours! May you enjoy the season with those you love and hold close to your heart. I will see you after the new year.