The Gift of Experiences

If you want to give a gift that lasts, keep in mind that experiences may provide more enduring happiness than physical presents, according to one study conducted at Cornell University.

For example, Megan McKeever, a Brooklyn-based editor and mother of two, once received a ticket for a skydiving lesson from her husband. “Roy made a scrapbook of all our adventures: pictures, napkins and matchbooks from restaurants, concert tickets, etc. He even printed out the emails from setting up our first date. At the end of the scrapbook, he made a little pocket that said something like ‘And here’s our next adventure.’ Inside was the gift certificate to go skydiving.”

The gift of experience can also include lower-adrenaline options:

A walking-tour map of a city someone is planning to visit is a great idea; so is a walking tour of landmarks in your own city. The latter can double as a sweet opportunity to spend time together, making it even more meaningful.

Tickets of all kinds — to concerts, plays, live podcast performances, standup nights, or whatever your recipient likes best — make excellent offerings. This is another present that sets you up to spend time with someone.

Another treat for the traveler: language lessons. Sure, they could learn from an app, but nothing beats in-person practice conversations for developing fluency.

A cooking class is a superb gift for novice cooks who love food, as well as for experienced chefs who want to learn a specialized skill, like making pastry.

Restaurant gift certificates are reliably welcome. Who doesn’t relax more over dinner knowing that the tab is already paid?

Dance lessons are a fun present for your favorite social butterfly — or anyone on your list who’s looking to get out and meet people. Lessons for dances that require a partner, like salsa, tango, or swing, also make a great gift for a couple or as something you plan to do with a friend. Many studios also welcome solo dancers to partner-dance classes.

Many of your foodie friends will be delighted to go to wine tastings, and you could also surprise them with a tasting for cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or tea.

Travel-themed gifts are always a sweet surprise for your footloose family and friends. You can transfer some of your own frequent-flier miles or hotel points to the recipient’s account, buy them an airline gift card so they can start a trip with some expenses covered, or offer a gift certificate for a hotel or resort where you know they love to go.

It can also be fun for a family or group of friends to pitch in for a weekend getaway together — in lieu of exchanging gifts. That also gives you something positive to anticipate in the new year.

For more thoughtful presents that don’t add to life’s clutter, see “Minimalist Gift Ideas.”