Trending: 7 Experiences to Gift This Holiday Season *Giveaway*

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When I moved into my new home about year ago, I only unpacked the items I would be using immediately out of necessity. It was a busy holiday season, much like this one, and my time was focused on prepping my home for the holidays, dreaming up Christmas recipes, and making memories with my children. Most of those unopened boxes contained collectibles and other items I had purchased over the years. I’ve never been one to be a lover of things, but through my travels, I’ve managed to pick up everything from silk scarves in France to hand-drawn paintings in Greece. To this day, I still have boxes of collectibles that sit in my garage untouched, which reminds me of a quote that’s become part of who I am.

 Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show ~Unknown

For this reason, you’ll often find our family outside, seeing the world. Some days, we’re throwing snowballs at LEGOLAND or watching the latest touring Cirque performance in awe. Other times, we’re road-tripping to America’s Finest City or jet-setting to the Paradise of the Pacific. The gift of an experience is something that will endure long after my kids outgrow their LEGO sets and Barbie dolls.

My Christmas Wish List is short this year, consisting mainly of items to fuel my passion as a writer and a photographer. But if you were to ask me what I really want, I’d choose a massage or dinner with a friend over any “thing” that can be purchased. And I’m not alone. According to research conducted at San Francisco State University, the gift of an experience not only makes people happier, overall, it’s a better use of one’s money.

To talk about the trend of experiential gifting, I spoke with LivingSocial Gift Expert, Elizabeth Hebda, who shares her best tips for finding the perfect experiential gift, the experiential gifts that are trending this year, gift ideas for everyone on your list, and Pinterest-worthy tips on wrapping and making the gift of an experience personal and memorable.

1. I absolutely love receiving the gift of an experience. With so many experiences available, how does one begin searching for the perfect experiential gift?

LivingSocial makes it easy for everyone to give an experiential gift, from the creative gift-giver to the last minute shopper. Most LivingSocial deals can be gifted – just look for the gift icon on the purchase page. To begin your gift-giving quest, simply go to LivingSocial.com and type the recipient’s city at the top right. Now that you are tapping into that person’s hometown, sort by the experience type best suiting their interests and personality, like health & beauty, sports & fitness, or for the home.

2. I often like to shop for friends and families based on current trends. What is currently trending this year with regards to experiential gifts?

Some major trends we’re seeing in experiential gifting are outdoorsy, adventure-type deals, activities that emphasize R&R, and travel. The research shows that experiences are more valuable, and bring more happiness, than tangible things, and consumer purchasing behavior reflects that too. People lead extremely busy lives and are constantly engaging with their smart phones, computers, TVs, and social media, so experiences that offer individuals “me” time where they can disconnect and recharge are rising in popularity.

3. Can you highlight some specific experiential gifts targeting men, women, children and teens/tweens?

It is hard to separate experiential gifts for men and women because there is so much common ground nowadays. Men love cooking classes and massages just as much as women crave adventure sports!

Here are some ideas sure to please any adult, in SoCal and beyond:

$35 for $200 to spend at Restaurant.com
Race car driving experience
Luxury boat rental
Cirque du Soleil’s “KURIOUS”
Vineyard, winery, and gallery tour, plus tastings
6-day trip to Iceland

For teens and tweens, I think a great gift is anything that makes them put down the iPad and get active / learning:

L.A. Zoo Lights
Dance class membership
Horseback riding lessons
Membership to the Young Scientists Club
Intro to soccer sessions

4. Do you have any creative ideas for “wrapping” experiential gifts?

There are countless DIY ways to prettify a LivingSocial gift voucher. Our Pinterest page has more than a dozen ideas, including the holiday-inspired tree in a mason jar and simple Nutcracker ideas. And yep, toilet paper rolls can be repurposed gorgeously! We also love this mini suitcase craft — perfectly appropriate for folks giving the gift of travel!

5. After we’ve purchased the perfect experiential gift, how does the recipient then use this experience, particularly if he/she is not a member of LivingSocial?

LivingSocial makes it easy for any giftee to enjoy the experience you’ve hand-chosen for them. A person does not have to be a member of LivingSocial to receive an e-gift. When you send the gift, or assign a delivery date, the recipient will receive a detailed email with instructions on use.

Follow Rockin’ Mama’s board Experiential Gift Guide on Pinterest.With Christmas just 10 days away, I’ve put together a list of the top 7 experiences to gift this holiday season. I invite you to share your own favorites in the comment section below!  You may just win $50 LivingSocial Deal Bucks!

1. Give the gift of adventure: Skydive, take an off-road tour via ATV, or spend half a day canyoneering.

2. Give the gift of travel: Combine your resources and give the entire family the gift of a weekend in Yosemite or surprise your loved one with 12 days in Italy.

3. Give the gift of fitness: The new year is the ideal time to tackle those fitness goals. My top picks include cardio barre, boot camp, and yoga.

4. Give the gift of relaxation: A massage is the perfect way to de-stress from the holidays.

5. Give the gift of education: Learn a new skill with adult cooking classes, social painting classes (which include wine!), or digital photography classes.

6.  Give the gift of the arts: See a ballet, marvel at a Cirque show, or sing along with your favorite Broadway musical.

7. Give the gift of beauty: Tend to that winter skin with a therapeutic facial or sport a new set of highlights with LivingSocial’s beauty experiences.

Win It! One of you will win $50 LivingSocial Deal Bucks. Simply complete the Rafflecopter form and leave me a comment with your favorite Experiential Gift from LivingSocial. Comments will close on December 31st, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST. a Rafflecopter giveaway

US Residents only. Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

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Caryn Bailey

Caryn is a NICU nurse by day, blogger by night and mom 24/7. She savors the warm Southern California sun and loves to travel, shopping, baking, reading and frequenting her local tea room. Caryn created the column Lavishly Green for Peekaboo Picks Magazine to share her best tips for going green in style, she is the Former editor for Family Review Network, former OC Family Magazine online contributor, former Orange County Moms Blog contributor, former Evenflo Savvy Parent contributor, former member of the Totsy Advisory Board and former freelance writer for CBS Los Angeles.

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