Holiday Gift Guide, Part Four: Gifts of Gifts of Family Experiences Away from Home

12/15/2010

Holiday Gift Guide, Part Four: Gifts of Gifts of Family Experiences Away from Home

This is the gift guide that never ends. Next year, I'm doing only one: not parts, not as many options, just my very favorite things, kind of like Oprah but, well, not.

But, this year, I have so much that I want to share with you. In fact, I wish that I could give away all of these gift-guide things, Oprah-style. Alas, I cannot, but I can give you some ideas for how to have some good fun that is funny, as Dr. Seuss would say. So, without further ado, I bring you this installment, subtitled: Stuff your family really wants to do!

Look, we can all shop, and buy stuff, and wrap it, and, perhaps, even love it. But if I get one more cheap sweatsuit, I just might have to hurt somebody. I'd much rather have the opportunity to sweat. (Yes, one's pleasure is another's pain. Moving on...) One year, I gave myself the gift of snowboarding lessons. It gave me back the gift of a bruise in the shape of Africa on my backside that lasted 6+ weeks. It also gave me the distinct, memorable experience of watching my husband, the Guv, mouth agape, eyes wide, say the words: "In a million years, I never thought I'd ever see you do something like that" (re: the snowboarding, not the bruise, which remains a laughingstock).

This year, think about giving someone you love the opportunity to bruise something, break a bone, burn a finger... wait, I don't mean that. Let's rephrase: encourage someone to try something new! Treat someone to something they can't or won't buy for themselves. But promise me you'll think outside the spa experience box. Anyone can buy a year of pedicures; why don't you try one of these things below?

iFLY indoor skydiving: These iFLY fly vertical wind tunnels are cropping up everywhere! We saw one in Hollywood last summer; there's now one in the Bay Area, and in Utah, and perhaps in more areas. In New Hampshire and Colorado, they're run by a company called "Sky Ventures." Just imagine: the thrill of skydiving minus the plane and hurtling-at-the-ground-I-think-I'm-going-to-die component. Skydivers train in these wind tunnels; and now they're available to the public to experience the freedom of flight over a (more or less) safe trampoline floor. Packages (learning, a couple of flights, equipment use) start at around $50 for singles, $200 for families of 5.

Kayaking classes: If you're near an ocean or especially near an ocean bay or inlet, discover the magic of kayaking. The Guv, Petunia and I have taken a couple of classes through L.L. Bean's Outdoor Discovery School, where a 2.5 hour session costs a mere $15 (including equipment). Kayaking classes are available just about everywhere there's good water for it; in Half Moon Bay, CA, there's the Half Moon Bay Kayak Co., where lessons run about $45. Where you live, it may be winter, but think spring: this is a gift that'll be anticipated long after the wrapping paper is recycled. Even better, book the class for yourself and for a friend or family member: it's an experience of learning something new as well as sharing time, the most precious gift of all.

Trail riding: One of Petunia's gifts next year, probably for Valentine's Day, is going to be a horseback trail ride through Seahorse Ranch at Half Moon Bay, where a 1.5 hour trail/beach ride goes for about $65. For a girl who loves horses, a guy who always dreamed of being a cowboy, or for a newly-engaged couple to have a romantic experience, this is a great gift! But if you're not in the Bay Area, this is still a great gift: there used to be stables Central Park that offered these rides as well as stables on Lana'i Hawaii for romantic sunset trips -- and, likely, they're everywhere in between if you google it. This gift goes well with a bandanna and a cowgirl/cowboy hat!

Cooking classes: I'm on a health kick, and, because of that, I've hired a 10 y.o sous-chef who has become expert at chopping veggies for stir-fry and salad. For this reason, I'm thinking of enrolling us in some classes in the coming year to take our skills to a higher level (especially since cooking is a hobby that we both enjoy). Most Williams-Sonoma stores have both free in-store demos as well as pay-to-go technique and cooking classes. The same is true at many Sur La Table stores, Whole Foods markets, Draeger's (Bay Area), and high-end cooking and grocery stores. I think this is a perfect gift for parent-child pairs who are of that age where communication becomes weird (I'm thinking junior high/high school), especially if the child has expressed an interest in being in the kitchen. Sharing a hobby and meal prep brings about some deep and great conversations in my house. Think about it: close proximity, different tasks, co-presence without the stare-downs -- that all leads to some great chit-chat and togetherness.

Memberships: When a friend of a friend moved to our area of Vermont, our common friend wanted to give her a going-away gift that might be useful in her new area. My suggestion was the gift of membership to this awesome local kids' science museum, and it was an incredibly well-received gift. Our family joins a lot of these types of places -- science museums, children's museums, aquariums, natural history museums -- and find that they never grow old and that we always reap rewards in spades. Especially for young families who might not want to put financial resources into a membership, this is a great way for them to be able to have one and, thus, to get out of the house. If you want to be Grandparent of the Year, find an amusement park close to where your grandkids live (we're near a Six Flags park), and, with the parents' blessing, get the family a membership. When your grandkid is half a country away whining that they're bored, Mom'll have an outlet for that!

Tours: Out here in NorCal, there are a whole lot of fun tours for families: things like the Roaring Camp Railroads through the redwood forest and/or to the beach and the Wine Train come to mind; there's also the Jelly Belly factory and Alcatraz. I have to confess that I'm appalled at the number of NorCal residents who've never been to Alcatraz; the tour is incredible, and the gardens would amaze some of my green-thumb friends who turn up their noses at "tourist traps." For a family new to an area, or for one who just hasn't yet been there/done that, a tour is a great gift -- especially if the giver shares in the experience. I've mentioned ones specific to my region, but, chances are, you live near a tour worth taking: an ice cream factory, a river cruise, a whale-watch, a natural wonder, a national park... think about how to turn one of those tours into the gift of an experience!

Concerts: When we were newlyweds in Boston, the Guv and I held and greatly enjoyed tickets to the symphony and, occasionally, to the Boston Pops. These days, memberships are purchasable and giftable; and so are Ticketmaster gift cards -- something as appropriate, in my book, to gift to an 18 or an 80 year-old (well, presuming they can still hear; remember, if it's too loud, you're too old!). If you know someone who needs a date night, how about a restaurant gift card plus concert tickets? The same goes for plays, movie theaters, comedy clubs, etc. ... chances are, you know someone who could use a little entertainment. Give them that experience, and they'll remember that Sting sang "Roxanne" to them because of you.

Next up: Part Five: Gifts for Play Experiences (Toys Parents Won't Hate)

Cross-posted on Rox and Roll

Posted at 10:31 PM in Gift Guide, Holidays, Rox and Roll | Permalink

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