Most of the time, people look at making wish lists as listing things they desire. But, for many, experiences mean so much more than stuff. What are some of the activities you’ve always wanted to try and do but just haven’t focused yourself on saving money towards? Or how about activities you’d like to do when you’re on vacation? Why not add them to your wish list?
As you update your wish list on Giftster throughout the year, you might want to scribble in some experience gifts. Experience gifts allow you to go do something rather than focusing only on material objects. They are gifts of adventure, relaxation, outdoor time, or together time that will create memories instead of collecting dust like material gifts often do.
Why add experiences to your wish list
Not only do experience gifts create memories, but according to recent studies, gifts that create experiences enhance a person’s general happiness. An article from the NY Times states that materialism is bad for your emotional well-being. Research shows that while the media tries to convince us that material goods would provide us with happiness, the happiness from material possessions is temporary and can cause more stress in the long run. A Cornell study shows that happiness grows with the purchase of an experience and declines with the purchase of a material good.
Brainstorm experience gift ideas
When I try to sit down and create a wish list, my mind goes immediately blank. It then becomes almost challenging to create a list of things that I actually want or need. A better approach for me is to create a wish list as I think of things. For example, I go to make my breakfast and find that my toaster is no longer working the way it used to. So, I added a toaster to my Giftster wishlist in the moment. Adding experiences to my wishlist is slightly more challenging, and they don’t come to mind often in everyday life.
One trick to figuring out the activities you’d like to add is filling in the blanks to these few sentences. Instead of focusing on your wishlist, you think about your answers to the blanks. You may have more than one answer for some of them. That’s ok!
I’ve always wanted to try ________________.
I’ve always wanted to learn ________________.
I’ve always wanted to visit ________________ and do ________________.
I’ve been thinking about doing ________________ for a while but haven’t gotten around to it/haven’t had the money for it.
A goal I’ve always wanted to work on is ________________ but I need to do ________________ first.
I’ve always wanted to see ________________.
I’ve always wanted to meet/get an autograph from ________________ but don’t know how to make that happen.
I’ve always wanted to go on a ________________ retreat.
I need ______________ to take my hobby to the next level.
I would like to do __________ again.
Consider new experiences
When I married my husband, I wanted to fully embrace his culture and family. That meant I needed to learn Spanish. So, one of the experiences I asked for was a Spanish course that would help me. This is just one example of a new experience that you could include on your wishlist.
Here are some quick ideas to help you brainstorm the experiences and activities you’d be most interested in:
Rounds of golf
Cooking classes
Flying lessons
Skydiving
Skiing (water or snow)
Zip lining
White water rafting
Various tours (could be city or themed like a food tour, drink/spirit tour, walking architecture tour, boat tour, helicopter tour…you get the idea)
Dining at a new or fancy restaurant
Skills or hobby classes (woodworking, knitting, crocheting, pottery, glassblowing, etc.)
Learn a new language.
Become more physically fit (could be running, cycling, walking, swimming, etc.)
Scuba Diving/Snorkeling
Hiking tour
Rock climbing
Music Lessons
Dancing lessons
Yoga classes
Hot air balloon ride
When I asked for Spanish language lessons, I wasn’t exactly sure what course I wanted. I simply asked for the lessons and let my new husband’s family decide what would be the best course for me to learn. Thankfully, Giftster is adaptable and makes adding as little or as much as you want easy. If you know exactly where or with what business you want to do your experience, you can include it on your wishlist. In contrast, you may be like me and only know that you want to do something. Giftster is truly a universal wish list registry. You can list absolutely anything you want on your list! Just even simply saying “I’ve always wanted to try this and don’t know how to make it happen,” could be enough for some gift-givers to go off of to give you a gift that you will never forget.
Add the actual activity
Your first option is to add the actual activity to your wishlist. This works well if there is a business that you want to do your chosen activity with. You could ask for a gift card or gift certificate for the cost of doing the activity. Then, you can use the gift to purchase your tickets or book your experience with your chosen business. This approach works well for experiences like crafting, tours, cooking classes, golfing, yoga classes, or skydiving.
Add tools or equipment
Another option is to skip adding the actual activity and instead ask for tools or equipment that you would need to do the activity. This approach works well when you already participate in an activity and want to upgrade or enhance your experience. Perhaps you have had your eye on a new cooking utensil that would let you learn a new technique. Maybe you want to upgrade your golf equipment to take your game to the next level. Perhaps your yoga mat looks tired, and you would like a new one that suits your passion better. Asking for new equipment or tools is a perfect way to include friends and family in your passions. You can help them feel more connected by adding the exact item you want to your Giftster wishlist. That way, you don’t risk them buying the wrong item.
Choose subscriptions or entertainment
There may be some experiences that you are passionate about but cannot always participate in. In this situation, you could ask for gifts that allow you to enjoy the experience without actually participating in it. This could be a magazine, blog, email, video, or some other regular publication subscription. Or it could be a monthly subscription box that celebrates your interest. These gifts are still an experience, albeit a different type of experience.
Experience gifts for kids
Some of my fondest childhood memories are not the presents I received but the experiences I had with my parents. You can create memorable moments for your children by creating a children’s experience wishlist for them. Similar to the fill-in-the-blank list for yourself, work through these questions while thinking about your children’s interests.
My child is most interested in __________.
_________ holds my child’s attention the longest.
My child’s favorite activity with parents is ___________.
My child expressed a desire to try ___________.
I would like to introduce my child to ___________.
Spending time with loved ones
Share your Giftster list with your friends and family because one of the best things about experience gifts is that they are an excellent way for you to spend some time with a family member, friend, or significant other. Plus, there will be dozens of photo ops to create memories to be talked about at the Christmas celebrations to come or to be used on next year’s Christmas card. Add your favorite experiences to your Christmas wish list on Giftster this year, and let your family and loved ones gift you memories.
Take the leap! Log on to Giftster and add some of those experiences and activities to your wish list today.
The post Elevate your wish list: Add experiences & activities that spark joy appeared first on Giftster and was written by Giftster.
