Christmas Experience Gifts

Christmas experience gift ideas by type

The best Christmas experience gifts match what the person already loves: a festive tour for someone who loves the season, an adventure for a thrill-seeker, a class or tasting for a food lover, or a relaxing day for someone who never takes one. Here is how to choose.

For someone who loves the season: holiday lights tours and festive evenings only happen in December. The Holiday Lights and Movie Sites Tour in New York City and the WWII C-47 Christmas light flight over Fort Worth are two examples; more are in city tours.

For the adventurer: hot air balloon rides, helicopter tours and scenic flights in flying, or a winter day out in winter sports, from guided snowshoe tours to the ski-in Magic Meadows yurt dinner.

For the food lover: cooking classes, food tours and tastings in food and drink make a gift you can share, and most can be booked after the holidays.

For someone who needs a break: spa days and massages in health and wellness are the gift most people never buy themselves.

For the fan: concerts, shows and games in event tickets.

Holiday lights tours and festive nights out

The most popular Christmas experiences are the ones you can only do in December. Holiday lights tours, festive walking tours and evening sightseeing trips show a city at its most sparkling, with someone else doing the driving and the storytelling. The Holiday Lights and Movie Sites Tour in New York City and a WWII C-47 holiday flight over the Fort Worth skyline are two examples. Browse all city tours for more.

Christmas markets and holiday traditions

Christmas market tours and holiday history walks make a good gift for anyone who loves the traditions of the season. Some are in US cities and some are in European cities famous for their markets, which makes them a thoughtful gift for someone with a winter trip planned. Use the location filter above to see what is near them or where they are going.

Holiday gifts for every celebration

An experience works for any holiday you celebrate, whether that is Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or a New Year's gift for someone who already has enough things. Every gift on this page can be sent for any date you choose.

More ways to give an experience this Christmas

A Christmas gift does not have to be used in December. Spa days and massages in health and wellness, cooking classes and tastings in food and drink, hot air balloon and helicopter rides in flying, and concerts and games in event tickets all make good holiday gifts that can be booked in the new year. For a specific person, see our gifts for couples, parents, mom, dad and him.

Sending a Christmas experience gift

E-gifts arrive by email instantly or on the date you choose, so you can schedule one for Christmas morning and still order on December 24. Gift boxes need shipping time, so check the delivery date at checkout. If you are not sure what they would choose, a Spur gift card lets them pick from the full catalog, and all of our ideas are on the gifts page.

Shopping for skiers? See gifts for skiers and winter experience gifts.

Shopping for a man on your list? See our guide to experience gifts for him.

For food lovers on your list, see gifts for foodies.