Americans are addicted to buying stuff — but consumerism doesn’t make us happy, and it also contributes to climate change, NBCLX Storyteller Chase Cain explains in the next part of his Climate Change Survival Guide. So this holiday shopping season, which is already more challenging due to supply chain problems, try out alternative gift ideas, like experiences or second-hand items.
With Christmas just a few weeks away and shipping deadlines creeping closer and closer, you may be fretting over what to get everyone on your list. Especially the ones who seemingly have everything.
Enter experience gifts.
Some are tangible and some are intangible. They're meant to be thoughtful and hopefully, more sustainable (we really don't need so much stuff!).
From the practical to the whimsical, there's something on this list for everyone to enjoy.
Here are our editor's picks. All featured items were independently selected and NBC receives no compensation for these links.
Experiences
- Concert tickets
- Sporting events
- Movie tickets
- Theater tickets
- Round of golf: golf course, mini golf, Topgolf
- Bowling
- Arcade
- Escape room
- Restaurant gift card
- In-home meal prepared by a chef
- High tea
- Wine tasting
- Summer camp
- Hot air balloon ride
- Skydiving
- Horseback riding
- Animal encounter: swim with dolphins, feed stingrays, etc.
- Airline gift card
- Airbnb gift card
- Marathon race entry
- Convention show: ComicCon, BravoCon, etc.
Classes
- Cooking
- Dance: ballet, ballroom dance, etc.
- Sports: tennis, ice skating, gymnastics etc.
- Specialty gym class: boxing, spin cycling, yoga, etc.
- Personal training
- Music
- Coding
- Masterclass
- Rosetta Stone
- Painting, drawing, ceramics, art
- Photography
- Home brewing
- Scuba diving, paddle boarding
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Services
- Babysitting
- House cleaning
- Professional organizing
- Car wash
- Oil change
- Yard service
- Interior design service
- Uber gift card
- Instacart+ membership gift card
- Shipt Annual Membership gift card (Use code SHIPTGIFT through Jan. 4 for 50% off)
- Walmart+
- Amazon Prime subscription
- Warehouse club membership: Costco, Sam's Club
Beauty & wellness
- Massage
- Facial
- Manicure/pedicure
- Spray tan
- Botox
- Haircut
- Hair coloring
- Eyebrow microblading
- Lash extensions
- Teeth whitening
- Headspace subscription
- Calm subscription
Memberships
- Museums: Children's museum, art museum, science museum, etc.
- Botanic gardens
- Zoo
- Aquarium
- Theme park
- State parks
- National parks
- Trampoline park, kid's indoor play spaces
- Country club / social club
Consumables
- Flowers
- Chocolates
- Candy
- Fruit basket
- Alcohol: wine, whiskey, champagne, etc.
- Desserts: cakes, cookies, sweet breads, etc.
- Meats & cheeses/charcuterie board
- Meal subscription service
- Coffee subscription
- Produce box subscription
- Protein box subscription
- Snack boxes
Digital media subscriptions
- Sling TV
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Disney+
- Paramount+
- Apple gift card - can be used for Apple TV+, Apple music, App store purchases
- Spotify
- Audible
- Kindle
- Sirius XM
- Digital news & magazine subscriptions
- Google Play
