These pictures of my family were taken earlier this month on vacation in Iceland. One is at Skogafoss and the other is in front of an incredible Northern Lights display, compliments of Mother Nature. The vacation, the first full-family trip we’ve managed to coordinate in 8 years, was our holiday gift to our adult children. I’m a big believer in giving experiences, rather than stuff.

Vacations are great gift ideas – memories last a lifetime!

Vacation memories last longer than “stuff’ and don’t add clutter to your home!

Years from now, the recipients will have the wonderful memories to look back on and cherish; they won’t remember what “thing” they received on a specific holiday.  In fact, they may no longer still even own the “thing.”

Some ideas of experiential gifts:

Tickets – to the theatre, to a sporting event, to a concert.

Memberships – to an organization the recipient is passionate about.

Annual pass – to a museum, an amusement park, a trampoline park.

A night out – dinner and…. a movie, ice skating, painting pottery, a game.

Adopt a pet – not necessarily a real animal (although that’s OK, too) but sponsoring a pet through your local zoo or wildlife conservation society.

A charitable donation in the recipient’s honor, to a cause important to them.

A once-in-a-lifetime experience – arrange for one day’s luxury car rental; stock car racing; hot air ballooning; flying lesson; etc.

Fuel a passion – purchase a set of classes or workshops for art, dance, robotics, musical instrument, whatever your recipient’s passion.

Provide a service – offer babysitting to a single mom; offer lawn mowing to a senior; offer to teach a friend how to knit; give a month of grocery shopping/errand running to the person recovering from illness, etc.

Best wishes for a joyous holiday season, no matter what you give and receive, and wishing you much health, happiness, and organization in 2017.