50+ Memorable Holiday Gift Ideas

The Gift of an Experience

Make an addition in someone's life storybook with an experience gift. 

💡 Pro Tip: Get creative with the presentation. Don't just hand someone a certificate or ticket. Wrap a tiny boat, model airplane, miniature horse, helium balloon, bottle of wine, or something that "fits" the gift experience for a memorable reveal.

• Boat cruise (sunset, lunch, or dinner)
• City tour
• Chocolate tour
• Concert tickets
• Escape room entry (a great option for a group of family members or friends)
• Fishing excursion
• Horseback riding ticket
• Hot air balloon ride
• Ice skating rink ticket
• Indoor bouldering or rock climbing pass
• Kayaking day pass
• Mani-pedi appointment
• Massage session
• Movie tickets
• Museum entry
• Orchestra or symphony tickets
• Paintball outing
• Private plane ride
• Race car or exotic car driving experience
• Rafting excursion
• Restaurant gift card
• Round of golf
• Season sports tickets
• Skydiving ticket (outdoor or indoor)
• State park or national park pass
• Tandem hang gliding
• Theme park day pass
• Trail of Lights or winter carnival tickets
• Trampoline park entry
• Virtual cooking class or online wine tasting (easy to give digitally — many platforms offer gift options and let the recipient choose their date)
• Wine tour or wine and paint night
• Zoo tickets

The Gift of Time

Time is priceless. Give it back to someone by taking something off their to-do list and freeing up their schedule for more enjoyable things. 

💡 Pro Tip: If you're working with a tight gift budget, use SignUp to enlist volunteers from your group (family members, class parents, teammates, etc.) to fill these roles together as a group gift.

• Babysitters or pet sitters
• Car detailers (interior and exterior cleaners)
• Dog groomers or walkers
• Errand runners
• Grocery shoppers
• Home organizer or declutterer (a professional to help sort, donate, and organize a space they've been meaning to tackle)
• House cleaners
• Laundry helpers
• Leaf rakers or landscapers
• Personal chefs

The Gift of Learning

Looking for the perfect present for someone who wants to pick up a new skill, level up on an existing talent, or just genuinely loves learning? Look no further.

• Art class (painting, glass-blowing, or sculpting)
• Beauty or skin consultation
• Cheese and wine class
• Cooking class
• Dance lessons
• Foraging tour or classes
• Homebrewing class
• Language learning subscription (Duolingo, Babbel, or Rosetta Stone — ideal for a traveler or anyone who's always said "I'd love to learn French")
• Life coach session
• Martial arts classes
• Music lessons
• Photography course
• Private DJ lesson
• Rock climbing lesson
• Snowboarding or ski lesson
• Surfing or stand-up paddleboarding lesson
• Sushi rolling lesson

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the best memorable holiday gifts?

A: The most memorable holiday gifts are ones that create experiences, free up time, or help someone grow. Concert tickets, cooking classes, escape room entries, massages, and national park passes tend to be remembered long after the wrapping paper is gone. The key is choosing something that fits the recipient's interests and lifestyle rather than defaulting to something generic.

Q: What is a good experience gift for the holidays?

A: Great experience gifts are ones the recipient would love but wouldn't typically buy for themselves. Escape room entry, concert tickets, a hot air balloon ride, a wine tour, or tickets to a theme park or sports event are all crowd-pleasers. For something easy to give digitally, a virtual cooking class or online wine tasting lets the recipient pick their own date and enjoy the experience from anywhere.

Q: How do I organize a group gift of time using SignUp?

A: Create a free SignUp with Spots for each task or time commitment (grocery shopping, dog walking, meal prep, etc.). Share the link with family members, teammates, or class parents and let everyone claim a Spot that works for their schedule. SignUp sends automated reminders so no one forgets their commitment; and the recipient gets a gift that keeps giving all year long.

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About the Author

Tara McAdams

Digital Marketing Manager, Content Strategist & Creator

Tara leads content strategy at SignUp and creates a variety of resources on a wide range of topics, including lifestyle trends, prep for holidays, volunteer management, and event planning. More about Tara →