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The Best Experience Gifts For Christmas 2024
For the the person in your life who seems to have everything.
Experience gifts are the best way to treat your loved ones who seemingly have everything this Christmas. And at a time when prices of pretty much everything are soaring (don't get us started on our heating bills), this December we're prioritising experiences above anything else. After all, there's only so many pairs of socks and bath oils you can buy a loved one.
If you're not so keen on splashing the cash on Christmas hampers, luxury scented candles and tech products this year, then buying a gift card or booking a day out with a family member or friend and making memories is the perfect way to sign off what's been something of a pretty tough and rainy year.
Better yet, buying an experience gift - whether it's a gin distillery tour or pasta making class - is a way of giving your friends and family something to look forward to after all of the fun and frivolity of the festive season is over.
Here's a list of the best experience gifts to buy for Christmas 2024:
The Pig Three course lunch or dinner
The Pig Three course lunch or dinner
A true home from home, we couldn't adore The Pig more. Share the love this year and purchase a gift voucher for a loved one, and invite them to dine on a three-course lunch or dinner at any of The Pig hotels. The voucher is valid for 12 months after purchase, but remind your friends and family to book in their visit ASAP.
From £30.00
If your loved one loves beauty, hair, and all things pampering, then this is the gift card for them. Invest in a Treatwell gift card and give them the gift of choosing what sort of treatment - and salon - they'd prefer, whether it's a wax and haircut, or manicure and facial.
London Calligraphy Calligraphy Workshop
London Calligraphy Calligraphy Workshop
If you're going to learn calligraphy from anyone in London, it might as well be from the best, aka London Calligraphy’s founder Katie Noakes. This gift voucher covers all of the company's workshops and includes a personalised modern calligraphy kit (a pen holder, a pot of ink, nibs, paper and other stationery), two hours of calligraphy instruction, and much more. They even offer a slice of cake and a glass of bubbly, what more could you want?
AIRE Ancient Baths
From £115.00 pp
Opened late last summer, AIRE Ancient Baths is redefining what it means to go underground in London. Offering a range of relaxation experiences, including massages and rituals, as well as functioning as an ancient bath inspired by Roman, Greek, and Ottoman civilisations, we couldn't think of a better place to hang out in candlelight.
When you buy an AIRE experience it comes in the form of a physical box, including a brochure and experience card. Alternatively you can buy a digital gift card, which can be delivered either via email or through WhatsApp.
Price on checkout
If, like us, you hate forking out the big bucks for a manicure, then gift your best friend/mum a Townhouse gift card this year. The gift cards can be equivalent to a certain amount of money or a specific service, and can be used in-store to buy treatments and products at Townhouse and London Grace salons. They can also be used online to purchase treatments at any Townhouse or London Grace location (excluding Townhouse Knightsbridge).
COCOON Membership
From £50.00
Can't stretch to buying a designer handbag for Christmas? Us neither. But we can afford a membership to handbag rental platform Cocoon... And that's just as good – if not better. You'll get access to a vast collection of the most exclusive designer handbags, including vintage and just-launched Chanels, Pradas and Fendis and more – that can be accessed endlessly and on rotation. The dream gift for fashion lovers.
From £270.00
The Tawny is, without doubt, one of our favourite UK staycation choices, which is why we want to share our love for the hotel and encourage you to book a stay for your favourite people. Located in the heart of rural Staffordshire, an overnight stay at The Tawny starts at £270.00, and vouchers can be used to cover the cost of a stay, or put towards the likes of a massage, yoga class, and more.
Airbnb Gift Card
From £100.00
Give the gift of travel with Airbnb's new gift cards. Whether your loved ones are deserving of a two-week stay in the Algarve, a staycation in Dorset or fancy spending Christmas in Bali, this is the most special gift card you can buy this year, in our eyes – particularly now that travel is finally back with a vengeance. Even better, the card can also be used on Airbnb experiences and it will never expire. Brilliant.
An Off-Grid Escape
Hex Cottage at Wilderness Reserve – stays cost from £314.00 per night
Fancy a romantic getaway with a difference? Head to Hex Cottage within the luxurious Wilderness Reserve, a secluded thatched cottage that's totally off-grid. Heated with a wood-burning range and illuminated by firelight and candles, it's the perfect hidden spot for a New Year's reset – and with no distractions, reconnection is practically guaranteed.
Feast Over Fire at Nomadic Woodland
Gift voucher from £125.00 pp
Gift your loved ones the experience of visiting Nomadic and indulging in a Foraged Wild Welcome cocktail, a guided foraging tour, a feast cooked over live fire, herbal teas and toasted marshmallows. Need we say more?
Travel Afternoon Tea at Searcys St Pancras Champagne Bar
From £175.00 for two
Spend an afternoon sipping on limitless bubbles and enjoying a classic, travel-inspired Afternoon Tea at the ever-buzzy Searcys in St Pancras. It's officially the 'longest champagne bar' in Europe and conveniently located just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Eurostar ticket office... After 90 minutes of bottomless champagne, an impromptu trip to Paris might just be on the cards too.
Stack Magazine Subscription
From £8.00 / a month
Calling all magazine/print/words lovers - this gift is absolutely for you. Stack picks the 'best independent magazines' and delivers them straight to your door each month.
Cocktail of The Month in The Rivoli Bar
Spend an evening sipping on festive tipples at one of London's most iconic hotels. The Rivoli Bar at The Ritz boasts a keen selection of wines, champagnes and now in time for Christmas a seasonal Yule Tide cocktail. It's the perfect after dinner pitstop or seasonal night out.
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Flour Will Fly workshops gift card
From £15.00 per child, £48.50 per adult
Do you have a friend or family member who is obsessed with Italian food? Well, this is the gift to get them. Liverpool-based pasta workshop Flour Will Fly hosts regular events including pasta making (introduction) and cannoli siciliani classes. During the pasta making class you will receive an aperitivo on arrival with some snacks (think cheeses and meats ), plus another drink and be able to take your food home with you. A truly unforgettable experience.
Gin Distillery Tour
Multiple locations - From £20.00
To complement the gin your gin aficionado friend/relative/significant other will undoubtedly have received, why not invest in a behind the scenes distillery tour so they can learn about their favourite tipple?
As well as the educational aspect, the tours come with an added bonus of drinking gin and sometimes just a wonderfully picturesque location like the Bombay Sapphire Distillery in Hampshire (pictured).
The Bombay Sapphire tour can start from £20.00 for a tour. Elsewhere there's Sipsmith's west London distillery weeknight tour and tutored tasting, starting from £25 and south west London's Haymans tour in Balham from £25 per person.
Cameo Messages
Prices vary
A new gift experience that's making waves is Cameo, a company that allows fans to request and then receive personalised video messages from celebrities. So if you fancy Snoop Dogg wishing your brother a Happy Christmizzle (sorry, couldn't resist) or Tom Felton (aka Draco Malfoy) wishing your Harry Potter-obsessed sister 'seasons' greetings', this may be the gift for you.
The prices depend on the celebrity as each one sets their own price, varying from free to $5,000, and you should submit your request at least four days in advance.
Also it's worth noting that, obviously, talent can decline the request.
British Library Membership Card
£80.00 / a year
Need a place to work that isn't Starbucks/an overpriced 'work space' of some sort? The British Library is your answer. And their annual membership gives you unlimited library access, free entry to exhibitions as well as priority booking for events, 20% off public restaurants, cafes and shops, plus entry to the daytime Members’ Room and Knowledge Centre Bar.
The Ginger Pig Butchery Classes
From £195.00
This 'light butchery' class, from The Ginger Pig, gives you a hands-on lesson in meat and traditional butchery skills. For three and half hours you'll learn more about where your meat comes from, pick up a new skill and get the most from each cut. Afterwards there’s also a two-course informal meal in Askew or Moxon, and a Borough Market produce feast in the Cathedral Street location. You also get to take home the joint you've butchered or sausages you've made.
Prices £195 for Pork, Lamb, Poultry, Sausage Making and Fur Game classes, and £225 for Beef, BBQ and Three Bird Roast classes.
Hidden City Treasure Hunts
From £50.00
Pick from treasure hunts in London, Brighton, Manchester or York. Team players receive clues by text and with a variety of themes available at each location, there’ll be something to suit everyone.
The Ginstitute Experience
From £120.00 pp
If your loved one loves their gin then book them on to this experience day which explores gin's history, from its creation by the Dutch to its golden era. Your Ginstructor will also take them to the Blending Rooms and invite them to create their own bespoke blend of gin to take home. Hello, perfect gift!
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