Most people like the idea of giving experiences. A cooking class instead of another kitchen gadget. Concert tickets instead of something that ends up in a drawer. The research backs this up. Experiences create longer-lasting happiness than things.
And yet, when it comes time to actually give a gift, most people still reach for something physical.
I've been on both sides of this. A few years ago, I gave my dad a whisky tasting experience for his birthday. I'd put real thought into it. Found a distillery he'd mentioned wanting to visit, booked a proper tour with lunch included. But when it came to the actual giving, I just handed him an envelope with a printout inside. He opened it, said thank you, and put it on the side. It wasn't bad, exactly. But it wasn't a moment either. The envelope sat there while everyone else opened proper presents, and I remember thinking I'd somehow got it wrong despite getting it right.
A year later, my wife gave me a pottery class. Same concept. An experience, not a thing. But she'd put it in a box with a small ceramic bowl she'd found at a local market. Inside was a note: "For your first masterpiece. Or your first disaster. Either way, you'll have somewhere to put it." I still have that bowl. I don't remember most of what I got that year, but I remember opening that box.
The difference wasn't the experience. It was the presentation.
This is the presentation problem. And solving it is what separates a memorable experience gift from one that falls flat.
Why do experience gifts make people happier?
The research on this is surprisingly consistent. Studies from Cornell University, the University of Texas at Austin, and elsewhere have found the same thing: people derive more happiness from experiences than from things.
Part of this is about adaptation. We get used to physical objects. That new jacket feels exciting for a few weeks, then it's just a jacket. Experiences work differently. A cooking class, a concert, a weekend away. These become part of our personal story. We talk about them, remember them, and they often improve in our memory over time.
I notice this with my own gifts. I couldn't tell you what watch I was given five years ago, but I can describe the afternoon my brother and I spent at a cricket match in detail. The weather, what we ate, the conversation on the train home.
There's also something about shared experience. When you give someone concert tickets or a pottery class, you're often giving them time with other people too. That social connection multiplies the value of the gift.
And unlike a physical object that can break, go out of style, or get forgotten in a drawer, an experience becomes a memory. It's yours forever.
How to present experience gifts properly
The key is to make the presentation part of the experience. Here's a simple framework that works for almost any experience gift.
Give something to open
The physical act of unwrapping matters. Put the confirmation email or voucher in a box. Add related items. A cookbook with cooking class tickets, a travel guide with hotel reservations, a nice wine glass with a wine tasting voucher. Now there's something tangible to open.
Create anticipation
Experiences have a built-in advantage here. The looking-forward period is part of the gift. Studies have found that anticipation of an experience brings its own happiness, sometimes more than the event itself. Lean into this. Give the gift early. Let them have weeks or months of excited planning.
Add a personal note explaining why
This is where experience gifts can actually feel more thoughtful than physical ones. Write why you chose this specific experience. "I remember you saying you'd always wanted to try pottery." "I know how much you loved that Italian meal last year. I thought cooking classes might be fun." The story behind the gift shows you were paying attention.
Consider going together
Some experiences work beautifully as shared gifts. Concert tickets for two, a cooking class you'll attend together, a weekend trip. You're not just giving an experience. You're giving your time and company too.
These four elements, something tangible, built-in anticipation, a personal story, and shared time, turn an email confirmation into a gift that feels genuinely thoughtful.
Here's what this looks like in practice. Say you're giving your mum a pottery class for her birthday. Instead of printing the voucher and handing it over, you put it in a small box with a simple ceramic dish from a local maker. You wrap it properly. Inside, you include a note: "I remember you saying you'd always wanted to try this. Now you have an excuse, and something to put your first creation in."
She opens the box, sees the dish, reads the note, then finds the voucher underneath. The class is in three weeks. She has something beautiful to hold now, something to look forward to, and a story that explains why you chose it.
That's the difference between a voucher and a gift.
Giftwhale Tip You can add experiences to your Giftwhale wish list just like physical items. Include a link to the specific class, tour, or event, or just describe what you're hoping for if you're flexible on the details. That way, gift-givers know exactly what you'd love, and you won't end up with three sets of escape room vouchers.
Using wish lists for experience gifts
One of the challenges with giving experiences is not knowing what someone would actually enjoy. A spa day sounds lovely in theory. But what if they hate being touched by strangers? Skydiving is memorable, certainly. But maybe not for someone terrified of heights.
This is where wish lists help.
When someone adds experiences to their wish list, they're telling you exactly what they'd welcome. No guessing whether they'd actually use concert tickets. No wondering if that cooking class suits their dietary restrictions. You can give with confidence because they've already said yes.
And for families, wish lists solve the coordination problem. If grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends all want to give experiences, how do you avoid three people buying zoo memberships? The same way you avoid three people buying the same jumper. By using a list with reservations.
When are physical gifts better than experience gifts?
Experience gifts aren't always the right choice. It's worth being honest about this.
For children, tangible often wins
Young kids live in the present moment. A toy they can hold and play with right now often means more than tickets to something that happens in three weeks. As children get older, the balance shifts. But for little ones, don't feel guilty about giving something they can unwrap and immediately enjoy.
For people who genuinely love things
Some people find real joy in objects. A beautifully made piece of clothing, a book they'll read multiple times, a kitchen tool they'll use for years. These aren't mindless consumption. They're meaningful possessions. If someone clearly values quality objects, respect that.
When the experience feels obligatory
A cooking class given to someone who doesn't cook isn't a gift. It's homework. Same with fitness classes for someone who hasn't asked for them, or cultural events for someone who'd rather stay home. Experience gifts only work when they match what the person actually wants.
When timing doesn't work
Experiences require scheduling. If someone is going through a chaotic period, like a new baby, job change, or health issues, a voucher that expires in six months might create pressure rather than pleasure. Sometimes a thoughtful physical gift is simply more practical.
Making experiences easier to give and receive
The shift toward experience gifts is real. More people want memories over clutter, adventures over objects. But the logistics can feel complicated, which is partly why people default to physical presents despite their good intentions.
A few things help:
Start with your own wish list
I add experiences to mine throughout the year. A restaurant I'd like to try, a class that looks interesting, a day out I keep meaning to book. If you'd welcome experiences, say so. Add specific classes, events, or memberships you're interested in. Be clear about timing and any restrictions. Make it easy for people to give you what you actually want.
Reserve experiences just like you'd reserve physical gifts
This prevents the duplicate problem. When someone claims the cooking class on your list, others can see it's covered and choose something else.
Include a range of price points
Experiences can cost anything from a free museum visit to an expensive holiday. A mix of options means more people can participate in giving.
Be flexible on details when you can
"I'd love a wine tasting experience" is easier to give than a specific class on a specific date at a specific venue. Leave room for the giver to choose.
Giftwhale Tip When you add an experience to your wish list, you can include notes about timing preferences, dietary requirements, or anything else that helps the gift-giver choose well. The more context you give, the better the experience will match what you actually want.
A different kind of generosity
There's something generous about giving experiences. Not just for the recipient, but in what it says about how you see them.
A physical gift says "I thought you might like this object." An experience gift says "I thought about what would make your life richer, what memories you might cherish, what story you might tell for years to come."
That takes more attention. It requires knowing someone well enough to understand what they'd genuinely enjoy, and caring enough to solve the presentation challenges rather than defaulting to something easier.
When done well, experience gifts aren't the lazy option. They're the thoughtful one.
