16 Experience Gifts to Entertain Your Loved Ones, From Indoor Gardens to Tie-Dye Kits
Give the gift of a new hobby.
No gift is more meaningful than an experience gift. Whether it’s tickets to a concert or a sporting event, a paid-for trip, or a cooking class, giving your loved ones the opportunity to create memories is priceless. But this year, most of those experience gifts are off the table. However, there are still plenty of creative presents that offer your friends and family at-home experiences they’ll enjoy.
We found 16 experience gift ideas that have the potential to become new hobbies for the recipient while they’re spending more time indoors this winter. For the foodies in your life, there are meal delivery services and alcohol subscriptions or kits. Craft lovers will appreciate new projects like embroidery, hand lettering, sewing, or tie-dying. Meanwhile, the self-care obsessed will love beauty boxes or bath bomb kits, and artsy types will be excited to learn a new instrument or start a record collection.
There’s something for everyone in this experience gifts guide, and new hobbies are the gifts that keep on giving. Plus, many of these experience gift ideas make for great activities to safely do with your loved ones this winter. Below, shop experience gifts for the people on your holiday list.
1. Meal delivery service
Meal delivery service subscriptions are the perfect gifts for people who want to step up their skills in the kitchen but don’t have time to find recipes themselves. These boxes include multiple recipes with the ingredients pre-measured, making trying new meals fun and easy. Choose between two- or four-serving meals weekly.
There are tons of cooking subscription boxes to choose from for the chefs in your life, each with different price points and features. Try Blue Apron, Green Chef, or Freshly.
2. Wine subscription service
Gift your wannabe wine connoisseur friend a monthly subscription service that will teach them about vino. Choose between brands like Firstleaf, Winc, and Wine of the Month Club, which differ in frequency and pricing.
3. Beer brewing kit
If your friend leans more toward beer, offer them a beer brewing kit so they can whip up their own custom brew at home. It’s sure to become their new favorite hobby—and super-impressive party trick.
4. Cocktail kit subscription
For your cocktail-loving friend, a subscription to Shaker and Spoon is the ideal gift. Each month, your friend will be able to try three new cocktail recipes (that make four drinks each) for 12 bartender-level cocktails per box. The kit includes all of the ingredients minus the liquor, so they can channel their inner mixologist at home.
5. Kombucha brewing kit
If kombucha is more your friends’ style, this brewing kit will tickle their taste buds and give them a new hobby to keep them busy in between practicing yoga and making homemade granola. The kit includes six bottles, a stainless steel funnel, a custom bottle brush, and a gallon brew jar.
6. Houseplant subscription
Perfect for your loved ones with green thumbs: Houseplant subscriptions will send a box filled with new plants and plant products each month. Give them something to care for other than themselves while they’re stuck inside this winter. Find more houseplant subscription boxes here.
7. Indoor herb garden
Know someone who loves gardening at home? Don’t let the cold weather stop them from growing their own food. This indoor herb kit offers nine herbs they can nurture and use in recipes this winter.
8. Bath bomb kit
Give your bubble bath-loving friend the gift of luxury with this bath bomb kit. They’ll love customizing their own bomb and then sinking into a relaxing tub, courtesy of you. This kit includes everything needed to make over 15 bath bombs, lasting long after the holidays are over.
9. Beauty boxes
Any beauty and skincare lover has likely dreamt of getting new products delivered to them for free, and that’s exactly what this gift is! Each month, Birchbox will send five new products to try, from face masks to hair serums to eyeshadows.
10. Workout app subscriptions
For your fit friend or family member, offer a new workout routine via exercise apps like Aaptiv or JetSweat. Aaptiv’s plan is $14.95 per month or $99.99 per year and offers countless workouts, from treadmill routines to body weight exercises, making it ideal for the gym or for your home.
11. Record player
The music lover in your life will be thrilled with a new record player. Pair it with some albums to kickstart their record-collecting hobby.
12. Ukulele
This one’s for that friend or family member who has always wanted to learn how to play an instrument but never taken the time to do so. This beginner ukulele kit includes a tuner, strap, picks, spare string, and instructional songbook.
13. Calligraphy book
Calligraphy has become super trendy, but the skill itself is no walk in the park. Your artsy friend will love signing greeting cards in their impressive new handwriting after using this book.
14. Embroidery kit
Embroidery has spiked in popularity this year—even Taylor Swift embroidered a baby blanket for Katy Perry‘s and Orlando Bloom’s newborn. If your friend is an old soul who loves to craft, this kit will keep them busy this winter while they listen to Swift’s new albums.
15. Tie-dying kit
Tie-dye loungewear was perhaps the biggest quarantine trend, close behind baking banana bread. Gift your trendiest friend who likes to get crafty this tie-dye kit so they can make their own clothes this winter. The kit includes 26 colors, disposable gloves, aprons, table covers, rubber bands, and an instruction guide. As J.Lo would agree, you can never have too much tie-dye.
16. Sewing Kit
Modern Sewing Kit
Shop itThe lost art of sewing is making a comeback, and your fashion-forward friend will love jumping on the bandwagon. Making your own clothes is super satisfying, and Wildflower Delivery Co. ships modern sewing kits to your door, complete with instructions and all the supplies needed to make a new garment. From totes to face masks to dresses, help your loved one become their own fashion designer with the aid of Wildflower Delivery Co. Prices vary depending on the kit.
