Halloween has come and gone, and that means the holiday gift-giving season is just around the corner. This is the perfect time to be thinking about what to give the special people in your life. While traditional gifts are always appreciated, some of the most meaningful presents are those that create lasting memories.
With this in mind, you might want to consider gifting an experience — an opportunity to share an adventure, try something new or simply spend quality time together. These thoughtful gifts can bring joy long after the holiday season has passed. Since it may take a bit more research to find the ideal options, it’s best to start the hunt now.
Here are some ideas and tips from your Better Business Bureau:
- Giving the gift of a local adventure: Think about where your gift recipient lives. Do an online search for some fun activities or locations in the area. Consider looking at theaters, concert venues or sporting venues and purchasing tickets to an upcoming event or show. You can even top off the gift with an additional surprise
dinner reservation and a gift card to the restaurant. - Workshops and DIY courses: Many cities have restaurants that offer cooking classes and wine tastings, or unique small businesses that provide art workshops and DIY-type classes. If your gift recipient is a crafty, hands-on person, this gift will surely be a hit!
- Family gifts for the year ahead: If you’re shopping for a family with children, consider looking at memberships to local zoos, museums, nature centers or aquariums.
- Wrapping up wellness and relaxation options: Spa gift cards, yoga passes, a fitness class pass or a subscription to a meditation app are all great options for someone who loves to relax and rejuvenate.
- Giving back to honor charitable loved ones: If you have someone in your life who is passionate about giving back to the community, consider making a donation to their favorite nonprofit or setting up a volunteer day for an upcoming event that supports a favorite cause.
With these ideas in mind, your BBB offers the following tips to help you safely shop for the best options:
- Check reviews before buying. If you’re buying an experience for someone in an area you’re not familiar with, doing your research is key. Look up customer reviews on various websites, including BBB.org. Look for the BBB Seal to find BBB Accredited
Businesses. With experience-type gifts, customer reviews can give you a good idea of whether the experience is worth gifting. - Plan ahead for any holiday-related experiences. If you’re gifting a holiday-related experience, like a holiday show or an outdoor lights experience, search for and buy your tickets in advance so they don’t sell out. This is also a great time to consider making your “experience” gift a group event where the whole family can join!
- Purchase directly from the source. It’s a good idea to buy your gift directly from the business instead of going through a third-party vendor. Sometimes, experiences sold on third-party sites can be from impostors or unauthorized resellers.
- Check restrictions and expiration dates. If you’re buying a gift card, voucher or certificate for an experience, communicate any restrictions or expiration dates to your recipient so they know when and how to use the gift. Often, the recipient will schedule their experience on the date of their choice, so it will be important that they know how to do this.
- Read refund and cancellation policies. If the event is postponed or canceled, get the details on what happens next so you can notify your recipient. If this happens, consider gifting a different experience with the refunded money.
- Watch for hidden fees. Booking costs or service charges can add up. If you want to save money on gifting an experience, look for options that don’t include extra fees.
- Use a credit card for better protection. Credit cards usually offer protection against scams and fake websites when purchasing online. Keep in mind that if you run into an issue, the financial institution that issued the card generally requires that you submit a dispute within 60 days of purchase.
For more information and holiday tips, we encourage you to visit BBB’s Holiday HQ. You can also reach BBB serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia at 423-266-6144 or tngabbb@chattanooga.bbb.org.
Michele Mason is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.