It’s not terribly surprising that for the second year running, the national retail federation claims the hottest holiday present is a gift card. But are we losing something when we focus on the material aspects of gift-giving? With us to rundown some alternative ideas for experiential gifts you can’t fit under the tree is Rick Broussard, editor of New Hampshire Magazine.
Listen to ways you can spice up your gift giving, and check out the links to some of the New England-area places we mentioned to help round out your naughty and nice list!
Family Fun
- Circus school in Vermont
Any age can learn tumbling, juggling, and aerial skills and then work for peanuts. - Brew your own in New Hampshire
Kids can make non-alcoholic soda while you make your own beer, wine or champagne. Make a mess and you don’t have to clean it up! - Your own movie theater experience
Have a movie marathon or play video games until your eyes bleed in the big theater or a more private screening room.
Outdoor Adventure
- Winter camping in New Hampshire
Create your own Appalachian Trail adventure and stay at a winter hut in the White Mountains. - Fly fishing school in New Hampshire
Get your cast-on with classes aimed to help the novice catch freshwater fish (copy of A River Runs Through It and waders not included). - Wilderness survival school in Maine
Help someone you love prepare for a post-apocalyptic world with skills in foraging, tool-making, and tracking.
Other Suggestions
- Motocross school in New Hampshire
Make a dirt track date to get riding and racing lessons. - Stand up comedy classes in Boston
For the wiseacre in your life, get them to make use of their ironic observations and witticisms for a larger audience other than you. - Gun school in New Hampshire
Live free, but don’t die! Learn responsible gun handling skills through more advanced techniques like shooting at cars and defending someone caught in the line of fire. Or check out the Machine Gun Safari for thrillseekers who like a little more kick from their firearms. - Dining etiquette in New Hampshire
We all have sloppy eaters in our lives. Help them.
