4 Experience-Based Gifts to Give This Holiday Season

The leaves have fallen, the jack-o'-lanterns have been put out, and Mariah Carey has lit the official beacon: The holiday season has begun. While this should be a time of joy and celebration spent with loved ones, it's often overshadowed by the slightly manic impulse to buy, buy, buy.

If you're already feeling stressed about assembling your holiday shopping list, step back, take a breath, and know that you have plenty of time ahead of you. And if you have someone in your life who seems to have every gadget already or who is notoriously hard to please, consider one of these experience gifts instead of the usual store-bought item.

1. Cooking or crafting classes

Whether your gift recipient is an all-star home chef or a novice in the kitchen, a cooking class can be a great gift. You could even turn it into a shared outing and take the class together. It's an excellent way to enjoy some delicious food, enhance a skill, and even try new cuisines that you've never had before. You could find a class at a local shop in your town, or you could search for online cooking classes that your recipient can sign up for and participate in from home.

Or if they're more the crafty type, see what type of art classes you can find, whether it's an embroidery lesson, a pottery class, or a paint-and-sip outing.

2. Plan a day trip

The adage "It's the thought that counts" is oft repeated for a reason, and putting together a special agenda for a loved one certainly shows a lot of thought. You can personalize the trip to their interests, whether it's a day at the museum and their favorite restaurant, a mini road trip to a town they've always wanted to visit, or a sightseeing staycation in your own city.

Your savings account doesn't need to take a huge hit for this gift either. See if you can get free passes to local sights from the library rather than pay full price for entrance fees. Or use a rewards credit card that earns points at restaurants to get some cash back on your food purchases for the day.

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3. Guided tours

Taking a guided tour, whether in your own city or one nearby, can be a really fun way to spend a day. Tours can range from silly to educational to food-centric, so you'll likely be able to find one that matches the interests of your giftee. I once gave a friend a certificate for a walking tour that stopped at multiple restaurants and bars when she moved cities, and she said it was an awesome way to explore her new surroundings.

Do some searching online to look for deals on any tours you'd like to take. You may be able to find coupon codes or discounts being offered, particularly as the holidays approach.

4. Snow tubing or sledding

Nothing says "winter" like careening uncontrollably down a snowy hill, laughing all the way. While ski lift tickets can be incredibly pricey (some resorts top $200 per day!), it can cost you little to nothing to go sledding. If you live in an area that gets enough snow, look up local spots where you can take your loved one sledding. Maybe it's a steep hill at the edge of town, or maybe it's a ski mountain that sells tickets to use the slopes and magic carpets.

Either way, you can spend a memorable, fun-filled day together. My husband and I took a day off work two years ago and went to a snow tubing park. We enjoyed it so much that we gifted our niece and nephew a day at the park the following winter rather than getting them more toys, and they still talk about how much fun they had.

Experience the holidays

Gift giving doesn't have to mean giving things, and it doesn't have to be a huge drain on your personal finances. When planning out your holiday shopping list this year, think of your recipients and what their interests are, and see if you can find an experience gift that will match what they love. And if you can share the experience together, that's what the holiday season is really all about.