So…many many years ago when the world was new and full of hope (I’m talking like 1983) we had 4 distinct seasons. You could set your watch by them…they even made rhymes out of them. “Winter Spring, Summer Fall, which do you like best of all?” Fast forward 30+ years later and we’re down to 2 seasons and now it’s more like “hot or not hot bitch…pick one”. So somewhere in the midst of the “not hot” season lies the trifecta of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza. I can only speak on behalf of those of the Hebrew persuasion but I’m guessing that the other 2 holidays are also chock full of regret and resentment as a family-based holiday should be. So while Jewish guilt and year-round motherly disappointment knows no season, Thanksgiving evening begins our slow descent into holiday hell.
“Jesus, Ellen…dramatic much?”
OK, that’s probably fair, but as I sit here in my broken record costume I have to point out that we cap off the holiday of being thankful for the friends, family and lives we have by trampling each other the very next day in the quest to get more shit we don’t need. Mind you, this isn’t new. We’ve all heard about the stories of a mom fight club breaking out over the last Cabbage Patch Kid in the 80s, Tickle Me Elmo in the 90s and a Razor Scooter in 2000. I’m no better as I was calling stores all through December of 2017 “Hi, is it too late to get a fingerling this year?” to which my husband let me know it’s never too late for a good fingerling…even a bad one, just make sure you wash your hands.
My point is…we are a society of gift-givers and for the most part our gifts fall into one of two categories…the incredibly forgettable (lasting roughly a month) or just downright awful (maybe lasting the entire day, at best). I’m not going to fight it, but aside from the aforementioned finger-banging maybe we just need to start focusing on better gifts? I love the idea of the gift of experience…my husband thinks that mean something completely different. So we are clear (looking at you hubby) a Salisbury Swamp Sock or a Portuguese Bird Bath is not the kind of experience I’m talking about.
So in the spirit of giving (sigh…too easy, like your mother Trebek) I’m going to give you my 20 for 2020 (see what I did there?) ideas of Gifts of Experience for family and friends, young and old, that aren’t just for the Wintry season. These gift ideas can be given all year round and not just for special occasions, but sometimes just because giving somebody a bad-ass gift just makes you awesome.
1) Tickets to a Show (Comedy, Theatre, Symphony, Opera)
2) Tickets to a Professional Sports Event
3) Passes to a Local Amusement Park or Local Water Park
4) Music Lessons
5) Art Lessons
6) Sports Lessons
7) Equipment for Sports: Skis, Basketball, Baseball, Helmets, Skates
8) Museum Membership
9) Zoo Membership
10) Aquarium Membership
11) Tickets to a Holiday Light Show
12) Movie Gift Cards
13) National and State Park Pass
14) A Weekend Trip Away/Vacation
15) Concert Tickets
16) Laser Tag/Escape Room/Mini Golf/Bounce Place/Indoor Skydiving
17) Pottery Painting Event/Paint Your Own Pallet Board Night
18) Family Photo Shoot
19) Baking/Cooking Class
20) Dance Lessons
