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The Gift of Gifting Experiences

December 6, 2019

With the holiday season upon us, it’s time to shift gears and start thinking about potential Christmas gifts for your family, friends, and loved ones. This time of year can be exciting or terrifying, depending how you feel about packed malls, busy streets, or the bombardment of ‘gift guide’ emails you’ll get from your favourite online retailers. Over the years, I’ve transitioned into more of a ‘from the comfort of my home’ shopper, while my parents still swear by the thrill of stopping at EVERY. SINGLE. STORE. in the mall. OK, Boomers.

Recently though, an exciting new trend has started to hit the internet. Many people are now beginning to gift ‘experiences’ as opposed to material gifts. The idea behind this is that while material gifts are fun and useful, they can often lead to a ton of stress for both parties. Gifting experiences allows you to provide something extremely thoughtful that will give your loved ones’ memories that will last a lifetime. Now what type of person would I be if I brought up this wonderful idea of gifting experiences without providing some options for you in Saskatchewan? Well, here you go:

  • Escape Rooms – This would be a perfect experience to give for a bigger group, maybe members of your extended family? Not too expensive and most escape rooms can support parties from 4 to 16. District 3 Escape Rooms and Escape Manor are great options in Regina, and Escape Manor also has a location in Saskatoon.
  • Cooking Class – A cooking class is a fantastic experience to do solo or as a couple. Learn what you’ll make for your next stay-in date night or meet some new friends while learning cooking fundamentals. There are lots of options available for cooking classes, but my favourites are Dreen’s Catering in Saskatoon and Schoolhaus Culinary Arts in Regina
Cooking classes Regina and Saskatoon
  • Skydiving – Okay I’ll admit it, this one’s here for my own personal reasons. I went skydiving last summer with a friend and absolutely loved it. I would highly suggest gifting this experience to any of the thrill seekers in your life. Saskatchewan only has two Skydiving companies: Skydive South Sask in Moose Jaw and Skydive Saskatoon.
Skydiving Moose Jaw and Saskatoon
  • Spa Day – Isn’t a spa day the dream for anyone? Who wouldn’t like to relax at the spa, maybe a mani/pedi followed by a nice massage? Mysask411 is your go-to spot for a list of all the spas in Saskatchewan.
  • Vacation – This one might be a little extravagant, but hey, why not shoot for the stars? Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, is going to complain about getting the gift of a hot holiday when it’s -40 and our ears are freezing. There are plenty of travel agencies in Saskatchewan that can help you plan your next trip from start to finish.

Now it’s your turn. What are some of the best experiences you’ve had with family and friends that you could gift to someone else? Of course, if this really isn’t your thing, you can always find some unique gifts while shopping local in Saskatchewan. Happy Holidays!

-Danny Loughren is the Brand Manager on the Brand & Digital Platforms team.