It could be a heartwarming sight to see a pile of colourfully wrapped presents sitting snug under a twinkling Christmas tree. But post-celebrations, the resulting pile of products can even sometimes leave us a little bit bit guilty, as if we do not already own enough ‘stuff’. And does it sometimes feel a bit boring to offer the usual socks, underpants, chocolates and smelly toiletries?
That’s why it may well be a blessing to offer experiences slightly than things for Christmas presents. There are many options that may result in treasured memories slightly than fuller cupboards.
If the one you love shares your faith, there’s an added dimension that you may gift an experience that may nourish and support them of their walk with Christ. But there are also loads of decisions to easily provide a fun, educational or interesting experience too. Here are some ideas to enable you resolve:
Gift a retreat or a pilgrimage
Whether a brief break to British pilgrimage sites corresponding to Lindisfarne and Iona, or the more ambitious (and expensive) option to move abroad, the gift of a break to give attention to their relationship with God is an actual treasure.
There are a lot of places that could be interesting sites to arrange a visit to, depending on the one you love’s interests and inspirations. Perhaps you realize that TV programmes corresponding to the BBC’s Pilgrimage or The Big Silence sparked interest, and so somewhere like Worth Abbey or a hotel within the vicinity of their favourite place might make an appropriate present.
Another idea is to centre trips around their favourite Christian hero or movement. For example, Holland’s Haarlem houses the ‘Corrie ten Boom House,’ a museum which is the positioning of the ‘Hiding Place’ where the much-loved Christian heroine hid Jews through the Holocaust. Geneva houses the ‘Museum of the Reformation‘ which seems a great focus of a visit for the passionately Reformed Christian in your life. And the Papal Basilica of St Francis of Assisi in Italy is a wonderful technique to learn more in regards to the great saint and his inspiring lifetime of poverty and devotion to Christ.
In practice, the gift may be so simple as booking the hotel and/or transport and presenting the receipt in a beautiful card. The Retreat Association, which describes itself as “Christian ecumenical” and works with quite a lot of UK sites, offers the choice of gift vouchers.
Concert or performance
It’s possible to maintain to a spiritual theme when gifting performances of music and art too. If you are lucky you may have a performance of one in every of the good choral sacred works coming up in your local area. Although the plain selection of Handel’s Messiah is generally performed before Christmas, there are lots of others – even tickets for the Easter masterpieces like Bach’s St Matthew Passion could be something to sit up for.
Alternatively, Christian acts could be on tour within the upcoming months. Google is pretty much as good a way as any to search out local concert events, or you possibly can seek for choirs in your area.
Of course in case you broaden into the secular world, there are lots of more options, including tickets to see their favourite band (or on a budget, a tribute act of the favourite). If you’d prefer to maintain the timing near Christmas, there are sometimes ballets and other Christmas-themed events in the vacation period. Check the web sites of your local theatres and concert halls to search out out what’s on.
Christian festivals and speakers
It’s not low-cost to go to any of the large worship events nowadays, so an all-inclusive package could be a pleasant surprise, especially in the event that they are gifted a hotel stay slightly than resorting to camping! A less expensive option could be tickets to listen to or see a speaker or creator who’s of interest to the one you love. At a much higher price bracket, many Christians are featured on Christian cruise ship breaks, so it could be possible to gift a ship trip with the one who most inspires them.
Charity gifts
Your favourite charity will likely offer a donation packaged as a present. For example, Christian development charity World Vision’s gifts start at £6 for a warm blanket to just about £1000 to repair a borehole. If you would like inspiration, a much wider range is obtainable at www.goodgifts.org, from helping people in other countries to funding allotments for the homeless.
Learning a latest skill
Has the one you love uttered the words, “I’ve at all times desired to know how one can…”? You could make their dreams and buy an appropriate course, day workshop or similar event.
Most local colleges run skills courses within the evening, from learning a language to a craft, gaining cooking skills to playing a musical instrument. There are also many holiday options for individuals who love a selected hobby, skill or activity, from a choral break to food tasting and learning cooking skills.
Membership to historic sites
It’s expensive to get into old spiritual sites within the UK nowadays, with entry to ruined abbeys corresponding to Rievaulx often as much as £15 per person. Why not gift a membership to the gatekeepers like The National Trust or English Heritage, and set a goal of visiting as many pilgrimage sites together as possible in that point period? Local cathedrals even have annual memberships that allow more access, which has the added bonus of supporting their work.
Spa day
While it’s totally worthwhile to gift something of a spiritual or charitable nature, if the one you love has had a tough 12 months, a spa break could be the proper technique to treat them to a well-deserved rest and show that you simply appreciate them. Although big luxurious spas are sometimes very expensive, a less expensive option is typically the 4 star local hotels which have swimming pools, saunas and treatment rooms and sometimes offer day packages.
Adventure and sports
If your gift recipient is an adrenaline junkie, how a couple of day’s class or workshop to participate in an unusual activity corresponding to windsurfing, abseiling or mountaineering? If you are very flush you may stretch to a brief break or holiday on that theme.
Your own time!
Sometimes the gift of you is probably the most appreciated of all. Can you spare more time for the one you love, or organise some days out together, especially in case you’re often busy? If money is tight this has the added option of not needing to be expensive – an easy picnic and a phone turned to silent is all that’s required.
Heather Tomlinson is a contract Christian author. Find more of her work at https://heathertomlinson.substack.com/Â or via X (twitter) @heathertomli
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