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Considering an Experience Gift?
Some Hints for Finding a Winner
 (ARA) –
“Experience is one thing you can’t get for nothing,” Irish playwright Oscar Wilde once said. But Wilde, for all his wit, probably never envisioned the modern practice of giving an experience as a gift.
“For all the reasons to give an experience as a gift, perhaps the most popular is the desire to give a loved one a once-in-a-lifetime moment that will become a lifelong memory,” says Rob Wilkinson of Soaring Adventures of America, Inc., a company that specializes in arranging airborne adventure experiences.
Also, an experience gift that takes into account the recipient’s interests can seem more personal and thoughtful than a generic gift like a certificate or gift card. It's important to keep three factors in mind when considering an experience gift:
1. Budget – Obviously, the gift must be something you can afford to give. But just as important, it should be an experience that will not cost the recipient anything to enjoy. For example, if you’re thinking of giving ski lessons, be sure the price of the lessons includes use of all equipment the learner will need.
2. Proximity – Is the experience one that the recipient can get to reasonably? Flying lessons will be much less fun if the recipient has to drive two hours to get to the airport. Likewise, a beach party in Key West doesn’t do much good if the recipient lives in Minnesota and you didn’t think to include airfare to Florida in your gift.
3. Personality – Does the experience mesh with the recipient’s personality and interests? If the recipient is an adventure hound, you might opt for a glider ride rather than dance lessons. Or, if the recipient is afraid of water, a hot air balloon ride might be more appealing than whitewater rafting.
Once you’ve answered these considerations, you’ll need to choose just the right gift. Popular experiential gifts include:
Hot Air Balloon Rides
Hot air balloons are a unique combination of exciting and peaceful. The thrill of flying high into the air is balanced by the tranquility and silence high above the treetops. Soaring Adventures offers hour-long ascents to 500 to 1,000 feet, covering 5 to 10 miles. Rides end with a celebration of champagne or fruit juice upon landing, an old French tradition. Each ride is led by a commercially certified, FAA-trained pilot and balloon gondolas can hold up to six passengers. Visit www.800soaring.com or call (800) SOARING (800-762-7464) to learn more.
Fantasy Sports Camps
Whether your sports fan prefers baseball or is a tennis devotee, you can find a sports camp to appeal to him or her. Camps not only give sports lovers the opportunity to improve their own skills at a sport they love, they often afford participants the chance to rub shoulders with sports royalty. To find a sports camp that’s right for your sports fan, go online and seek out sporting associations in your area.
Dance Lessons
TV shows like “Dancing with the Stars” have rekindled Americans’ interest in dancing. Across the country, dance studios have sprung up and it’s possible to find reasonably priced lessons for virtually every style of dance from the classic waltz to salsa. Dancing is great exercise, so dance lessons can also help improve the recipient’s health. And, if you’re giving the experience to your partner, it’s a great way to spend quality time together.
Soaring Glider Rides
A soaring glider ride is a great option for someone who seems to have everything already. A professional pilot accompanies one or two passengers into the sky for a quiet, peaceful and silent glide above the clouds. Soaring Adventures’ glider rides also afford passengers the opportunity to take the controls and fly the glider if they wish.
Soaring Adventures of America, Inc. offers gift certificates you can use for up to two years at any of their 200 locations in the United States.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
The Ticket to Gift-Giving for the
People Who Have Everything
 (ARA) – Every holiday list has at least one person on it that seems to have everything. Sometimes he’s a sports fan who already owns every possible article of memorabilia from his favorite team. Or she may be a devotee of today’s hottest diva and in possession of all her idol’s albums.
For these problem giftees, the answer may be to give them something intangible but far more lasting than anything they can hold in their hands. The ideal gift may be an experience, rather than an object, an experience they’ll never forget.
“Your chances of missing the mark with something tacky or impersonal are at their highest when you’re trying to give to that person who just has it all,” says Chris Tsakalakis, president of StubHub. “But if you give them an experience, one you can share with them if they choose, you’re telling them you cared enough to find out what he or she likes. And you may not know what size shoes they wear, but chances are you know or can find out what their hobbies are.”
Whether your difficult-to-buy-for person is a music fan, sports fanatic or just a lover of the holiday season, here are some experiences for virtually everyone on your gift list:
“As always, NFL playoffs will be huge, and of course the Super Bowl is the single most-coveted ticket of all,” says Tsakalakis. NBA and NHL seasons continue well into the New Year, making tickets to a basketball game or hockey match great holiday options.
“Tickets to a concert are a great way to give the music lover in your life a memorable experience,” Tsakalakis says. “It may be hard to time your tickets to coincide with the holidays, however, since a lot of bands take off at this time of year. Instead, look for bands that will be touring in early 2008. Giving tickets to a performance in January or February is a great way to stretch the feeling of the holidays into the New Year.”
Such diverse acts as The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Hannah Montana, Van Halen and Justin Timberlake made 2007 a great year for music lovers. Check the home page of the band you’re interested in, or visit www.stubhub.com, to find out what dates are available.
“High School Musical,” the hit Disney movie will take to the stage in 2008, with performances in major cities across the country. “Sweeney Todd” also promises to be a hot option for mature audiences whose interest may be sparked by the holiday season premier of the movie version directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp. And anyone looking for a good laugh has ample choices, with “Monty Python’s Spamalot,” “The Wedding Singer” and the stage version of Mel Brooks’ classic “Young Frankenstein.”
Those who simply love the holiday season may find they’ve always dreamed of attending the ultimate holiday show – the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. It’s no longer necessary to make the pilgrimage to New York City to see the high-stepping Rockettes. Performances are staged across the country in Costa Mesa, Calif.; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Rosemont, Ill.
The Internet is a great resource for scoring sought-after, far-in-the-future tickets. Web sites like
StubHub allow holiday gift-givers to get their hands on tickets for virtually any sporting event, concert or theater performance imaginable. StubHub acts as a trading ground where people who have coveted tickets – even some for shows and events that have been sold out for awhile - can connect with those who are eager to buy them.
To learn more, visit www.StubHub.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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