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Although everyone loves holidays and birthdays, few people relish the thought of going hunting for the perfect gift. After all, people seem to have everything already, including plenty of things you’re not even aware of. And there’s nothing worse than gifting something the person doesn’t need or want. As an alternative, it’s worth considering abandoning the idea of giving a gift wrapped in a box with a bow.

Instead, consider gifting the people you care about experiences that will stick with them for a lifetime. Experience days are the perfect way to do it. Today, you can find experience days to suit the tastes of virtually anyone. From turns behind the wheel of a race car to a day learning the tricks of the trade from a Michelin-starred chef, there’s truly something for everyone. Here are a few ideas to get you started on your experiential gifting journey.

Gifts for Makers

People who love to work with their hands are among the easiest to choose experiential gifts for. However, it helps to know a bit about the personality of the gift’s intended recipient. For example, if you’re shopping for a maker that’s into naturopathic therapy, consider something like this masterclass in natural perfume making. It will teach the recipient everything they need to know to create new scents from essential oils and precious absolutes. It will also guide them through the creation of their own personalised signature perfume. That’s an awful lot better than gifting a bottle of store-bought perfume that the recipient may not even like, isn’t it?

If you’re looking for a gift well-suited to someone who’s into tools and old-school crafting techniques, there are great options for them, too. For example, you could consider this knife making course. It teaches attendees how to forge a Viking-style knife from high-carbon steel using an anvil, hammer, and tongs. It also includes learning and applying embellishment techniques, as well as tempering and sharpening. By the end of the day, your gift’s recipient will leave with their own hand-crafted blade, suitable for display or real-world use.

Gifts for Foodies

Foodies are another type of gift recipient you’ll have no trouble finding an experience to match. However, there are two distinct approaches you can take. For the would-be chef, you might opt for a class at the Jamie Oliver Cookery School. They offer everything from kitchen skills courses to classes on regional dishes. You can choose a single class to gift, or combine multiple courses to give your recipient both the skills and techniques they’ll need to make the authentic regional specialties they love.

If the person you’re shopping for loves to eat, but not necessarily to cook, there are some alternative options. For example, you could gift them a ride on London’s Bustronome. It’s a double-decker sightseeing bus that’s fitted out as a high-end restaurant. You can send your recipient on a 4-course lunch tour or a 6-course dinner tour of the city’s most famous sights.

Gifts for Adventurers

Finally, if you’re shopping for someone adventurous, you’ll have plenty of experiential gifts to choose from. A classic adventure experience that any adrenaline addict will love is skydiving. And fortunately, there are plenty of places one can do it. UK Parachuting, for example, has multiple locations and offers tandem jumps for newcomers. Or, if a 13,000-foot jump is a bit too much, you could instead gift an indoor VR skydive instead. Either way, your gift recipient will experience the thrill of a lifetime.

If a traditional adventure is too bland, you could instead gift an experience that’s a bit more offbeat. For that, consider something like this zombie weaponry training course. It’ll teach the recipient how to use crossbows, air rifles, and throwing axes to survive a zombie apocalypse. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour romp filled with hands-on training, target practice, and simulated survival mini-missions. By the end, your gift’s recipient will be the one everyone they know turns to when the world slips out of control.

Something for Everyone

Experiential gifting is not only a great way to give a memorable gift, but also to ensure your gift stands out from the pack. It’s also a great way to show the person you’re shopping for that you care about them and their interests. So, before hunting through another department store for a tie that won’t see the light of day again, consider finding the perfect experiential gift instead. The person you give it to will thank you for it—and actually mean it.