The Gift of Experience

Foursome on Seaside Golf Course

Rare moments in time create memories that last forever. Think of an exclusive chef-led dining experience for newlyweds as they start their lives together or tickets for a teenager to see their first concert at a venue like Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheater, where music echoes across stone walls beneath a star-filled sky. A parent may remember the thrill of watching their child’s face light up at a Broadway matinee, just as a couple recalls the hushed awe of seeing the northern lights dance across an Icelandic sky. These moments stay with us, etched into memory. That’s why more people are choosing gifts rooted in shared experiences that remain long after the event has passed.

RETHINKING HOW TO GIVE

Couple Horseback Riding

According to a report by Square, 72% of consumers born between 1981 and 1996 prefer to spend money on experiences, such as traveling, attending music festivals or exploring the great outdoors, rather than material items. While millennials are leading the charge for experience-based giving, the appeal spans generations. Baby boomers are increasingly choosing river cruises, immersive art tours or adventure travel gifts, while Gen Z is prioritizing festivals, wellness retreats and live events.

This desire for presence stretches across the map. In Japan, “forest bathing,” the mindful practice of walking quietly among trees, has become a treasured gift of wellbeing. Culinary experiences such as paella and tapas classes are popular in Spain. In the U.S., gifting an experience may look like tickets to the Masters in Augusta, a shared whale-watching trip in the Pacific Northwest or a mother-daughter yoga retreat in Sedona. Options such as gifting a pottery class, a guided kayak excursion or an intimate evening with a local musician create personal connections too. These gifts feel alive and intentional.

“Experiential gifts are often shared between the giver and the recipient. This provides an additional powerful element to the experiential gift being meaningful and memorable,” says Vassilis Dalakas, Ph.D., a Professor of Marketing at Point Loma Nazarene University who specializes in consumer psychology and behavior. If the old adage was, “It’s the thought that counts,” the new one could be, “It’s the memory that matters.”

A GIFT THAT LASTS

Group Whitewater Rafting

This societal shift is one that Ella Kent, the Director of Spa, Fitness and Wellbeing at Sea Island, has witnessed firsthand during her two decades of experience in luxury hospitality. “We have seen this trend grow over the past 15 years or so,” Kent explains. Whether through signature massage services, water treatments or custom aromatherapy, The Spa at Sea Island embraces the thoughtful gift of presence. Guests leave grounded and renewed, carrying withnthem memories that will last a lifetime.

“Members and guests long for closeness with their family and friends and are looking to create memories together while spending time on the beach or having a nice meal,” says Kyle Thigpen-Hicks, Director of Reservations at Sea Island.

That longing is deeply tied to the psychology of experience. As psychologist Elyssa Barbash wrote for Psychology Today, “By being present in the moment and savoring the time leading up to it, you obtain a higher level of satisfaction, allow yourself to have a better experience and feel more fulfilled as the event has not come and gone as quickly.” Offering the ability to slow down, share time and savor the moment, presence may be the most valuable gift of all.

THE SCIENCE OF UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES

Anticipation becomes part of the gift. Social scientists Amit Kumar and Thomas Gilovich at Cornell University found that we derive lasting satisfaction from experiences because they create “episodic markers” in our lives. These markers become part of our story, giving shape to memory. Feelings of anticipatory joy — a kind of happiness in looking forward to a future event — inevitably enhance the gift.

During the experience itself, multiple senses are engaged. A 2022 study by Frontiers in Psychology found that multi-sensory activities release dopamine and oxytocin, neurochemicals tied to pleasure, bonding and memory. That’s why the adrenaline of skydiving, the intimacy of an immersive dance experience where the audience becomes part of the choreography or the layered storytelling of a themed walking tour through historic landmarks tend to linger in our minds far longer than material gifts.

Afterward, the memory itself becomes a renewable source of happiness. Revisiting them through stories, photographs or even scent extends their emotional impact. Ria Jain notes for Medium that experiences “contribute to our self-identity, as we often define ourselves by the experiences we’ve had rather than the things we own.” Extraordinary experiences born out of novelty and engagement create lingering bonds between others and ourselves, becoming a part of who we are and how we define ourselves.

SENSES WITH A PURPOSE

Hot Air Balloon Race

To help guide people in choosing that perfect present, Happiness Specialist Gretchen Rubin, also a bestselling author and podcaster, recommends selecting sensorium gifts. These are gifts that engage our senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch, which are strongly linked to memory formation and recall.

By pairing a loved one’s unique personality with this thoughtful concept, you open the door to endless possibilities. This could prompt a night at a wine tasting event in a candlelit cellar that delights the palate and encourages meaningful conversation or an evening of offshore fishing encompassed by salty sea air.

Family Hiking

Rubin also recently launched an online gift-giving quiz to help identify where a recipient falls within a range of gift-appreciation profiles, such as the Easy-to-Please, the Tried-and-True or the Connoisseur. By analyzing patterns in behavior and preferences, the results reflect surprisingly accurate predictions of the kinds of gifts people desire. Sensorium gifts turn a thoughtful gesture into an unforgettable journey, engaging every sense in the experience and offering lessons that shape both who we are and how we connect with others.

LIVING IN THE GIFT

Experience-based gifts can change someone’s life, offering a special opportunity that may have otherwise remained unexplored. Consider gifting a once-in-a-lifetime travel photography class for the adventurous spirits. Travelers immerse themselves in the culture and wildlife while learning life-changing skills.

Couple Scuba Diving

Exclusive experiences give the recipient a story worth telling. Home to the United States’ only long-distance hot air balloon race, Helen, Georgia, mesmerizes attendees annually with a breathtaking view of the North Georgia mountains covered under a canopy of colorful balloons. Often including one-time-only culinary collaborations, the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival invites over 200 renowned chefs for a weekend of celebrating incomparable cuisine and craft spirits. Distinctive events such as these offer not only entertainment, but transformation as experiencing something unique helps the recipient feel more aware of their core self. Experiences grow richer with time. Each retelling strengthens the bond between giver and recipient. A single moment can become a story that lives on for years to come.