11 Reasons to Gift an Experience This Holiday Season

Think outside the box this holiday season and impress your loved ones with these experience gifts for Christmas! From cooking delicious Spanish tapas to master classic cocktails with modern twists, these fun experiences are led by passionate, local artisans eager to impart their knowledge to your special giftee. Whether you’re after fun Sydney activities or relaxing things to do in Melbourne, there are so many unique gift experiences across Australia to choose from.

The best part? There are so many reasons why a gift experience can be a great alternative to material presents, like minimising your environmental footprint and reconnecting with the community, just to name a few. If you're keen to learn more, here are 11 reasons why we love gift experiences in 2026 (and you should too!).

1. Experience gifts minimise your environmental footprint

When you opt for a gift experience, you’re choosing to tread a little more lightly on the planet. Instead of wrapping up a few pairs of novelty socks for your uncle or adding yet another perfume bottle to your mum’s dresser, why not look at fun things to do in Brisbane? A Spanish tapas cooking class by Vanilla Zulu would do away with the materialism and keep your Christmas footprint to a minimum while teaching your giftee a new skill. And what can your giftee expect to feel when they redeem their Christmas experience gift? According to Mel Alfaci of Vanilla Zulu, the answer is 'happy'!

"Happy! Many of our students have said we changed their lives after a class. It’s a joy to see a student's eyes light up when I teach them something and they do it themselves—I love seeing the happiness on their faces when they make something they never thought they could! We are a fun, happy, passionate bunch of chefs that just love to keep learning, sharing our secrets and seeing our students succeed." - Mel Alfaci

And let’s not forget, experience gifts also unlock big environmental savings when it comes to wrapping paper, sticky tape, ribbons and tags. For this reason, we think they make amazing gifts for friends who have everything!

2. You can create memories that last

Material gifts may bring joy on Christmas morning but it’s generally short-lived. In comparison, experience gifts create genuine memories that will last for years to come. For example, rather than purchase a new cheese board platter for your neice, why not send her to a resin art workshop and have her create her own masterpiece just like Eddy H from the ClassBento community did?

"We gave this class to our niece as a Christmas present and decided to do the class with her. The teacher was awesome and showed us how to make fantastic chopping boards. Great price with all materials provided, this made for a fun activity to do and now we have a fantastic reminder of the class that is practical to use and a great talking point. Highly recommend taking the class."

Cooking classes make great gift experiences for couples, combining romance with practical skills. If you want to create memories with your lucky recipient, simply purchase two gift experience vouchers and invite yourself along for the fun!

3. You'll help your gift recipient learn new skills

From gin making masterclasses in Dromana to tea blending workshops in Northcote, our experience vouchers cover a huge range of fun things to do in Melbourne. These types of gifts are a great way to encourage a loved one to upskill and discover a new hobby or passion. Baking and dessert classes are always a hit and cover everything from cupcakes to sourdough. After just a few hours in the kitchen, your recipient will be armed with the skills to make bread at home or whip up healthy desserts for life. It really is the gift that keeps on giving.

4. There are so many options to choose a gift they’ll love

Christmas shopping doesn’t have to be stressful when you have access to a myriad of fun things to do in Sydney. Spend a little time thinking about what your recipient enjoys, then choose a gift experience that fits the bill. A perfume workshop may be perfect for your mother-in-law who loves her bottle of Chanel No. 5, while an American smoking BBQ class could be just the ticket for your carnivorous brother. For teens, consider on-trend options like terrarium making classes. We also offer quirky classes like mushroom growing if you’re looking for the best dad Christmas present ideas or unique experience gifts for Mum.

5. The kids can get involved too

Gift experiences aren’t just for adults. In fact, we’ve got a huge range of kid-friendly activities to choose from across Australia. From woodwork to sushi making, experience gifts for kids are perfect for the little ones in your life. With so many fun-filled classes and workshops to choose from, there’s no excuse to settle for a video game or another toy this Christmas.

6. Creative experiences boost mental wellbeing

Not only are gift experiences fun and practical, but they’re also a fantastic way to support wellbeing this Christmas. The festive season can be a stressful time and can leave even the most energetic people feeling a little burnt out. Classes spotlighting relaxing art forms like pottery, wheel throwing, painting and how to make candles at home, are a great way to encourage your recipient to unwind and take some time for themselves in the new year.

We’re passionate about improving mental wellbeing in our communities, which is why we place so much focus on classes that highlight the joy of learning and encourage people to relax, destress and enjoy some well-deserved downtime.

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7. Local experiences allow you to connect with the community

Most classes are held in small groups and can be an excellent way to meet like-minded locals. Whether you’re browsing floristry classes for your mum or a Decoden phone case decorating workshop for your niece, an interactive gift experience will encourage your recipient to expand their social circle and connect with their local community.

8. These gift ideas support small businesses and artisans

As well as treating your nearest and dearest this Christmas, experience days are also a great way to give back to your local community. From experience gifts for men like our best-selling knife forging workshop in Sydney, to family-friendly activities like a pizza masterclass in Surfers Paradise, supporting small businesses and local artisans is one of the best ways to champion your community this Christmas.

9. Anyone can dive into our beginner-friendly classes

Almost all our classes are beginner-friendly, meaning your recipient doesn’t need any experience. Ultimately, this makes Christmas shopping a cinch. Whether you’re browsing wreath making classes or watercolour workshops, you can wrap up your gift with total peace of mind.

Live in another part of the country? As well as fun things to do in Perth, Australia, we offer a huge variety of classes in major cities like Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane too. And we also offer live streaming classes and craft kits for those in more remote parts of the country.

10. You can give the gift of travel

The past few years have been tough for travel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t send a loved one on a multicultural adventure. From Spanish paella and churros classes in Perth to Chinese cooking classes in Melbourne, a cultural gift experience that can capture the joy of travel without having to leave the state.

11. Share the joy of giving

It’s true that Christmas is all about giving but let’s face it, sometimes it can get expensive! When you opt for an experience gift voucher instead of another material present, you are sharing the joy of giving with someone else.

For example, rather than purchase yet another cocktail shaker set for your cousin who loves entertaining guests at home, why not send them to a cocktail class? They will be able to share their skills by making cocktails with friends, family and colleagues.

With thousands of experience gift ideas to choose from across Australia, make this Christmas one to remember. There are so many amazing benefits on offer when you opt for one of our workshops, including many that celebrate traditional Christmas present ideas like spending quality time with loved ones, connecting with the local community and embracing the joy of giving.