Gifting
Give an experience instead of a thing
A thing wears out or ends up in a cupboard. An experience stays a memory, as long as it's genuinely chosen and not given at random.
Giving a thing is simple to weigh up: it has a size, a colour, a price on the tag. Giving an experience — a pottery class, a massage, a weekend away, a concert — has a reputation for being trickier, because there's nothing to try beforehand, nothing to exchange if it doesn't suit. That's true. It isn't a reason to give up on it.
Why an experience leaves more of a mark
Research in psychology, notably by Thomas Gilovich at Cornell University, shows that people generally remember an experience more fondly than a possession, once a few years have passed. A thing blends into daily life and stops being noticed; a memory of a day out or a shared moment stays identifiable over time.
The real obstacle: guessing without getting it wrong
The problem isn't the nature of the gift, it's the uncertainty. Giving a cookery course to someone who hates cooking is a miss, just like giving a jumper in the wrong size. The solution is the same in both cases: don't guess, ask — or, more discreetly, let the person note their wants for experiences somewhere before the occasion comes round.
- A ticket to a gig for an artist they already follow.
- A one-off class in something they've said they'd like to try for ages.
- A day out together rather than one more object.
Filing an experience into a list
An experience gets noted just like a thing: a link to the box office, a photo of the class you've spotted, a line of text explaining the want. That avoids the classic pitfall: the person giving picks an experience at random that seems "original" to them, rather than the one that was actually wanted. And for anyone who still prefers to decide at the very last minute, the question plays out differently — see the last-minute gift, done right.
What it takes away, what it adds
An experience doesn't clutter a shelf. It does ask for a bit more planning ahead, though: a date to book, sometimes a reservation to make in advance. That's a fair trade for a gift with a good chance of still being talked about in five years.
Common questions
Is an experience a riskier gift than a thing?
It's only risky if it's chosen at random. Noted down in advance by the person it's for, an experience is no less certain than a specific object asked for the same way.
What if the planned experience can no longer happen on the date given?
Most tickets, courses or flexible-date vouchers can be postponed or exchanged; it's worth checking that condition before buying rather than after.
Can I mix things and experiences in the same gift?
Yes, nothing stops you pairing a useful object with the experience and a small accessory linked to the moment being given, as long as the whole thing is thought through rather than added just to bulk it out.
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The last-minute gift, done right
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Experiences belong on the list too
On Wishi, a want for a day out or a course gets noted just like a thing, and shared with whoever's looking for an idea.
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