GIFT AN EXPERIENCE

GIFT AN EXPERIENCE

A quirky coffee mug or a stylish helmet may be ‘cool’ gifts, but what if you paid for a connoisseur’s class on coffee-making or a quad biking experience for a biker friend? In a world of abundance, a lesson on the value of things would be a far better present than a thing of value,

    Your best friend’s birthday is coming up and you are clueless about what to buy this time. You have exhausted all the options in the years gone by. What can be new? Ditch the boring perfumewatch-and-designer-bag routine; instead, present your loved ones with an experience they will cherish for years.
    We all have wardrobes brimming with discarded gifts accumulated over the years – from flower vases, trinkets, bags to chinaware. These traditional gifts occupy space, and a lot of times, we repackage them and pass them along, or hoard it for years without using them. But what if you loved wine and received a wine-tasting session offer? Or you are a bike enthusiast, and have been presented with a chance to go quad biking? Called ‘experiential presents’ this new idea has given the traditional concept of gifting, a heart-warming makeover.
Memories last longer Experiential gifting gives you a chance to save time, and promises that your effort and choice will be well-received. A relatively new phenomenon in India, experiential gifting includes spa or beauty treatments, adventure activities, dinner reservations, music or dance lessons, sailing, helicopter rides… the list is endless.
    According to a research by Joseph Goodman, a professor at the Washington University in St. Louis, US, experiential gifts lead to more happiness compared to material gifts, because experiences stay much longer in a person’s memory. They bring people closer while material gifts are more likely to be perceived as an obligation.
    So, a wine-tasting experience creates life-long memories in comparison to a gifted wine bottle. Neha Thakur, HR professional, shares, “When I got married, I got six wall clocks as wedding gifts, and I didn’t know what to do with them. But on my anniversary, a friend gifted me an experiential gift box. I was given the option to choose from 30 different experiences – from yoga classes to salsa dancing. I just had to call and make an appointment. I was treated really well and the experience made me feel very special.” Onaydatt Kinare, a business analyst, says, “I gifted my friend an experiential gift box and she chose a hair spa treatment. She loved the experience. And my family and friends, who heard about the concept, were very impressed. They are looking forward to an experience on their birthdays.”
A personal touch This new trend is fast becoming popular because they are not impersonal like material gifts. Mayank Bhangadia, co-founder of Giveter, explains, “A gift should be chosen based on the personality and taste of the recipient. We extract the interests and likes of the recipients from their social networking accounts, and recommend experiences to the buyer. For example if the person is a fan of Harley-Davidson, we may suggest a Harley-Davidson tour.”
Experiential gifting also offers the recipient more choices. If you get a wellness gift box, you can choose a massage at a spa retreat or a haircut from a particular salon you always wanted to visit. “Once you decide on a service, a dedicated concierge takes over all the nitty-gritty, making sure the service provider knows exactly what to include in the service. This way, we ensure that the person chooses what they want, when they want it, and where they want it,” says Manvinder Kohli, director, Witty Gift. This makes the gift personal for the recipient and extremely convenient for the buyer.
More affordable than you think To top it, this trend won’t leave a gaping hole in your pocket. Experiences are offered in all price ranges. They start from 400, which is a paintball session, to a spa or dinner reservation, for 2,000 to 3,500, and beyond if you are willing to splurge. Pooja Lal, director, Delight Gifts, says, “You can customise the experience as per your budget. We have people purchasing a dining or a spa experience for 500 to 2,000. Our average order is pegged at 3,500, with customers purchasing luxurious hotel experiences for special occasions.”
    In an age where people hardly find time to pamper themselves, what could be better than gifting an experience and letting your loved ones indulge in their passion? Try something out of the box, like a relaxing spa therapy, theatre tickets for a hit play or a dive with sharks! Which memory are you gifting your friend this birthday, then?
THE EXPERIENTIAL GIFTING GUIDE You can choose your personalised experience from these themes: Sports & adventure: Diving course certification, river rafting, Muay Thai training, deep-sea fishing, hot-air ballooning, bungee jumping, golf coaching, ice-skating, quad biking, cycling tours Wellness & beauty: Slithery snake spa treatment, Czech beer rejuvenation, foot reflexology, salon haircuts and styling, holistic health packages Culture & entertainment: Learning ethnic printing techniques, pottery classes, movie/theatre/musical tickets, acting, cartoon study classes, tattoo designing, ballroom dancing lessons, photography, home décor workshops Gourmet: Fine dining, wine tasting, beer appreciation, cocktail-making session, Thai cooking holiday, multi-cuisine meals, picnic baskets, cake baking

“LIFE ISN'T JUST ABOUT MATERIAL THINGS. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE TRYING YOUR HAND AT SOMETHING NEW, ESPECIALLY IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO MEET NEW PEOPLE, BE ACTIVE AND HAVE A FEW LAUGHS. PEOPLE TEND TO PUT OFF THINGS LIKE SIGNING UP FOR DANCE OR COOKING CLASSES. BEING A DANCE FREAK, I'D LOVE TO LEARN SALSA. AND I HAVE A SWEET TOOTH TOO, SO A BAKING CLASS WOULD BE A GREAT GIFT” —SHIBANI DANDEKAR, SINGER AND MODEL

“EXPERIENCES ARE EMBEDDED DEEP DOWN IN OUR MEMORIES, UNLIKE TANGIBLE COMMODITIES THAT HAVE A SHELF LIFE. I OFTEN GIFT MY FAMILY, CLOSE FRIENDS AND MY COMPANY MEMBERS AN OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE IN THE FORM OF A TREK OR A HOLIDAY. WE LIVE IN STRESSFUL TIMES, AND THERE IS CONSTANT PRESSURE, BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY. SO, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE I LOVE AND GENUINELY CARE FOR SOMETIMES REQUIRE MORE THAN JUST A SUPERFICIAL GIFT. THEY NEED SOMETHING THAT ALLOWS THEM TO UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES AND DEAL WITH THE WORLD OUTSIDE” —TERENCE LEWIS, CHOREOGRAPHER, REALITY SHOW JUDGE

“THE IDEA WORKS FABULOUSLY BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU SO MANY CHOICES. GIFTING PEOPLE EXPERIENCES WILL ENSURE THAT THEY THOROUGHLY ENJOY THEIR PRESENT, AND THAT THE PRESENTER GETS HIS MONEY’S WORTH TOO. A HIGHEND PAINTING CERTIFICATE COURSE WOULD DEFINITELY BRING A SMILE TO MY FACE”
— MUGDHA GODSE, ACTRESS

“I HATE THINKING OF GIFTING IDEAS. THIS TREND MAKES IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO CHOOSE A PRESENT. AT LEAST, YOU'D BE GIVING THE PERSON WHAT THEY ARE FOND OF AND WOULD BE APPRECIATED AS WELL. I WOULD TOTALLY LOVE TO NOT JUST GIVE BUT EVEN RECEIVE SUCH GIFTS. SINCE TRAVELLING IS MY HOBBY, ANYTHING TRAVELRELATED WOULD BE A GREAT GIFT FOR ME”
    — SAMIR KOCHHAR, IPL HOST AND ACTOR