Kelsey Knows It: An Experiences Christmas

Hi friends & welcome to my very first Kelsey Knows It post for Kassy on Design. In case we haven’t met, I’ll introduce myself.  My name is Kelsey and I am Kassy’s younger (but just as awesome) little sister. I am a twenty-one year old college student studying English Literature at one of my very favorite places in the world, Mississippi College, and I am graduating in May and moving on to the real world. I am a fan of all things Disney, Orca Whales, and baby Kate. AND I am so excited to share some of my thoughts/rants/random informational spiels here with all of you at Kassy on Design. So without further ado..

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I am a big fan of gifts. Giving gifts, receiving gifts, watching youtube videos of people exchanging sentimental gifts (for real they’ll make you cry). I love that giving heartfelt presents is a big part of Christmas tradition, but I feel like Christmas lately has become all about the things. Don’t get me wrong… I like a box with a pretty red bow just as much as the next gal, but recently I have discovered a new appreciation for gifts that don’t come wrapped in a pretty little package.

For a few weeks now, Kas and I have been chatting about gifting experiences rather than material presents for Christmas and I thought that there wasn’t a better time than my very first Kelsey Knows It post to share a few of our favorite ideas with you!

Dinner & a Movie

I know, this is such a “basic” experience to start the list with.  But to be honest, eating a semi nice meal and catching a late night movie is one of my favorite things to do when I have free time and extra money (HA!) If you have a broke college kid to buy for, or anyone who maybe needs a night out, this is the perfect gift! Send them and a friend out to see whatever is playing and give them a giftcard to somewhere fun, or better yet, take them yourself! A free movie and any meal that’s not CFA goes a long way in my book.

Cooking Classes

I love love love to cook, but my repertoire of yummy recipes consists of pretty much only cheesecake and chicken tacos. Cooking classes are a great way to learn about new ingredients and venture outside your cooking comfort zone. Depending on where you live, there are likely some fun ones in your area. They have classes to learn to cook almost anything and would make such a sweet gift for a couple or even a small group. I can’t think of anything more fun than a cooking class with my momma and sister!

Memberships

One of the best experience gifts I’ve ever seen is a membership to something they love. A zoo membership is a great gift for a family with kids because multiple trips with small children can be pricey. This allows them to go whenever they want without worrying about admission every time. If you are buying for a kid that spends the summer with a babysitter, this is literally the best gift ever (for the kid and babysitter)! So many zoo trips, so much time-consuming entertainment! This could also work for museums, botanical gardens, aquariums, etc..  

Spa Day

A relaxing day at the spa is just what the busy mom is your life needs. This makes a great gift because it can fit almost any budget, depending on what you want to spend.  If you don’t have a ton to spend, a mani pedi is a great option. If you want to spend more there are a ton of other things like facials and massages as well. Busy moms deserve all the pampering, but rarely get the chance to do so, especially at Christmas.  This allows them to take some time to rejuvenate and reset after the craziness of the holidays. If you want to be extra awesome, take the kids for the day too. I promise she’ll love you for it!

Tickets to the Theatre

If you have a musical theatre buff on your list to buy for, you cannot go wrong with tickets to see a show! Tickets are often pricey, but so worth the money if you love all things broadway.  You can usually buy tickets way in advance. Check to see what shows are coming in the next few months and you can choose a show that they’ll love! For my best friend’s birthday a few years ago, her mom took us to see Wicked in NOLA. It was seriously one of the best nights ever. They don’t have to be the best seats in the house to be a great gift. It also works for local theatre!

Makeup Lessons

A makeup lesson is such a unique gift. It can be for girls that love doing makeup or are even just starting to learn.  My friend Ashton gave me her extra ticket to a makeup seminar with one of my favorite brands and makeup artists and it was so much fun!! We had a blast and learned so much that we wouldn’t have had the opportunity for otherwise.  Ashton went on become literally the best makeup artist ever herself and now offers lessons! If you have a new to makeup daughter, a makeup lesson would be such a sweet gift. Encouraging young girls to learn how to enhance their beauty with makeup rather than try and cover it up is an invaluable lesson.

I’m suggesting makeup because that is something that I love. But It could really be a seminar or lesson about anything that they are interested in. If you’re in South Louisiana and interested in a lesson, just let Kas know and she’ll hook you up with Ashton! 

Subscription Box

This IS actually a physical gift. Since it comes in the mail every month or season, it’s like having Christmas all year long! Talk about the gift that keeps on giving! If you’re buying for a girl FabFitFun, Ipsy, Rocksbox, and Causebox are great options. For men, Dollar Shave Club, Birchbox Men, Loot Crate, and Beer of the Month are great options! They even have several Kids boxes like Owlcrate Jr and Little Passports and a couple options for dogs as well like Dapper Dog! There is a box for everything you can think of. Steak, cheese, games, dates, and snacks! EVERYTHING!

Disney World Vacation

Can I end with any experience besides my very favorite one in the entire world?! I know, Disney is on the $$$ side of the experience ideas. But in my opinion it is also the most magical vacation in the world so it is totally worth it. (looking at you dad) Some of my very favorite memories are with my family and best friends at Disney World and we love to visit every few years. If you do Disney right, it can be one of the greatest trips for people of any age! Plus it makes a great surprise Christmas gift for the entire family!

I could talk about how the Sanchez Family does Disney for hours, but you can click here and here to read some of Kassy’s posts about recent trips AND be on the lookout for more this summer because we are headed back to our favorite place to celebrate baby Kate’s first birthday!

These are just a few of suggestions, but seriously some of the best experiences that I would love to be gifted! Sometimes spending quality time or give someone a great memory beats out that new toy!