Give the Gift that keeps on Giving this Holiday Season
/I can’t believe the Holidays are just around the corner. Although, I love the festive holiday shopping I often think to myself how many socks or trinkets does someone need? It’s fun when you have that person that you are excited to shop for, but after 20 years what else could you possibly get them? Especially when they may just go out and get what they want anyway.
How about an experience? How many times have you heard someone say, “I would travel here if I could only get away”. Or “I wish I would have……when I had the time”. Or maybe you know someone that just needs an extra push. They have talked for years about needed a change, needing an adventure… Or the proverbial “I just need to get away!”
Annapurna South Base Camp
This holiday season, try mixing things up for your loved ones by giving the gift of experience. From clothes to bags to accessories to technology, stuff is fun. Trust me, everyone loves “stuff”.
But “stuff” doesn't live on in our memories like those unbelievable, unforgettable, life-altering experience like trekking a mountain in the Himalayas, learning how to cook local Nepalese cuisine or volunteering in a local children’s home.
But “stuff” doesn't live on in our memories like those unbelievable, unforgettable, life-altering experience like trekking a mountain in the Himalayas, learning how to cook local Nepalese cuisine or volunteering in a local children’s home. In this strange season of rampant consumerism, it can be easy to forget that experiences have been scientifically proven to bring you longer-lasting benefits than stuff.
GIVE A GIFT OF TRAVEL
A gift of travel? That may be the trickiest and most personal gift of all. It’s a slippery slope but definitely one worth navigating! Why? Because experiences lead to greater levels of happiness. It is believed that people are the happiest when they feel socially connected with others – and often that requires a disconnection the mundane day to day routine.
Base of Eversest with friends
“It is believed that people are the happiest when they feel socially connected with others – and often that requires a disconnection the mundane day to day routine.”
Here’s how to give a gift of travel:
Don’t plan a full trip for someone. They may not actually want to do what you think they do. Instead, connect them with a travel specialist such as the one organizing the Everest base camp tours among others. The tours should focus on the areas of travel your loved one is passionate about, who can craft the trip of a lifetime for them when the time is right.
Get creative with gift certificates! Flights can sometimes be the hardest part of travel. It’s not so much booking a trek or an excursion, but then you have to get the flights on top of that. If you have a loved one contemplating a certain trip such as an adventure trek to Nepal, you can purchase ‘skyhours’ through a recently released Skyhour app, which lets you gift travel on 350 international and domestic airlines. This just might be the push that someone needs to book that trip of a lifetime!
Namche
Keep your recipient’s interests in mind. It seems like a no-brainer, but research finds the opposite. Gift givers tend to give things that they like without taking account what their loved ones like. Don’t book a spa weekend for someone who loves to be outdoors and can’t sit still. Really ask the right questions! I had a friend once that loved whales. We gave her a harbor cruise to go see the whales up and personal. She was seasick the whole time. We really “flubbed” that gift up!
Spice their travel up. Supplementing a trip with add-ons travelers on a budget often skip can be a great gift. Pay a single supplement for them if they are on a group trip, hire a private car to take them to and from the airport, or maybe book a massage for them at the end of their trip. If they have been camping or trekking having a nice massage paid for and waiting for them at their hotel is quite a treat!
Mix it up! Take a moment this holiday season and think about ways you can get creative with giving the gift of travel for the holidays. I have worked with many clients in creating the trip of a lifetime!
Photography Workshops in Nepal
Yes, my trips revolve around trekking and photography, however if you know someone who is ready to jump in and you want to chat reach out!