GIFT SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO
I think a lot of us have been feeling a bit low with all the restrictions
that COVID-19 has placed on us since February. I can't believe an entire
year has gone by with very little happening to make us smile. Travel is
almost non-existent, and a lot of the little luxuries we enjoyed were also
curtailed due to the social distancing requirements. As Australia has
slowly opened up again, we can start enjoying a few little treats that
we're sorely in need of and I can't wait to share some here on the
blog.
WHEN MUM ALREADY HAS EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS
With Christmas looming in the not-too-distant future, I've been thinking
about those of us who have a Mum (or an adult daughter) who already has
everything she needs, or who has the funds to buy whatever she needs, or
who is almost impossible to buy a gift for. I know it's definitely the
case in my family - and it's always a struggle to come up with a birthday
gift or a Christmas present that shows thoughtfulness and offers them
something they might not buy for themselves.
We often hear about Dads or brothers who were given amazing "experience"
gifts for special birthdays - a ride in a race car or some other exciting experience (like skydiving, paintballing, snow boarding) through this company, but they may not appeal to those of us who are looking for a
little bit of pampering and a little less of an adrenaline rush. So, how do
we find that perfect gift and where do we even begin with only a few weeks until Christmas is upon us?
THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT
When I started browsing around the internet looking for gifts for my Mum, and my daughter, and my daughter-in-law that were a
bit different to my usual Christmas ideas, I came across RedBalloon. They offered a wide range of gift ideas for women that went above and beyond just riding in a race car (although my Mum would be jumping up and down in excitement if I chose one of those for her – she’s a bit of a rev head!)
Instead, I found everything from high teas and massages, to sunset sailing and weekend getaways (including an extravagant castle stay). The
more I scrolled, the more I wanted to choose - forget Mum......I wanted a
few of them for myself! I could see myself floating over the Hunter Valley
in a hot air balloon, or lying in a wellness spa having a hot stone massage.
The more affordable weekend retreats looked lovely too, it really just comes
down to where you want to go and how much you want to spend.
WHY NOT HAVE A BROWSE AROUND?
So, if you're in a bit of a dilemma about what to buy for your special
someone, perhaps it might be worth a look at what RedBalloon has to offer.
I'm going to send my husband a link to today's post in the hope he gets
inspired with what's available. I loved that you could search by location, or by
experience, or by pricing. As much as I'd love that castle stay, the
decadent high tea
looked pretty delightful too at $69 a head - and I do have a big birthday coming
up next year!
A FEW EXPERIENCES THAT APPEALED TO ME
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That rainforest getaway sounds right up my alley - and it's practically in our own backyard. Some great experiences to browse through...
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing Jo - lots of great Qld ideas and I just kept clicking and clicking because there were so many interesting ideas.
DeleteThis post came at the perfect time, Leanne. I have been trying to come up with gift suggestions for Christmas. I have friends that really like the High Tea experience. I am leaning towards the Rainforest Getaway. I have stayed in a castle before and a lot of fun. I have lots of ideas now. Decisions. Decisions. Thank you! xx (and shared)
ReplyDeleteHi Erica - I really want that castle stay, but I think some of the other weekend retreats look like they'd be more my relaxed style. The massages were tempting me too - I must be feeling the need for a little "me time"!
DeleteTo elaborate on the Castle stay, we actually stayed in the barn lol - tons of fun! xx
DeleteI think a barn would probably be as close to a castle stay as I'd get too! :D
DeleteHi Leanne I’ve given red balloon gifts to my children many times over the years. They loved the hot air balloon, day spas and my son really loved the drive in a race car. You’ve reminded me I need to start thinking about Xmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Jen - I think experience gifts are perfect for families - so many things to do together, or alternatively just to be spoiled with. I've had a couple of family members do the race car experience and they loved it. The hot air balloon ride is definitely on my bucket list too.
DeleteI'd like the Decadent High Tea, thanks Leanne! (Although I'm not your Mum but a sister from another lifetime) :)
ReplyDeleteI think we'd have a great time doing that high tea together Sue - we could sip and nibble and chat for hours - what's not to love about that?
DeleteOooo, I can't decide between the Decadent High Tea and the Rainforest GetAway. All of these experiences sound incredible. Thank you for sharing them with us, Leanne.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - I'm thinking about the float tank too - that's something I've always had a bit of curiosity about - would it be super relaxing, or would it be too much quiet for me? I'd probably dose off....
DeleteHi Leanne, my husband and I always try to buy experience gifts for each other as we have enough "stuff". Weekends away, sunset dinner cruises, brewery or winery tours, spa days, massages, etc. have all been past gifts. They are something we look back on with such happy memories. Our tenth anniversary is next year so I'm sure we'll plan something nice to mark the occasion. Regards Christina
ReplyDeleteHi Christina - I'm thinking this is something my husband and I need to start doing too - it's so easy to let special occasions slide by - and with a BIG birthday next year, I think one of the weekend getaways may be on the table!
DeleteSome really great ideas here Leanne. I'm tempted by the Queen of the Castle escape and the float tank :)
ReplyDeleteFloat tanks always intrigue me Deb - I definitely think I need to add one to my bucket list so I know whether they're my "thing" or not.
DeleteI want to stay at that castle - I think I used your something to look forward to in a post on Contentment the other day. It's soooooo important.
ReplyDeleteHi Lydia - we often say in our family that anticipation can often be better than the gift itself - and I think just looking forward to something like that amazing castle can give our spirits a boost.
DeleteGreat Ideas for gifting. A spa or a weekend retreat I believe can never go wrong.
ReplyDeleteruchi nasa https://thevagabond.me
I think so too Ruchi - sometimes spoiling yourself with something special can make all the difference when your spirits are low - and this year's been a doozy for needing a bit of a boost.
DeleteSome great ideas here, Leanne. I've given friends and family a spa coupon as a gift. A cousin gave my Dad a very thoughtful gift of high tea for him and all of us at an old palace that has been converted to a hotel - a much appreciated experience.
ReplyDeleteThat high tea sounds like it would have been gorgeous Corinne - they're so elegant aren't they - and perfect for making you feel a little bit special for a day. I love that the whole family were included in the experience.
DeleteI love the idea of giving experiences for gifts. With all the shutdowns, it is harder to do that now in the US. I like to support local restaurants, but many are now limited to takeout. Gift cards for them would be good. I hope no one gives me a gift certificate for skydiving, though! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the skydiving one wasn't my cup of tea either Laurie (and I don't think I'd get too much joy from a race car) but I do love the idea of a gift that involves a bit of pampering - or a weekend away somewhere special. I think experience gifts are definitely going to be even more appreciated as we all come out of isolation in the months ahead.
DeleteGreat experience gift ideas. Thank you, Leanne, for sharing them with us. Now decisions, decisions :) #lifethisweek
ReplyDeleteI had that problem too Natalie - I kept clicking from one new thing to the next - so many great ideas that had never crossed my mind before I found their site.
DeleteLovely to dream and find new ways of giving. I admit we stopped gifts a long time ago but looking at ideas is free!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for linking up for #lifethisweek. I am glad you did and look forward to seeing you next week. The optional prompt is 48/51 Self-Care Stories #7 30.11.2020. Denyse.
Hi Denyse - we don't do a lot of Christmas gift giving any more either, but there's always special birthdays and anniversaries that some of these would be perfect for too.
DeleteMy mum has bought herself some stuff from the Christian bookshop with her favourite quote on it and given them to me to give to her. So of course I still need to buy something as a surprise. She's not a big 'experience' kind of person. I've been fantasising a bit lately about a holiday but it's hard to justify some days away at a nice unit at the beach when you're unemployed (lack $) and live at the beach.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Deb - we live near the beach too and finances are always in the back of my mind - but I thought that one of those hot stone massages sounded lovely - or a high tea for two (that'd be a lovely surprise) because neither break the budget.
DeleteI'd love the rainforest getaway (plus a heap of others if I'm to be completely honest LOL)! Hubby was gifted an experience gift by his siblings for his 60th - laps around a race track as passenger with a professional driver. My brother in law was gifted the Brisbane Story Bridge climb. I'd love to go glamping or do some of the animal experiences or some of the nice getaways like the rainforest one you've mentioned. RedBalloon experience gifts are a fabulous gift idea! xo
ReplyDeleteHi Min - I just kept clicking and clicking when I opened their site - soooo many wonderful ideas that I'd love to be surprised with. I never spoil myself with things like that, so I'd love one of the pampering packages - and I could easily follow it up with a romantic weekend retreat (or combine the two!)
DeleteSo much fun stuff. It impressed our JULIE as she wants your post featured in the next Blogger's Pit Stop.
ReplyDeleteKathleen
Hi Kathleen - thanks for the feature and I hope your readers enjoy exploring all the experiences on offer - some great ideas for Christmas and birthdays.
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