"Surprise me" is the most generous and least helpful thing a boyfriend can say in December. (He means it kindly. You'd just like a clue.) If you're hunting for the best gifts to give your boyfriend for Christmas, this guide sorts gift ideas by what he's actually like, so you can pick one and get on with your week.
Short answer on the best gifts to give boyfriend for Christmas: choose an experience that matches his personality. That might be a skydive or jet boat ride for the adrenaline fan, a brewery tour for the food and drink lover, a hike or dive for the outdoorsy one, or a hotel getaway for the one who needs a rest. Gifting Owl vouchers cover all of these, and he books his pick from 19,000+ experiences in 100+ countries.
Every one of these Christmas gift ideas is something he can book and enjoy, from a skydive to a quiet hotel night. These Christmas gifts suit a brand-new relationship or a long one, and he gets a Christmas present to open on the day and look forward to for months afterwards.
Why Give Your Boyfriend an Experience This Christmas?
An experience is a Christmas gift with a plan built in. He chooses the date, so it fits around his work and weekends, and plenty of experiences are more fun with you tagging along. There's no need to guess sizes or brands, and gift giving gets a lot easier when the main question is "what sounds like him?" A gift tied to his hobbies also shows you've been paying attention, which tends to make it feel more personal.
One small catch: an experience needs a free day in the diary. That's half the fun, but it's worth mentioning when he opens it.
Christmas experience gifts
Show more experiences
Kyoto: Small-Group Gion Geisha District Walking Tour
Barcelona's Coastline Helicopter Flight
Best of Niagara Falls Tour: Journey Behind Falls & Boat
Best Christmas Gifts for Boyfriend, Sorted by Personality
Pick the group that sounds most like him. Each experience page shows what's included and the cancellation policy before anyone books, so there are no surprises later.
If He Chases Adrenaline
- Skydiving: freefall first, then a surprisingly quiet drift once the canopy opens and the whole landscape is laid out below. Weather can shuffle the date, so he'll want some flexibility when he books. It's one of the great gifts for the boyfriend who says yes to anything that sounds slightly mad.
- Jet boating: hard turns, spray in the face and a driver who seems to be aiming for the rocks (they're not). You will get wet, so pack a towel for the ride home. It's a cool gift for the boyfriend who wants speed with scenery attached.
- V8 buggy and off-road 4WD driving: engine roar, mud flicking up and both hands on the wheel. Wear closed shoes and clothes you don't mind washing. It's for the one who would always rather drive than be driven.
If He Lives for Good Food and a Cold Drink
- Brewery tours: you walk past the tanks, smell the malt and finish with a tasting of beers he's never tried. Sort out a lift home before the first pour. It suits the boyfriend with strong opinions about pale ale.
- Fine dining: a long, slow dinner where someone else does the plating. Popular restaurants fill up fast over the holiday season, so he should book early. It's for the couple who would happily turn one evening into the whole night.
Food & Drink gift ideas
Show more experiences
Niagara-on-the-Lake Private Wine Tasting Experience
Osaka Dotonbori Traditional Tea Ceremony Experience
Blend Your Own Gin with 78 Degree Distillery at LOT.100
If He's Happiest Outdoors, on the Water or Up High
- Hiking and trekking: a long climb, a proper view at the top and the slightly smug feeling that follows. Expect an early start and stiff calves the next day. It's for the boyfriend with a trail he keeps saying he'll get to.
- Scuba diving and snorkelling: slow and weightless, with nothing but your own breathing and fish that completely ignore you. Check the experience page for any requirements before he books. It suits the boyfriend who stares at the ocean on every holiday.
- Hot air ballooning: the burner roars, then everything goes silent as you drift over the countryside. It means a very early alarm (bring a jacket) and wind can postpone a flight. It's for the boyfriend who loves a view and can cope with a dawn start.
Want a different gift idea? Surfing lessons, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, helicopter flights, paragliding and wildlife safaris are all in the catalogue too.
If He Needs a Proper Break
- A hotel getaway: fresh sheets, no alarm and breakfast someone else cooked. He can choose the weekend, though it's smart to book a popular one early. It's the perfect gift for the boyfriend who has been running flat out all year, and an easy one to make a date of.
If pure unwinding is the goal, massage and yoga classes are in the range as well. And for the boyfriend who reads every plaque in the museum, city tours and history tours are made for him.
Can't Decide? Let Him Choose With a Gifting Owl Voucher
This is where Gifting Owl earns its place. You pick any amount, in your own currency, and he chooses from 19,000+ experiences in 100+ countries. Gifting Owl vouchers are valid for 3 years, so there's no pressure to book by New Year's Day.
One voucher can cover several experiences, and any balance stays on his account. Exchanges are free if he changes his mind, and a pricier choice just means paying the difference by card. A Gifting Owl gift voucher is also a calm answer when you've narrowed your Christmas gift ideas to three and still can't pick.
How Do You Send a Gifting Owl Voucher?
- Browse by what he's into, or search for a specific experience.
- Choose the experience or the voucher amount.
- Add a personal message and pick a voucher design.
- Email it straight away, or schedule it for Christmas morning. You can also send it to yourself to print and hand over in a card.
Gifting Owl delivers vouchers by email only. He books his experience live on Gifting Owl, so there are no shipping dates to chase.
Pick One and Get Back to Your Week
Whatever he's into, there's an experience that fits, and you can choose it in a few minutes, even in the busiest part of the holiday season. Browse the full range on Gifting Owl, send it off and look forward to hearing how it went. Happy gifting!
