Somewhere in your phone there's a note called "wife Christmas ideas". It has two entries, and one of them is a question mark. (We've all kept that note.)
If you're after experiences for your wife at Christmas, something she'll look forward to rather than find a spot for, this guide is a short list of ideas to pick from. They run from a spa day to a hot air balloon, and each comes with an honest note so you can match it to her.
Why an Experience Makes a Thoughtful Gift for Your Wife
Experience gifts create memories rather than clutter. Here's why they suit a wife so well.
Memories Outlast the Wrapping Paper
- She can look back on the day in March, and again the next December.
- A good outing becomes a story you both retell.
It's a Chance to Spend Time Together
- Plenty of experiences are designed for two.
- Check the experience page for "for two" options and you've given her a day with you as well as the activity.
It Shows You've Been Paying Attention
- A winery tour says you remember the wine she liked.
- A surf lesson says you've heard her go on about the ocean.
- That personal touch is what makes a gift feel chosen for her.
No Queues, No Parcels
- December diaries are full, and an experience needs no wrapping and no postage.
- We'll cover how it arrives further down.
Christmas Experiences for Your Wife, Sorted by What She Loves
You can choose from thousands of experiences across the world, so the trick is matching one to her personality. Think about what she's saved, mentioned or sighed over lately. If you're stuck, her friends or family can often drop a useful hint.
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
For the Wife Who Needs a Proper Rest
A Spa Package
Picture warm towels, a quiet room and a phone left in the locker.
- What to expect: A spa package can combine massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, and some include thermal suites or an overnight stay.
- Good to know: Check what's included on the experience page, and book early because December is a popular month for spas.
- Best for: The wife who has had a busy year and hasn't sat still since.
A Massage
Low lights, the smell of oils, nobody asking her anything for an hour.
- Good to know: Book it for a day with nothing scheduled afterwards so she isn't rushing out the door.
- Best for: A wife who would love to switch off and say very little. It's a simple, personal choice.
A Hotel Getaway
Think of breakfast somebody else cooked and a bed you didn't make.
- What to expect: With hotel getaway vouchers you can pick a luxurious suite or a cosy cabin, in a city with plenty of places for lunch and dinner or somewhere quiet.
- Where to go: If she's always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower, a Paris stay is a lovely place to start. Choose a cosy winter stay if it's cold where you are, or a beach escape if Christmas is summer.
- Good to know: Check the cancellation policy on the page before you buy.
- Best for: Couples who haven't had a day to themselves in a while.
For the Wife Who Loves Food and Wine
A Winery Tour
Expect a cool cellar, a swirl of something she hasn't tried and a vineyard to wander afterwards.
- What to expect: A winery tour is a good way to explore new wines together, and she might find a new favourite.
- Good to know: Check session times to see whether a morning or afternoon slot suits her, and pick a tour with transport or nominate a driver.
- Best for: The wife who loves wine and a long, slow lunch.
Winery Tours gift ideas
Show more experiences
Niagara-on-the-Lake Private Wine Tasting Experience
Napa and Sonoma Group Wine Tour From San Francisco
Adelaide Highlights, Hahndorf & McLaren Vale Wine Tasting and Sightseeing Tour
A Hands-On Food Class
Dumpling making is a fun one: fold, pleat, steam, then eat your own work.
- What to expect: Food and drink experiences also include tastings, multi-course dinners, afternoon tea and workshops such as sourdough bread-making.
- Good to know: Go hungry, because the best part is eating what you've made.
- Best for: The wife who loves cooking and would enjoy learning the tricks from someone who does it daily.
For the Wife Who Wants Views and Water
A Hot Air Balloon Flight
The balloon is surprisingly quiet, apart from the occasional whoosh of the burner, and the colours overhead are half the show.
- Good to know: Be honest with yourself about the early start, because sunrise flights mean a very dark alarm.
- Timing: A sunset flight is an alternative, though flights depend on the weather, so be flexible on dates.
- Extras: Some flights include breakfast or a hot drink, so check the page.
- Best for: A hot air balloon flight for two suits the romantic who has this one on her bucket list.
A Helicopter Tour
It's headsets on, a lift-off that feels faster than you expect, then the city or coastline laid out below like a map.
- Good to know: Some tours run at dusk or after dark, so check the page if she'd love to see the lights come on.
- Timing: Tours are short, so one fits easily into a weekend away.
- Best for: The wife who always wants the window seat.
A Boat Cruise
Water slapping gently against the hull, a sunset going orange behind the skyline and nothing to do but sit.
- What to expect: Boat cruises range from a dinner cruise on the Seine to an action-packed day around the Whitsundays.
- Good to know: Bring a layer, because it's cooler on the water once the sun drops.
- Best for: The wife who would rather watch the world go by than rush through it.
Sailing & Cruises gift ideas
Show more experiences
Sunset & Sparkle Sydney Boat Cruise
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Tour
Amsterdam Classic Boat Cruise with Live Guide, Drinks and Cheese
Snorkelling or Scuba Diving
Underwater it goes quiet, and then a fish the colour of a highlighter drifts past.
- Snorkelling: A great way to explore the underwater world without learning a new skill.
- Scuba: Suits the wife who wants to go deeper and pick up something new.
- Good to know: Visibility and water temperature vary by location, so check the page and the season.
- Best for: The wife who is always first into the water.
A Surf Lesson
You'll smell the board wax before you reach the water, and there's a good chance she'll spend much of the lesson falling off. (That's half the fun.)
- What to expect: A surf lesson works even if she has never touched a board.
- Good to know: Pack a towel and a change of clothes, because she'll be wet and sandy.
- Best for: The wife who talks about the sea and loves trying new things.
Whale Watching and Dolphin Tours
Then comes the moment the whole boat goes silent because something huge has surfaced.
- What to expect: Whale watching and dolphin tours let her see animals in their natural habitat. Bear watching is also available in some places.
- Good to know: Sightings can't be promised, and whale seasons vary by location, so check the best months on the page.
- Best for: The wife who lights up around animals.
For the Wife Who Likes to Explore
Landmarks and City Walking Tours
A local guide turns streets you have walked past a hundred times into stories.
- What to expect: Tours can show her your own city or the one you're visiting, including famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and her favourite museum.
- Good to know: Start after a leisurely lunch so nobody is rushing.
- Best for: The history lover who prefers learning something over lying by a pool.
Quad Biking
Mud, engine noise and a grin she can't hide.
- Good to know: Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. If she's never tried it, a guided tour makes a good first go.
- Best for: Couples who like being outdoors together, and a fun surprise for a wife who loves speed.
Hiking, Cycling and Kayaking
Fresh air, a good view and a coffee at the end of it.
- What to expect: Guided outdoor tours handle the route, so you can focus on each other.
- Good to know: Match the level to her fitness and your own, which saves any quiet muttering on the hill.
- Best for: The wife who is happiest in sportswear.
Can't Choose? Let Her Pick With a Gifting Owl Voucher
If you're torn between a spa day and a balloon, let her choose. A Gifting Owl voucher for your wife can be any amount you like, in your chosen currency.
- Plenty of choice: She can browse over 19,000 experiences in more than 100 countries and book live on Gifting Owl.
- No rush: Vouchers are valid for 3 years, so she isn't racing a deadline.
- Flexible: One voucher can cover several experiences, and any balance stays on her account. Exchanges are free, and if she falls for a pricier experience she can pay the difference by card.
- Personal: Add a personal message and choose a voucher design.
- Delivery: By email only, sent immediately or scheduled for Christmas morning. You can also send it to yourself to print and hand over.
- Clear policies: Each experience page shows its cancellation policy before she books.
Happy Gifting This Christmas
Pick the experience that sounds most like her, or let her choose. Take a look at our Gifting Owl vouchers and send one in a few minutes. Happy gifting!
