Somewhere on your Christmas list is a millennial who already owns a good kettle, a decent pair of runners and the exact candle they like. That's the puzzle with Christmas gifts for millennials: it's rarely a shortage of things. What tends to run short is time, and a good reason to spend it on something new.
Millennials (born roughly between 1981 and 1996) now span first flats, first mortgages, new babies and big career changes, so life looks quite different from one friend to the next. The ideas below work across all of those stages, and they're sorted by the kind of day your person would happily put in the diary. If you're still planning the rest of the list, our wider Christmas gift ideas are there too.
Why Experiences Make a Great Gift for Millennials at Christmas
Experiences are a popular choice with this generation, and it's easy to see why. They're often more memorable than a physical present, they come with a story attached, and they don't need shelf space. (A shared flat can only absorb so many gifts. A Saturday spent doing something new fits anywhere.) For anyone whose everyday life is already well stocked, an experience is a great gift because it adds something rather than taking up room.
That doesn't mean a thoughtful physical gift is ever unwelcome. An experience simply adds something different: time with friends and family, a break from screens, the joy of having something to look forward to, and a reason to say "you'll never guess what I did on the weekend".
To choose, think about what your person does with a free weekend. Do they plan around a meal, chase a view, sign up for classes or just need a proper lie-down? That tells you which section to jump to, and it's the quickest route to the best gifts on this list.
Popular experience gifts
Kyoto: Small-Group Gion Geisha District Walking Tour
Barcelona's Coastline Helicopter Flight
Best of Niagara Falls Tour: Journey Behind Falls & Boat
Food and Drink Gift Ideas for the Millennial Who Plans Around Dinner
Walking Food Tours for the Neighbourhood Explorer
A walking food tour is a few hours of small tastings, a guide who knows which laneway to turn down, and the odd surprise of eating something you'd never have ordered. Tell your person to go hungry and wear comfortable shoes (you'll walk further than you think). It's a fun gift for friends who like discovering their own city as much as a new one.
Cooking Classes for the Hands-On Learner
Garlic hitting a hot pan is half the reward of a cooking class, and the other half is walking out able to make fresh pasta or a proper curry from scratch, which keeps paying off on everyday weeknights. Check the menu on the experience page first if your person has dietary needs. It's a lovely gift for a couple, a flatmate or a friend who would rather cook with company than alone.
Brewery Tours for the Craft Beer Regular
Expect the warm, malty smell of the brewhouse, a few small tasting pours and a guide happy to explain what hops actually do. Since the tasting is part of the fun, suggest your person sorts out a lift home. A brewery tour is one of the best gifts for friends with a favourite local brewer and strong opinions about it.
Winery and Vineyard Days for a Slow Saturday
Rows of vines, a cool cellar and a long lunch at the end make a vineyard visit feel like a proper day out. Look for an experience that includes food if your person likes to linger, and check whether a driver is needed. It suits couples and friends who like their weekends unhurried and take real joy in a long table.
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
Best Gifts for Millennials Who Never Sit Still
Escape Rooms for Friends, Family and Workmates
An hour, a locked door and one person who is absolutely certain the answer is behind the bookshelf. Escape rooms reward teamwork more than puzzle skills, so mixed groups do well, which makes this a great gift for friends who have never once agreed on anything. Check the theme and difficulty on the experience page if horror isn't anyone's idea of fun.
Ziplining for a Rush Without a Whole Day of Effort
Treetops blur past and your stomach stays behind on the platform. Ziplining is over faster than you'd expect, which suits the person who wants a fun thrill without a full-day commitment. Closed shoes are the usual rule, so look at what to wear before the day.
Hot Air Ballooning for Couples and Early Risers
The quiet is what surprises people, broken only by the occasional whoosh of the burner as the landscape slowly lights up. The honest catch is the early start, because flights typically go at sunrise and can be moved if the weather isn't right. A hot air balloon flight is a perfect gift for couples, and for anyone who'd enjoy a view followed by a very good breakfast.
Skydiving for the Bucket List Keeper
The door opens, the wind roars, and for a minute or so there's nothing between your person and a very big view. First-timers usually jump in tandem, and age and weight limits are listed on the experience page. It's one for the friend who has been saying "one day" about skydiving for years.
Skydiving gift ideas
Show more experiences
Ka’anapali Beach Premium Sunset Dinner Cruise with Open Bar
Tandem Skydive 16,500ft from Franz Josef
Rottnest Skydive + Fremantle Ferry Package
Surfing Lessons for Total Beginners
Salt on your lips, a foam board the size of a door and a lot of falling off before that first wobbly stand-up. You will swallow some sea water (it's practically part of the course). Surfing lessons are a fun gift for anyone who wants to try and doesn't mind being bad at it for a morning.
White Water Rafting for People Who Like to Share a Boat
Paddles, a helmet and a guide calling "forward!" as the raft drops into a rapid. You'll be thoroughly wet, so pack a change of clothes. It suits a group of friends or colleagues who want to be in the same boat, quite literally.
Live Music and Comedy for a Night Out
Live Music for the Person With a Playlist for Everything
Hearing a favourite song live, with the bass in your chest, is a different thing from headphones. Check what's on in your person's city before choosing, as live music experiences depend on dates and venues. If gigs aren't one of their favourite things, comedy nights are a good swap and a safe bet for a group of friends.
A Perfect Gift for the Millennial Who Needs to Slow Down
Massage and Spa Days for the Fully Booked Diary
Low lights, warm towels and an hour where nobody needs anything from them. Mention any preferences or injuries when booking, and suggest they arrive a little early to settle in. A massage suits new parents, busy managers and anyone who keeps saying they'll book some self care next month.
Yoga Sessions for Stretching Out the Week
A mat, a quiet room and an instructor talking you through each pose. Check the style (hot, aerial or gentle) matches your person, and look for beginner-friendly classes if they're new to it. It suits someone who has said "I should do more of that" and would love a friend or partner to go along with.
Photography Workshops for the Camera Roll Full of Sunsets
Learning to find good light, or to shoot manually, with someone who does it for a living. Look at the experience page to see whether they should bring their own camera or phone. A photography workshop is an ideal gift for anyone who already takes plenty of photos and wants them to look the way they imagined.
Art Classes for Making Something Real
Clay under the fingernails, or paint in places paint shouldn't be. Suggest clothes that don't matter, and expect the first attempt to look nothing like the example (that's half the fun). It suits people who spend their workday at a screen and would love to make something personal with their hands, and a cool new skill is a bonus.
How to Give an Experience When You Can't Predict Their Calendar
The practical worry with any experience gift is picking the wrong date, the wrong city or a 5am balloon for someone who loves a sleep-in. That's where a Gifting Owl voucher helps. You choose any amount, in your currency, and your millennial picks and books live on Gifting Owl from 19,000+ experiences in 100+ countries (handy if life has moved them to a new city since last Christmas).
One voucher can cover several experiences, with any balance staying on their account. Exchanges are free, and if they pick something pricier, they just pay the difference by card. Vouchers are valid for 3 years, so a packed diary isn't a problem, and each experience page shows its cancellation policy before they book.
Add a personal message, choose a design, and we'll deliver it by email straight away or on the day and time you schedule, such as Christmas morning.
Time to Sort That Christmas List
Pick an amount, add a personal note that sounds like you, and let them choose the day. Happy gifting!
