Gift Guide 2017: 8 Experience gift ideas for your spouse, kids & in-laws

Sarah Khan 11 Dec 2017

1/8
For Kids | A Zoo or Aquarium Membership
It’s a no-brainer that children adore animals, and zoos and aquariums are the best places to see them up close! We love the idea of a yearly family membership to the zoo or aquarium: you get to visit as often as you’d like, and spend however much time as you want to each visit, without having to feel guilty about forking out the price of a full-day admission ticket.

We Recommend: Sea Aquarium, Singapore Zoological Gardens, River Safari, Universal Studios
2/8
For Kids | A Class They’ve Been Wanting to Take
If your kids have been enthusiastically bringing up a class they want to pick up (whether it’s a music lesson or a taekwondo class), this is your time to surprise them with a class package. Not only will they love the unexpected gift, it will also be an opportunity for them to pick up a skill or two - all in the name of holistic development!

We Recommend: Crestar School of Dance, Happy Fish Swim School, Yamaha Music School
3/8
For Kids | Tickets to a Play or Museum Exhibition
Singapore has a pretty active museum scene, with the Natural History Museum and National Museum of Singapore being a firm favourite among museum-goers. What’s great is that these museums conduct regular children’s programmes too, so be sure to keep updated with their happenings!

Besides museums, there are also various local theatre groups that put up family-friendly productions guaranteed to give you and your little ones a rolling good time. Bonus: these museum and theatre trips will culturally enrich your child’s mind and certainly put them in a good stead among their peers!

We Recommend: National Gallery Singapore's Keppel Centre for Art Education, Art Science Museum, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
4/8
For Spouse | Concert Tickets
Whether it’s a music gig or a full concert, a pair of concert tickets for just you and your partner (or even the whole family) is a fun and great gift, especially if you have the same music taste. It’ll make for a great opportunity to take pictures, croon and dance to your favourite tunes, and share great memories you’ll remember.

We Recommend: Clean Bandit (January 22, 2018), Foster the People (January 30, 2018), Incubus (February 9, 2018), Katy Perry (April 8, 2018), The Script (April 12, 2018)
5/8
For Spouse | A Couple’s Staycation
Let’s face it: if you’re married with kids, chances are you don’t get as much alone time with your partner as you’d like. If so, gifting your partner with a couple’s staycation at a new swanky or trendy boutique hotel is a great way to squeeze some quality time! Singapore is certainly not short of great hotels for your picking, so make the most of your staycation to rekindle the spark in your marriage. P.S. Pack along your favourite lingerie too (wink wink).

We Recommend: PARKHOTEL at Pickering, Hotel Jen Orchardgateway, Warehouse Hotel
6/8
For Spouse | A Spa Date
It's no secret that an individual day at the spa can be incredibly beneficial physically, emotionally and mentally - and the same holds true for a couple spa date as well. During the spa session, you and your partner will both experience a healing and rejuvenating treatment, with the added value of enjoying a shared experience.

Firstly, the spa day allows you to create a space in the day and escape from obligations for you and your spouse. If this is a new experience for you as a couple, it may also create a new shared memories, as well as a feeling of exploration and adventure - which is essential for rekindling that connection in your marriage. The healing massages and various therapies can also help release any pent up emotions you both might have and allow you an opportunity for an emotional reset. You may each leave feeling more centered, and able to hear and accept each other once again.
7/8
For Your In-laws | A road trip with the grandkids
If you were to ask your in-laws (or any grandparent, for that matter) what their prime wish for the holidays are, chances are it would be to have more time to spend with their grandkids. Between your busy schedule as a homemaker or working woman, and your children's hectic school life, it can be hard to carve out time to spend with your in-laws.

If you can relate to this, an all-expenses paid weekend road trip for you and your in-laws will definitely be a gift they'll appreciate! Take your pick from any of our neighbouring weekend destinations like JB, Bintan, Malacca, or even Kuala Lumpur and arrange for a weekend of food, fun-filled activities and plenty of family bonding!
8/8
For Your In-laws | A Subscription Box
If you want to send your in-laws the perfect gift that keeps on giving? Try a subscription box! Subscription boxes have escalated in popularity, and now there’s an option for everyone’s personality. As they receive the gift every month or season, they will be reminded of your thoughtfulness and, at the same time, get a new box of goodies for them to dabble into!

Whether your in-laws are tea or coffee lovers, baking enthusiasts or love gourmet food, it’s easy to choose a subscription box in Singapore curated to perfectly suit their interest. It's also a time-saving gift idea that spares you the need to trawl the mall to assemble a gift box of hand-picked goodies, as each subscription box is thoughtfully tailored to each taste.

We Recommend: Gryphon Tea Subscription Box (for tea lovers), Hook Coffee Subscription Box (for coffee lovers), Box Green (a healthy snacks subscription box), Batterful (a baking subscription box)

It’s official: 2017 is the year of experience gifts.

It’s official: 2017 is the year of experience gifts. Or at least, it ought to be.

An ecologically-friendly and far more meaningful alternative to a traditional physical gift, experience gifts are lasting in impression and can create some pretty special memories between you and your loved ones.

In fact, according to a new study by the University of Toronto that attempted to measure the effectiveness of different types of gifts, it turns out that experience gifts are the best way to forge a closer bond – and this held true across all the different demographics tested, from fathers to kids, and friends to colleagues.

If you’ve yet to get started on your Christmas shopping, why not try something different and consider gifting those you love with a special experience gift instead?

We’ve outlined our favourite gift ideas in the gallery above for your whole family! From educational and fun museum memberships for your little ones to an intimate spa date with your significant other, these are the gifts that will score you ultimate #wifegoals and #mommygoals brownie points.

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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