Gifts to last a lifetime

Rather than trawling the shops in a Christmas daze to find a loved one the ‘perfect present’ they may not like, why not choose a more sustainable, satisfying experience that they will always remember, asks Siobhan Downes.

Shopping for Christmas presents is stressful. As is keeping a neutral face on Christmas morning when you unwrap yet another bath set or scented candle. Instead of rushing around the shops trying to find that perfect gift for the person who has everything, this year why not gift an awesome experience they can enjoy right here in Aotearoa?

Gift experiences are not only a great way to support our tourism industry, but are more more sustainable and enjoyable than stuff you have to wrap.

Here are some of our favourite ideas.

Send them to a chocolate factory

You could stock up on boxes of Cadbury Roses when they are on special at the supermarket, or you could get more creative and give vouchers for a local chocolate maker.

Wellington Chocolate Factory and Ocho in Dunedin offer gift vouchers from $10, which can be used to buy craft chocolate online, or at their factory shops. Auckland’s Miann Chocolate Factory also sells gift cards that can be used in any of their stores, or you can buy experiences such as chocolate factory tours, afternoon teas and dessert dates to give as a gift.

Treat them to a private soak

The feeling of bliss that comes from soaking in a private hot tub in a scenic spot is likely to linger far longer than a bath bomb.

Queenstown’s Onsen Hot Pools is the ultimate hot tub experience, perched on a cliff overlooking the Shotover River. Gift vouchers are available on its website, from $87.50 for one adult.

Secret Spot Hot Tubs Rotorua also offers gift vouchers, from $41 an adult.

Waiho Hot Tubs in Franz Josef has vouchers from $89 for two adults, but you could also gift them a full holiday, with a soak, stay and dine package for two, available for $249.

Pamper them at the spa

Scented candles and soaps are nice, but after the year we have had, it might be better to send loved ones to the professionals for a proper destress.

Rotorua’s Polynesian Spa is a relaxation haven, with mineral pools to bathe in, and a range of massages and treatments to book.

You can buy a gift voucher online to go towards any of these from $50, and all therapies include a soak in the pools beforehand.

Show them the stars

If you want to get someone special something sparkly and romantic, instead of a piece of jewellery, consider a stargazing tour.

The Mackenzie region is one of the most magical stargazing locations in the world, best experienced with the experts at Dark Sky Project based in Tekapo.

The Summit Experience, which takes place at Mt John Observatory, is $149, and can be bought as an open-dated gift voucher.

Great Barrier Island is another internationally recognised dark sky sanctuary, where you can stargaze on the beach with Good Heavens. Its stargazing group experience costs $120 an adult, and is available as a gift card.

Throw them off a ledge

If you have a daredevil in the family, or even an irritating sibling you wouldn’t mind giving a loving nudge off a high place, A J Hackett Bungy has the answer.

Bungy Bucks, from $50, can go towards an epic adventure, or you can get a voucher for a specific experience at the Auckland, Taupo¯ or Queenstown sites.

Whether they are scaling Auckland Harbour Bridge, or leaping from 134 metres at our highest bungy in Nevis Valley, it’s bound to be a gift they won’t forget in a hurry.

Take them on a wine or beer tour

A winery or brewery tour will give your wine or beer fan a new appreciation of their favourite tipple. In Wellington, Craft Beer Tours offers a guided hop around some of the capital’s best breweries, with behind-the-scenes access and sampling opportunities. It also offers tours of Brewtown, Upper Hutt’s craft beer wonderland.

Gift vouchers are available for all experiences, from $135 for a half-day brewery tour.

In Queenstown, Appellation Wine Tours has a Christmas special, offering $50 off selected wine tours bought before Christmas. The classic wine tour through the Gibbston wine region is now $119 a person, with 12 months to use the vouchers.

Surprise them with a mystery picnic

Your friends and family in Auckland might have mastered the art of picnics lately, but they won’t have experienced a picnic as epic as this.

Matakana-based Village Picnic offers mystery picnics, which make a fun day out for a couple or family. The experience is part-scavenger hunt, part-foodie tour around the Matakana Coast, collecting artisan treats along the way to enjoy at a secret picnic destination. It’s all prepaid, from

$165 for a couple, so makes a great gift.

Teach them something new

If learning a new skill is likely to be one of their New Year’s resolutions, gift them a fun workshop or class. Most people would love to know how to surf, and there’s no better place to learn than one of the country’s top surfing destinations.

Raglan Surf School offers lessons at the beginner-friendly Ngarunui Beach, with a twohour group session, from $84, which can be bought as a gift voucher.

A cooking class is an activity where they will reap the rewards long after the lesson. Peter Gordon is the teacher at the chef’s Homeland cooking school in Auckland. Vouchers for the classes are $145 for adults and $100 for children.

Book them a special stay

Who doesn’t love spending the night in lush lodgings? Plenty of accommodation providers offer gift vouchers that can be used across their properties, or choose a more specific stay.

Make them feel like a prince or princess at Dunedin’s Larnach Castle, with three unique accommodation options within the grounds. Gift cards are available at a value of your choosing, for any of the Larnach Castle experiences.

In Wellington, Pipinui Point is sure to impress. The private escape is perched on a clifftop high above Cook Strait, with one of the most spectacular outdoor tubs in the country. Gift vouchers are available for a minimum of $575 (the starting price for a one-night stay in the winter months).

Let them choose

If you have no idea what they would enjoy,

Chuffed Gifts could be the perfect solution.

Gift givers choose from experience packages from $99. The recipient selects an experience from that package, from activities around New Zealand.

Each gift comes in a recyclable tube, which contains a booklet explaining how it works and the experiences available.