
Glamping
This is a sponsored post for RedBalloon
I don’t know about you, but I find men so much more difficult to buy for than women. There’s only so many shirts, socks, undies, alcohol, and books one can buy a fellow!
But there is another option! How often do you think about buying an ‘experience’ gift? Life is about collecting experiences and moments and memories. At the end of the day these are far more important than ‘things’. Our brains are like living scrapbooks. They collect moments in time, frame them, and revisit them constantly. We can derive happiness from these memories years after they are made, and we can enjoy them in a way we can never enjoy material things.
2020 has been a year like no other. Never has there been a time when a bit of fun and adventure are very much needed to lift spirits and bring joy. Did you know that having more fun in our lives can benefit our mental health in lots of different ways? And if you have good mental health, you’re far more likely to have good physical health as they go hand in hand.
If you’re stuck on what to buy the man in your life this Christmas, why not opt for an experience you know they’ll love? RedBalloon has you covered with a Christmas gift guide for the men in your life. There are A LOT of experiences to choose from so I have selected a few of my favourites, a couple that family members have experienced, and some popular choices to help give you some ideas.
For his 60th birthday, ‘the tennis player’ (aka hubby) was gifted, from his siblings, laps around a race track as passenger by an experienced race car driver. He loved it and has some photographs and videos, and of course fun memories and stories to tell!

Brisbane Story Bridge Climb
My brother-in-law was gifted a Brisbane’s Story Bridge Climb a while back when he turned 60. He has a fabulous professional photograph as a reminder of the experience.
It doesn’t have to be a ‘Driving experience’ or a ‘Bridge Climb’ though, it can be an experience to match the person and what they enjoy. Here are some experience categories you can find on RedBalloon which makes the search for the perfect gift a little bit easier:
- A Flying experience
- A Wining and Dining experience
- A Getaway experience
- An Animal experience
- A Cruise experience
- A Spa & Wellness experience
- An Adventure Sports experience
- A Water Sports experience
- An Outdoor Activities experience
- An Entertainment & Culture experience, or
- A Learning experience
Experience gifts are a great idea for when a bunch of you would like to go in together on a gift for someone. It’s a great idea for siblings to go in together on a gift for another sibling or for a parent for example. You may like to buy your son an experience gift, or for your son and daughter-in-law! It’s also a great gift idea for your significant other, and you know what, there’s always the option of buying an experience gift for the both of you so that you can experience something special together and create lifelong memories.
Here’s a glimpse at some popular gift choices to help give you some ideas!
- Dining out
- Hot air ballooning
- Romantic getaways
- Glamping
- Wine tasting
- Indoor skydiving
- Helicopter flights
- High Tea
- Cruises
- Shark diving

Hot Air Ballooning
Those are some great gift ideas there in the popular gift choices list! Of course, we all know that though you’ve bought an experience gift for the man in your life, it may also become a cheeky gift for you too! I’m all down for dining out and some wine tasting, would love to do some glamping, and I’ve always had a secret desire to do some indoor skydiving cos let’s face it, I’m too chicken to ever do the outdoor variety of skydiving! However, if you know someone who is brave and adventurous, the outdoor type makes a perfect gift.

Indoor Skydiving
RedBalloon have unique and amazing experiences to share or gift from around Australia. Here’s where you can see a huge range of experience Christmas gift ideas for men, and of course many of these would be enjoyed by women as well and there are many more women-specific options that a simple search will find.
Look, just quietly, and if anyone reading this is buying for me, apart from those I mentioned above (especially the glamping), I’d choose (surprise, surprise) an Animal Experience. My ultimate dream is to spend time in an Orangutan orphanage in Borneo, but if I were to choose an Animal Experience in Australia, I honestly would struggle to choose just one. They all look fabulous! I’d love to swim with the dolphins and seals on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. I’d love to go horse riding along Rainbow Beach here in Queensland, and I’d love some of the farm experiences, and many more!
If you’re not sure what experience gift to choose, that’s not a problem, you can let your loved one choose their own experience by gifting them a RedBalloon Experience Gift Voucher, or e-Gift Card.
Another positive thing about purchasing experience gifts for Christmas this year is the fact you’d be supporting a local Australian business and let’s face it, everyone in business could do with a little support in 2020, don’t you agree?
Collect moments rather than things. Moments get away. ~ Matthew Knisley
Do you find men hard to buy for too? What kind of experience gift would you choose for yourself? Happy Christmas Gift shopping!
Ciao for now,
This post is linked up with Denyse Whelan Blogs for #LifeThisWeek 30/11/2020
26 Comments
My husband can’t do ifly anymore (neck injury) but I’m MAD for it. It’s elating!!! That would be my pick!
ifly is the indoor skydiving I suspect? I think I would LOVE it!
I would choose the indoor skydiving. Is that ifly that Lydia mentions? Is there one at Chermside? I certainly like the idea of an experience, particularly as we get older and need less ‘stuff’. Though I think my mother is buying me a new letterbox for Xmas / birthday so….
Hi Deb, yes I think it is the iFly that Lydia mentions. I’d love it too. I imagine it’d be a wonderful weightlessness sensation. I agree that the older I get, the more I value experiences and moments much more than things. A letterbox for Christmas is an interesting gift but I bet it’ll be a beauty! LOL I’m sure she’ll stuff it full of goodies for you! 🙂
It is, and it’s AWESOME! (Back for #Lovinglifelinky)
I bet it is!
I love experience gifts because spending time with your loved ones is so important. Men are hard to buy for but experience gifts are a great idea. My husband would love any of the adrenaline junkie experiences while I love spa treatments or romantic dates together.
I agree Christina. You realise this even more so when you’ve lost a loved one. I think an experience gift is such a great idea for men who can be so hard to buy for! I’m with you on the spa treatments and romantic outings!
Hi Min – I’m amazed at the variety RedBalloon has to offer. There really is something for everyone – in fact I think there might be a lot of something(s) for everyone – I’m not a racecar enthusiast but man, those lovely weekend retreats would be amazing. And I know my husband would love to do the indoor parachuting thing.
Hi Leanne – they sure do offer a huge variety and assortment of options to cater for everyone’s taste and interests. I’m not the most adventurous but I love discovering new places, love some pampering, adore animals and nature so there’s plenty of options there for me and heaps for the males in my life too!
We climbed on board the “experiences not things” bandwagon a while back, we even do it for the dog! We favour shared experiences only because in this busy world, time spent together is as precious as the memories we create. The other thing about gifting an experience is that it’s perfect for the man (or woman come to that,) who has everything! So many wonderful ideas here, I will have to investigate further 🙂
That is one spoilt little doggie you have there Sammie (and rightly so – he is so cute)! I agree that time together creating memories are invaluable. I know this even moreso since losing my Dad. I think experience gifts are a fantastic option. Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. x
Fabulous ideas Min, and I agree, men can be so hard to buy for! The idea of giving experiences is great for creating memories – I love the look fo some of these. Thanks for sharing #lifethisweek
Thanks Deb. Yes men can be so hard to buy for can’t they?! After looking through all these experience options it’s got me really wanting to get out and about doing fun things and having fantastic experiences. It’s been quite the year and a bit of fun is much needed. x
A great post with lots of ideas there Min. We are way past ‘experiences’ (I did climb the Harbour Bridge about 19 years ago when my SIL had to forfeit her place so I joined my Dad, bro and his fam) …and stopped gifts ages ago for adults…but I know some people in my life would love an experience that is a ‘fast paced one’.
Thank you so much for linking up this week for #lifethisweek. We are nearly at the end of 2020 and only a few optional prompts left! Next week is 49/51 Lucky 7.12.2020. Hope to see you there. Denyse.
Denyse there are lots of experiences you and your hubby could enjoy! There are dining experiences, getaways, animal experiences etc. They’re not all high adventure/face paced types. It’s hard to believe 2020 is nearly over. It’s been a trying year. I do hope 2021 is a better one! xo
Great ideas! I still have not settled on a gift for my husband. He is into bush walking and camping at present.
Ahhhh by the sounds of things there would be heaps of experience gifts that would appeal to your husband!
Thanks, Min, for sharing these fabulous gift ideas. Experiences for sure. As adults, most of us have stuff to reduce, and not to accumulate more stuff. #lifethisweek
I agree Natalie! We accumulate way too much ‘stuff’. I’m always trying to declutter. xo
Men ARE harder to buy for than women. I love the idea of getting experience gifts. I would much rather give (and receive) a wonderful memory than a thing. Great tips. Thank you!
Thanks and I agree Laurie. I’ve received too many ‘things’ over the years that I really don’t need or want and they just end up in a drawer. I’d much rather enjoy an experience which becomes a wonderful memory.
Great post Min and great ideas.
Experience gifts are my favourite kind of gifts. In fact, for the third year in a row my sister in law and I are organising an experience gift for EVERYONE in the extended family. First year it was jet boating in Sydney Harbour, second year it was ziplining through Jamberoo Mountain, this year … well … it’s a secret.
I’ve done the bridge and the hot air ballooning and for my 50th I got the race car driving experience. I haven’t done it yet due to Covid. Soon though. Weirdly those things appeal more to me than they do to my husband.
I still don’t know what to buy him. If I get him an experience he’ll want the entire family to do it too … so ….that’ll quadruple the cost … hmmmm.
More undies I suppose ?
LOL.
PS Merry Christmas xoxo
Thank you and the same to you! Merry Christmas back at you! xoxo
Wow Leanne you’ve done some great and fun things! I think experience gifts are fabulous too! Book that race car driving experience in and enjoy, and good luck working out what to get hubby. Don’t resort to undies! lol