2025: The Year We Took Back the Spirit of Christmas by Gifting Experiences.

We ditched stuff and gifted experiences. NYC concerts, football weekends, ranch getaways—here's what happened when we chose memories over things.

This was the year we did it differently.

No piles of presents. No frantic shopping trips. No stress about finding the "perfect" gift that'll end up forgotten by February.

We gave experiences instead of stuff—and it completely changed our Christmas.

My husband and I talked it over with the kids back in September and everyone agreed. We'd gift experiences. Real ones. The kind that create stories you tell for years.

To keep Christmas morning alive, we created a "paid and made" exchange—everyone drew names twice. Buy something under $30 for the first person, and make something for the second person.

The freedom that came from throwing away those Christmas catalogs and tuning out the chaos and commercials? Unexpected. Amazing. Liberating.

Here's what our experience-based Christmas looked like.

NYC Weekend: Mother-Daughter Concert Trip

My youngest daughter and I spent a weekend in New York City for her first concert—Sabrina Carpenter at Madison Square Garden. We sang, danced, ate, shopped, walked, and took a million pictures. Flying direct from Chattanooga to LaGuardia made it easy. Staying at Hotel Edison put us right in the heart of Times Square.

Southern Cross Ranch: All-Inclusive Ranch Getaway

My oldest daughter and I just got back from Southern Cross Ranch—an all-inclusive ranch experience with twice-daily horseback trail rides. An incredible experience, complete with three delicious meals a day, bike rides, peace, quiet, and a new skill for me - cantering.

Iron Bowl Weekend: Father-Son Football Experience

My husband and son headed to Auburn for the Iron Bowl at Jordan Hare Stadium. They did the Tiger Walk for the full experience. Auburn lost, but watching the game together and soaking up the atmosphere created memories they'll talk about forever.

What We Learned from an Experience-Based Christmas

Here's what I didn't expect: we may have actually spent less overall than we normally would on a pile of gifts.

But more than that? The stress disappeared. No crowds. No guessing. No returns. Just quality time doing things we actually wanted to do together.

This aligns perfectly with what I do through Tripp Travel—connecting people to places and experiences that matter. I've been telling clients that travel creates memories, but living it with my own family reinforced everything I believe about experiential gifts.

In a unanimous vote, this is how we will celebrate Christmas every year.

Ready to Make 2026 Your Year of Experiences?

If you're thinking about ditching the shopping stress and giving travel experiences to the people you love, I can help.

I design weekend getaways, bucket-list adventures, and all-inclusive escapes that create the stories families tell for years. Whether it's a concert weekend in a major city, a sports experience with your teen, or a ranch retreat that unplugs you from everyday life—I handle the details so you can focus on being together.

Contact me to purchase a travel planning gift card or start planning your family's next experience.