7 Best Alternative Gifts for Her in 2026

When it comes to that special lady in your life, we're here to help you discover gift experiences for her that are as special and unique as she is. A great way to show her you care is getting her an experience gift for something she’s always wanted to do. 

Whether you're looking for Valentine's gifts for her, birthday present ideas or Christmas gifts, our 2026 range of creative workshops and classes is here to help you surprise her with something special! 

Whatever she's interested in, there are loads of workshop experiences and craft kits to spoil her with - whether you're buying for your mum, wife, girlfriend, best mate or another family member! Choosing an experience as a gift for the lady you're buying for is a great chance for you to connect and enjoy some quality time together - go along to the creative experience you choose as a pair or with other friends and family and make her day really special!

Let us help you find that special gift for every woman in your life. With this list of alternative gifts for her, you’ll be spoilt for choice!

1. A paint and sip party makes a great gift for artsy gals

Inspire her imagination with some paint and brushes in a fun paint and sip workshop. A far cry from more formal art lessons, this experience is more about having fun and learning to paint in a relaxed environment where creativity is encouraged. You can also enjoy a little tipple as you make your masterpiece!

It’s a joyful and artsy activity and it’s a great experience gift for her if you know she’d enjoy some new fun things to do in London, Birmingham or dozens of other cities across the UK. She'll also pick up some nifty painting skills with help from amazing teachers, so she can keep on picking up that paintbrush when she needs a positivity boost.

If you need any more convincing, check out what customer Makayla had to say about her experience at the Paint and Drink Workshop with Liquid Art in Milton Keynes:

This was my first ever Sip and Paint event and it was fantastic! The atmosphere was fun and friendly with great music in the background. Rebecca provided excellent guidance and I came away with a lovely piece of art that the family have deemed good enough to hang in the hallway!

If you want to make a day of it, arty gifts for alternative girls don't get better than a paint party. Our 2026 range of art classes and paint and sips are perfect gift experiences for her in London, Manchester, Birmingham and everywhere in between. At a sip and paint class, your lucky recipient will learn to paint in a fun and friendly environment - paint and sips take place in cosy studios, upbeat pubs and restaurants or comfy community venues. At one of these painting classes, you're guided to paint your own artwork, following a teacher step by step in a group setting. All whilst sipping on a tasty drink - alcoholic or non-alcoholic, the choice is yours. Everyone heads home with their own art to keep - it's a great gift experience to enjoy as part of a gathering of friends and family! 

2. A clay hand building pottery class is a mindful gift

Pottery making is so useful for relaxing as it is a great stress reliever. If you know a certain gal who needs a break, a pottery kit as a gift experience for her could really help. It comes full of all the clay and tools one could ever need to create some stunning DIY home decor. 

This craft is such a productive thing to do at home as it is very beneficial to mental health. It’s vital that we all take time away from our stress to do something fun, and pottery at home can give her some peace.

Mugs, plates, vases and more could be added to her collection. All she needs is a pottery making kit and an informative online class. 

If you fancy getting involved in some pottery making with the lady you're buying for, why not treat you and her to a soothing clay hand building class or wheel throwing workshop. With pottery making classes in London, Edinburgh and everywhere in between, there are loads of options for pottery-based gift experiences that any creative gal would love! 

3. Chocolate making classes in the city are ideal gifts for women

A box of chocolates is a classic gift for anyone, but let’s upgrade that a little bit! Try out a chocolate experience gift for her this year for something that's truly memorable.

With chocolate making classes in London, truffle making workshops in Manchester, tasty dessert sessions in Edinburgh and plenty more chocolate-making workshops everywhere else in between, there are loads of yummy cocoa-filled classes to surprise the girl you're gifting! Need birthday present ideas for mum or options for anniversary gift experiences for your partner? Try chocolate making! Go along with her and learn to make chocolates...you'll head home with tons of goodies to enjoy.

When you need alternative Christmas presents, there's nothing like decadent chocolate and quality time during the festive period. Spending time with a loved one is a gift experience for her she can't resist! You can learn to make all sorts of yummy confectionery from truffles to praline, lollipops and more. The perfect alternative gift for those with a sweet tooth and a great gift for bakers too – as our lovely customer Karen found out in her Chocolate Truffle Making Class in Leeds with the Chocolate Collective:

The workshop was a birthday treat from my brother as he knows I like baking. Although I was on my own I felt part of the group. The chocolatier explained each stage, showing us what to do and didn't hurry us. She gave us ideas for different flavours as well. Who knew it was so easy to make delicious chocolate truffles. Thank you.

Chocolate making is so easy to learn, and you get to be a bit creative with the fillings and toppings too. There are plenty of vegan options available if you have someone who wants to avoid dairy. So if you want some chocolate gifts for her, forget that last-minute box of chocolates from the petrol station; she can be her own chocolatier this time!

For plant-loving gals, check out our top floral gifts for her here.

4. Tufting classes make brilliant gifts for the interior design buff

If she's keen on sprucing up her space with some tactile textiles, tufting classes in the UK are a brilliant option as alternative gifts for her. A stimulating and satisfying craft, rug tufting utilises special hardware, including tufting guns and frames, to create rugs and other home furnishings with bold, brightly coloured yarn.

Tufted rugs are also flexible and versatile enough to be made in the shape of anything she desires, from cute cats to inspiration phrases, cartoon characters to spooky skulls – they're like tattoos in textile form! If that sounds like the kind of thing she'd be into, tufting workshops in London, Brighton or cities across the UK would be ideal gifts for the woman who has everything.

5. Get her some self-care with soap making kits or perfume making classes

Beauty gifts for women are a popular option when you need a present for your lovely lady. You could go for store-bought bath bombs, body butter or sweet smelling soaps. If you want an even more personalised and hands-on gift, get her a soap making workshop and kit!

Her homemade soaps can be personalised with essential oils, decorations and colourings, making it extra exciting. This creative DIY project will pretty up her bathroom as well as giving her soft, clean skin. It’s a great way for her to unwind and play with great smells and soap designs. This is a gift experience for her that just keeps on giving.

Alternatively, surprise her with a perfume making class as a special gift for her. Wherever you are in the UK, you'll find a sweet smelling workshop to surprise her with! Go along with her and learn to make your own perfume together, it's a really fun activity and you'll head home with a bottle of handmade perfume filled with natural ingredients.

6. Candle making classes will light up her life

Who in the world doesn’t want more candles?! Rather than the ones from high street shops, why not give her a chance to learn how to make candles at home? A DIY candle has a special touch when added to home furnishings, and she can personalise it to fit in with her colour schemes.

When you get her an online class and candle kit she will get to pick essential oils to add some aromatherapy to make each burn even better. As well as the kit, she will get all the other candle making equipment she needs, including wax and wicks and help with how to use it all from friendly teachers.

This alternative gift idea is a wonderful thing to do on a rainy day at home to make her feel warm and cosy.

If you fancy heading out to an in person workshop, treat the girl you're buying for to one of our 2026 candle making classes - wherever you are in the UK, you'll find a cosy, sweet-smelling studio full of essential oils, eco-friendly soy wax and beautiful jars ready to be filled! At a candle making class, you and the person you're buying for will be shown how to make your own candles with guidance from an expert tutor, it's a lovely experience gift for her to try and she'll head home with a brand new handmade candle and lots of new knowledge and skills.

7. Textile DIY crafts to elevate her home and wardrobe

Crafts are great to keep your hands busy and your brain productive so you’re not sitting at home looking for things to do when you're bored. There are loads of different craft classes which cover all sorts of textile arts. They come with craft boxes that are full of all the supplies your favourite lady could ever need to create something beautiful.

Crochet is super easy and great for beginners into the textile world. You can make some cute clothing items or even some stuffed toys. There are always new things to make at home using crochet. Or she might love macrame to make some amazing DIY home decor. It’s great for wall hangings, plant pot holders and even DIY Christmas decorations. Sewing is another great option with so many uses. From fixing broken clothes to making her own pillowcases, learning to sew is always a great choice.

Here's what a lovely mum had to say about being gifted a crochet class from her daughter: 

"My daughter gifted this class for my birthday. I’ve been dabbling with crochet for years and without much success but the tutor Cherry and the great class instruction booklet definitely helped with my understanding the granny square pattern!" – Donna Thirkettle, Beginners' Crochet Class: Granny Squares

Alternative gifts for her: creative ideas she won't expect

So, there you have it – a whole heap of brilliant ideas to ditch the usual and dive into the world of alternative gifts for her. Whether she's a crafty queen, a foodie fanatic, or someone who just loves to try something new, these experiences are all about giving her something truly special. Forget the predictable presents; let's give her memories to treasure! When you're searching for gifts for women who have everything, or just want to surprise someone with something a bit different, an experience is the way to go. From getting her hands mucky with pottery to creating her own signature scent, you're giving her more than a gift – you're giving her a chance to explore, create, and have a whole load of fun. Go on, make her day with an experience she'll be talking about for ages!