The Low-Stress Gifting Shift: Data Proves Material Presents Are Out and Cosy Experiences Are In

It’s official! The secret to a cracking Christmas isn’t expensive perfume, a voucher for a hot air balloon ride or (anything but this) yet more ‘hilarious’ novelty socks. If there’s one thing we know about at ClassBento, it’s the world of experience gifts, and what we can tell you is that more people than ever are choosing to swap the same old material presents for something much sweeter. 

With gift sales for the first nine months of 2026 up a whopping 92% compared to the same period in 2025, it’s clear that buying ‘things’ is out and sharing nourishing, heartwarming experiences is very much in. That said, gifting stress is still real: our own research showed that more than half of people feel anxious when thinking about buying presents, and more than a quarter have considered cancelling Christmas altogether. At ClassBento, we think treating your favourite people shouldn’t leave you feeling frazzled during the festive season – which is why we’re here to guide you through the low-stress gifting shift that will make this your best yuletide yet!

5 ways to fight the festive gifting wobbles

Starting to get a bit jittery over the gift list? You’re not the only one! Our research showed us that:

• 83% of people feel relieved when the gift shopping is done
• 67% are finding it harder and harder to choose gifts at all
• 77% of people prefer it when recipients tell them what they want
• 75% think that Christmas has become too focused on buying material ‘things’
• 55% love giving gifts – but hate choosing them.

If any of these sound like you, don’t worry! Here’s five simple ways to calm those nerves and turn your shopping experience from the nightmare before Christmas to a winter wonderland!

1. Ask! 

With over three-quarters of people secretly hoping for clear instructions, don’t play the guessing game – it’s unnecessary stress! If asking outright feels too direct, try categories instead: "What's a book you’ve been dying to read?" or "What's something you’ve always wanted to try?"

2. Shift from "stuff" to shared experiences

When so many people feel the season has become too bogged down by physical clutter, the easiest solution is to stop wrapping boxes and start gifting memories! Experiences don’t necessarily mean racing around a track in a supercar or taking off in a hot air balloon – they can be as simple and budget-friendly as:

• Tickets to a comedy night, concert, or theatre show
• A pass to a local pottery studio or cooking masterclass
• A subscription box for coffee, craft beer, or audiobooks
• Planning a future day trip together where you pick up the tab for lunch

3. Use the ‘Rule of Four’ framework

Decision fatigue sets in when the options are infinite, so narrow the playing field using the popular four-gift formula:

1. Something they want (from their wish list or bucketlist)
2. Something they need (a quality replacement or practical upgrade)
3. Something to wear (cosy winter wear, a fun accessory)
4. Something to read (a novel, biography, or independent magazine)

Having clear guidelines instantly cuts down the endless scrolling and second-guessing!

4. Switch to a Secret Santa or themed group exchange

Buying for eight different relatives or friends is a one-way street to festive burnout and a lighter bank balance – which definitely won’t leave you feeling merry or bright! Suggest moving group gifting to a Secret Santa swap with a reasonable budget cap, which allows everyone to pour their thought, effort, and budget into one genuinely great present. 

5. Delegate the decision making with the ClassBento gift picker

Still not sure? You need to pass the responsibility of deciding what to buy along to someone else – like your very own personal shopper! Especially designed for people who suffer with decision making fatigue, the ClassBento gift picker will help you choose the perfect present for your mum, mate or date in seconds. Simply:

• Choose between virtual experiences or in-person workshops
• Select their interests (or choose 'everything' if you're really stumped)
• Decide on your budget

Finally, hit 'get gift ideas' and you'll be presented with a personalised page of workshops, classes and experiences that we know they'll love. It's the perfect secret weapon for flawless gift giving – and don't worry, we won't tell if you don't!

ClassBento experiences vs. generic activities

So you've decided on an activity instead of a material gift – you're in great company, as almost half of people we surveyed valued an experience over a physical present. If you're trying to pick between an adrenalin day or spa retreat and a workshop experience, check out our handy comparison table below to get the full low down. 

9 gift days for Christmas that work as the main event

Struggling to work out what they'd like most? We've paired 9 personalities with their ideal gifts to help you out – from pasta making to axe welding, there's something for everyone!

1. For the wannabe MasterChef who already has every kitchen gadget

You know they love:

• Trying new local restaurants and cafes on a weekend
• Buying the latest cookbooks
• Rewatching old episodes of their favourite cooking shows

We think you should treat them to:

• A fresh pasta class with bottomless prosecco, from £70, Isle of Dogs in London
• A sourdough bread, pizza and foccacia workshop, £120, Highgate in London
• A lacto-fermentation class, £115, Longhope in Gloucestershire
• A chocolate truffle making class, £48, in Salford, Manchester

My girlfriend got me this amazing masterclass as a birthday present, and honestly it was by far the best gift I could have wanted. I’ve wanted to get into patisserie for a while now but never did it myself, and I’m so glad my girlfriend decided to treat me to it. The masterclass by Valeria was spectacular from beginning to end; not only did we bake some amazing pastries, but also had a great laugh with everyone who attended. Thank you for such a great experience! Askenova Denara, French patisserie baking class, London

2. For the chronic plant rescuer and nature lover

You know they love:

• Spending Saturday tending to their (extensive!) plant collection
• Poring over gardening books and herbal remedy guides
• Wandering in the woods, identifying cool plants and fungi (and sometimes bringing them home for dinner!)

We think you should treat them to:

• A terrarium masterclass, £80, Coal Drops Yard in London
• A preserved moss art workshop, £75, Coal Drops Yard in London
• An Urban wild food foraging class, £30, Kirkby in Liverpool
• A winter wreath workshop, £65, Dennistoun in Glasgow

3. For the quiet crafter who craves offline calm

You know they love:

• Turning down the pub on a Friday evening to cosy up with their crochet or knitting and a good boxset
• Reading about the history of traditional and heritage crafts
• Rewatching Bill Bailey's Master Crafters and planning which skills they're going to learn next

We think you should treat them to:

• A charcuterie board woodworking workshop, from £110, Park Royal in London
• An 11th century embroidery workshop, from £40, Deptford in London
• A pottery throwing taster class, £68, Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham
• An introduction to stained glass workshop, £150, Falkirk in Scotland

This class was gifted to me by my friend on my birthday, and was one of the best presents I've received! We had an amazing time – Brandon was incredible; very patient, funny and accommodating to all of his students. I would highly recommend that everyone take this class! Dionne Torres, Kintsugi pottery class for beginners, London

4. For the homebody who wants an ultra cool interior

You know they love:

• Rummaging in vintage and antique shops to find quirky pieces to take home
• Creating gallery walls full of unique art, photography and wallhangings
• Spending hours organising their Pinterest boards for home decor inspiration

We think you should treat them to:

• A terrazzo plant pot casting class, £65, various locations in London
• A punch needle workshop, from £40, Kingston Upon Thames in London
• An mini macrame plant hanger workshop, from £25, various locations in Bristol
• An aromatherapy candle making class, from £54, Eccles in Manchester

5. For the style enthusiast who loves a DIY project

You know they love:

• Transforming tired charity shop bargains into something fabulous
• Spending Saturday painstakingly organising their wardrobe and accessories
• Searching street markets for cool vintage and one-off finds

We think you should treat them to:

• A unisex leather harness workshop, from £155, Eltham in London
• A Japanese clothes mending class, £35, Walthamstow in London
• A polymer clay earring workshop, £35, Shepton Mallet in Bath
• A silver ring making workshop, £86, Ramsbottom in Manchester 

This was one of the most enjoyable things I've done in a long time! I purchased a class for my sister and I, and it was a great decision – not only is it an experience (which I would argue are the best gifts!) but you get a gorgeous unique ring to take away. Denna is a kind, patient and funny teacher! She is amazing at making the class feel accessible AND fun. Caitlin, Textured silver ring making workshop in London

Suggested experiences

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Manchester

Birmingham

Bristol

Edinburgh

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6. For the restless adventurer who can't sit still

You know they love:

• Getting their hands dirty and diving headfirst into the action
• Testing their reflexes, stamina, or concentration with high-energy, tactile challenges
• Ticking off new, offbeat skills they can talk about at their next social gathering

We think you should treat them to:

• Archery in the countryside, £30, Kelston in Bath
• A Bushcraft workshop, from £40, Fishponds in Bristol
• A Blacksmithing axe making class, £250, Newbridge in Edinburgh

7. For the burnt-out creative longing for guilt-free "playtime"

You know they love:

• Making something purely for the joy of it—without a client brief, deadline, or metric in sight!
• Getting their hands super messy with a new craft
• Silencing their inner perfectionist for an afternoon of zero-pressure creative heaven

We think you should treat them to:

• A neon life drawing class, from £19, Westminster in London
• An acrylic paint pouring workshop, from £38, Clerkenwell in London
• An eco resin homeware class, from £35, various locations in Bristol
• A mini rug tufting workshop, £69, Southern Gateway in Manchester

8. For the culture lover who dreads daytime crowds

You know they love:

• Slipping behind the velvet rope for after-hours private views, secret archives, or quiet gallery "lates"
• Immersive, atmospheric lighting – think candlelit chamber concerts, twilight courtyard tours, or dimly lit darkrooms
• Soaking up art, history, or niche trivia at their own unhurried pace without having to peer over a wall of selfie sticks

We think you should treat them to:

• A night street photography class, £249, Northern Quarter in Manchester
• A photography darkroom experience, £67, Newington in Edinburgh
• A historic walking tour and beer tasting (private bookings available), £46, Old Town in Edinburgh

9. For the peaceful introvert who just wants quiet luxury

You know they love:

• Soothing spaces with no sensory overload, small group sizes, and no forced small talk
• Slow, deliberate rituals that engage the senses
• High-quality, understated craftsmanship – their handmade ceramics collection is their prized possession

We think you should treat them to:

• A traditional Chinese tea ceremony, from £115, Greenwich in London
• A perfume making workshop with essential oils, from £49, various locations in London
• A herbal tea blending workshop, £45, Windsor in Slough
• A herbal sachet making class, £19, Newington in Edinburgh

Swap traditional stocking stuffers for something more exciting

Stocking filler gifts are notorious for being the landfill of Christmas morning: plastic novelty desk toys, miniature board games, and tiny bottles of hand cream that get buried in a drawer until next December. Swapping mass-produced knick-knacks for small, micro-experiences means you can give them a surprise to look forward to – that won't waste your money or harm the planet. We think that's a win-win!  Here are five clever ways to embrace the low-stress gifting shift for a stocking that's filled with love (and not rubbish!):

1. The "Golden Ticket" voucher envelope

Skip the bulky gift bag and tuck a mini envelope between the satsuma and the chocolate coins. Inside, slip a printed card or handwritten invite for a bite-sized local workshop – think a 90-minute tea blending session, a drop-in pottery taster hour, or a beginner’s terrarium build. It fits into the toe of a sock, weighs nothing, and gives them an offline weekend plan ready to redeem in January!

2. The tool-and-ticket teaser

Pair a physical clue with the printed voucher of the class or workshop you're sending them to, and then tuck it into their stocking. You could try:

• A wooden pasta cutter rolled up with an invite to a fresh tortellini masterclass

• A pair of jeweller’s snips tied to a ring-carving workshop pass

• A bamboo whisk paired with a matcha-tasting session

They get to unwrap a gift and look forward to a fun day out once the excitement of the festive season is over – what's not to love?

3. A multi-stop "Mini-Date" token

Create a DIY bespoke voucher which can be redeemed against a series of micro-adventures throughout the festive season and into the New Year. Think:

• "One late-night bakery visit, my treat"

• "One retro arcade or crazy-golf match"

• "One Sunday museum walk finished with coffee and pastries"

• "One BYOB paint and sip workshop, I'll bring the drinks"

4. Raw ingredients with a built-in masterclass

Shopping for a tasty stocking stuffer for a keen chef? Tuck a single artisan ingredient into the toe that unlocks a in-person culinary session. Slip in a pouch of specialty botanicals tied to a voucher for a gin-distilling workshop, an artisan bag of coffee with a barista masterclass, or organic cocoa nibs with a chocolate-tempering class. The tasty item sparks their appetite; the booked date ensures they actually learn how to transform it!

5. An offline workshop pass

For friends or partners who always promise they’ll "get around to trying something new eventually," gift a single-entry pass that turns 'some day' into 'today'. Look for low-commitment, walk-in social activities that don't demand full-weekend dedication: an evening bouldering shoe-hire pass, a ticket to a candlelit indie cinema screening, or an entry wristband for a board game parlour. It’s an instant antidote to post-Christmas sofa lock!

Embrace the low-stress gifting shift and trade the clutter for connection

The numbers don’t lie: the traditional festive pressure cooker – the silent financial drain, the endless guesswork, and the panic of buying material "things" just to have something wrapped beneath the tree – is quickly losing its appeal. Most of us don't need another novelty gadget collecting dust or another frantic shopping dash on Christmas Eve. We just want to give something meaningful without the festive wobbles that usually come with it!

Leaning into this low-stress gifting shift isn't about giving less; it’s about choosing better. Replacing mass-produced clutter with a fun masterclass, a slow afternoon of pottery, or a shared bowl of fresh, hand-rolled pasta turns a fleeting Christmas morning moment into a lasting memory you can look forward to well into the New Year.

This festive season, give yourself permission to step off the high-street conveyor belt. Pick an experience, spark their curiosity, and give the gift of genuine, cosy connection – no guesswork, no buyer's remorse, and nothing ending up in landfill!