All I want for Christmas

What do you get the person who has everything? Usually it’s the latest iPhone, expensive perfume or the fallback Takealot voucher so that you can’t be blamed for getting it wrong.

As the cheerful sounds of Feliz Navidade settle over the scenes of frenzied last-minute Christmas shoppers this December, you may want to ditch the panic buying and consider the simple fact that experiences make people happier than things.

Scientists have concluded that experiential purchases provide greater satisfaction because they enhance social relations more effectively than material goods; they form a bigger part of a person’s identity; and they are evaluated more on their own terms instead of being compared to other material purchases.

We did our own bit of research as part of Trafalgar’s efforts to discover the secret to living ‘The Good Life’ and found that 74% of people polled said having experiences was more important than possessing things. I hope the other 26% of people have lots of storage.

So, this December, my gift to you is some sound advice: Say goodbye to keeping up with the Joneses and indulge in some serious retail therapy by giving the gift of travel.

It will never get dusty, outdated or forgotten, it’ll never get re-gifted and you’ll never find it on Gumtree a few weeks after you’ve so generously given it.

With just a few weeks to go before the ‘Big Day’, here are my gifts that keep on giving for…

The Romantic

No surprises here. Italy remains one of the world’s most romantic destinations, whether you take your loved one to see the pastel-clad cliffs of Cinque Terre or wander through the cobblestoned lanes of beautiful Florence. My favourite Trafalgar guided holiday in Italy is the Wonders of Italy where you see Rome, Florence and Venice, as well as such gems as Assisi, Bologna and Verona. Only with Trafalgar, will you get to join the Lenzi family on their Tuscan wine farm for a Be My Guest lunch, Chianti and olive oil tasting, as well as enjoy an exclusive visit up the spiral staircase in the Vatican designed by Donato Bramante.

The Adventurer

Tame your inner adrenaline junkie and head to New Zealand with its Lord of the Rings landscapes, indigenous Māori culture and walk on the wild side. On Trafalgar’s Best of New Zealand, guests visit New Zealand’s adventure capital, Queenstown, where they’ll cross Lake Wakatipu aboard New Zealand’s oldest steamship to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a barbecue meal. They’ll learn about the traditions of the Māori people and indulge in Angie Taylor’s famous pavlova at her home in rural New Zealand.

The Foodie

I figure if you’re a foodie you’re going to want something other than fish and chips, pizza or roast chicken. Give Spiritual Japan a try – this one is packed with adventurous foodie experiences, from indulging in a Japanese-style vegetarian lunch at a monastery inn served by local monks and a traditional tea ceremony, to learning how to make soba noodles and delving into the traditions of the female Ama shellfish divers before tasting the fruits of their hard work.

The City-slicker

The bright lights of New York, Boston, Toronto and Washington DC, among others, feature in Trafalgar’s East Coast USA and Canada trip, which also sees guests discover a simpler Amish way of life, hear the thunderous roar of Niagara Falls, and visit a local family owned winery for a meal and paired wines. This is also a great trip for history lovers as guests get to delve into the revolution history of the United States, as well as the French and English heritage of stunning Quebec City. 

The Culture Buff

Machu Picchu takes centre stage on my pick for Culture Buffs and it is one of the key highlights on Trafalgar’s Land of the Incas trip, revealing the traditions and rituals of new and old. Guests get to stay at the centuries-old Palacio del Inka in the historic heart of Cusco, visit Hacienda Sarapamba to savour Peruvian farm-to-table cuisine accompanied by a Marinera performance, and meet a Shaman who will perform an ancient Pago a la Tierra ceremony. They’ll also visit a local chicheria for a traditional chica tasting, learn about natural dyeing techniques used by native weavers and visit Bodeca El Catador to learn about and taste the country’s finest pisco.

My South African friends and colleagues, who are worried that the rand’s not going to be as giving this Festive Season, can take heart that Trafalgar has fixed the rand exchange rate, so no matter what the rand’s doing, the price of your trip will stay the same.

There you have it. No need to brave the crazy Christmas shopping queues, carol reruns and shopper’s remorse. In fact, you won’t even need to leave the comfort of your couch to find the perfect gift these happy ho…ho…holidays.