Unique Christmas & Holiday Gifts

Unique gifts stand out.

Year after year gift-givers wrack their brains to think of what to give that will stand out as the most special gift that the recipient will cherish for years to come. Although it is entertaining and expected to unwrap a gift that can be used immediately, sometimes the gift of promised experience is even better. Gifts of travel, adventure and education may be appreciated by all.

Adventure

Man (or woman) the controls of a real military aircraft and fly a fighter plane for a day in Las Vegas. At upwards of $1400 as of 2011, this gift may be pricey, but memories of hunting, targeting, and eluding the enemy -- all captured on film -- will be lifetime treasures. (http://www.flyajet.com/)

Or, for about a tenth of the price, a flight simulator experience in Anaheim, California (flightdeck1.com), or San Antonio, Texas (flyasim.com), can also be quite exciting.

For a more down-to-earth experience, off-road lessons on driving a Land Rover are available in California, North Carolina, Vermont or Quebec (landrover.com/us/en/lr/experience-land-rover/driving-schools).

Food and Wine

Give a three-hour pizza tour around Chicago. The recipient can take up to 15 people around the historic neighborhoods of Chicago, sampling slices of pizza at each of four pizzerias (chicagopizzatours.com).

Or, sail around Manhattan island on a romantic wine-tasting tour, sampling unusual wines offered by on-board wine experts (zerve.com/SailNYC/Wine).

Lunch cruises create a memorable afternoon in Baltimore Harbor (spiritcruisesbaltimore.com).

The Culinary Institute of America offers two or five-day culinary vacations to hone the gift-recipient's cooking skills in New York, California and Texas (ciachef.edu).

Sports

Indoor skydiving is offered in Nashua, New Hampshire. Give a gift that allows the recipient to float in an indoor vertical wind tunnel for an hour after the 20-minute instruction (skyventurenh.com).

A ride in the passenger seat of a stock car can be the thrill of a lifetime to a gift recipient. Offered in Richmond, Virginia, four to eight laps around the racetrack with a professional driver can exceed 150 miles per hour (racingschools.com/stockcar).

Or give the gift of a private ninja lesson in Bronxville, New York, to the martial arts enthusiast (cloud9living.com/new-york/private-ninja-lessons).

Education

Give a camera and a ticket to the Photo Tour of Boston, which is guided by a professional photographer who points out photo opportunities while teaching how to capture creative photographs (bostontours.us).

Or have your gift receiver learn how to mix, blend or scratch and a bit about music theory in a private lesson with a professional DJ in new York, Miami or Los Angeles (scratch.com).

Relaxation

Over 1,000 day spas nationwide offer gift certificates for everything from massage to teeth whitening. Settings, food and packages can set some apart from others, such as the metaphysical, alternative-healing spas of Sedona, Arizona (sedona.net).

Expert guides take the gift recipient into the sea caves on the kayak tours of La Jolla, California, to experience the sea creatures and kelp-bed beauty (sandiegobikeandkayaktours.com)..

Inspiration

Give the gift of an astrological chart with analysis personally written by a professional astrologer. This can offer insights throughout the year and act as a life guide.

References

• Cloud 9 Living: Christmas Gifts for Men
• Sedona: Sedona Spas - Alternative Healing
• The Culinary Institute of America: Boot Camp