Willenwood Grove

Tag: gifting

  • 20 Ideas for Experience Gifts

    20 Ideas for Experience Gifts

    You’ve probably got someone in your life who doesn’t want anymore stuff. Most of us have more than we need and the thought of even more stuff is just too much. So what to do for a gift when the occasion for one comes around? If you’re looking for gifts for people who have everything, read on! Experience gifts are a great way to treat those folks who have all the physical items they will ever need.

    Here are 20 ideas for experience gifts for the people who have everything. You can give a gift card to something that they might not have thought to try, or plan an entire outing for the two of you! Depending on where you live (or where your giftee lives), you can find activities and experiences that are unique to your location and climate. 

    Alright, let’s find some experiences!

    20 Ideas for Experience Gifts

    Outdoor summer activities

    Zip lining

    Zip lining is a thrilling way to take in some beautiful views and enjoy the great outdoors. Many ski resorts offer zip lining in the summer, and sometimes year-round. You can also checkout canopy tours, which include exploring the tree tops on elevated footbridges, zip lining, and more!

    Horseback riding

    If you live near a more rural area, you can probably find a stable or farm that offers horseback trail riding. Horseback riding is a relaxing and fun activity that lets you commune with nature and get up close and personal with animals. Be sure to find a stable that offers a lesson or beginner rides if you’re gifting to someone who doesn’t have experience riding.

    State or national parks pass

    The U.S. national parks are home to some incredible natural wonders, and state parks are an amazing way to see the beauty of regional natural areas. Park passes are quite affordable and make great gifts for outdoorsy friends and family. State park passes are awesome for those who like to hike and get outdoors close to home. For people who like to travel, a national parks pass will give them access to over 50 gorgeous parks throughout the U.S. 

    If you’re not in the U.S., there may still be a similar system in your country as well!

    Glamping

    Give the gift of the outdoors in complete luxury by booking a glamping trip! Glamping (glam camping) is a fun way to relax and enjoy nature without the less-than-desirable aspects of camping. You can find glamping options on AirBnB and Hipcamp.

    Canoe or kayak rental

    Few things beats the serene experience of gliding along a calm lake in a kayak or canoe. It’s a wonderful way to get outdoors and enjoy some time on the water. You can see local wildlife, enjoy the fresh air, and get in some exercise. Larger lakes often have rentals available by the hour or day.

    White water rafting

    If you’re looking for a gift for someone who’s always looking for an adventure, a white water rafting trip could be just the thing! Many rafting businesses offer beginner-friendly trips so you can safely experience the thrill of white water! If there is a river near you, see if there are any white water tours available.

    Snorkeling

    If you (or the person you’re finding a gift for) live near beautiful underwater areas, grab tickets for a snorkeling trip! Snorkeling is a great way to explore and experience parts of nature you won’t see everyday. Most snorkeling is available in the ocean, but even if you live inland there may be options!

    Winter activities

    Snowmobile tour

    Snowmobiling trails are usually plentiful in areas where it snows, and there are often businesses which offer snowmobile rentals and tours. In the cold winter months, this can be a great way to get outdoors! For adventurous friends and family, this may be the perfect gift.

    Sled dog tour

    Less common than snowmobile tours, but equally exciting, sled dog tours are another option for experiencing the thrill of travel over snow. Plus, sled dogs are a more environmentally friendly option (and they’re cute)!

    Skating (or roller) rink admission

    Whether you’re more hockey or figure skating, admission to the rink is a fun activity for all ages. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of gliding over the ice. If ice rinks aren’t an option, roller rinks are just as much fun! 

    Ski or tubing tickets

    For the skiers and snowboarders in your life, lift tickets will be greatly appreciated. For everyone else, tubing is the way to go! Many ski resorts offer lift-served tubing, so you can get all the fun of going down the hill without the trudge back up the hill.

    For Nerds

    Escape room gift card

    You’ve got 60 minutes and just the wits of your group to solve the puzzles and find your way out of the room! Escape rooms are a lot of fun and a gift card to a local escape room business makes a great gift for those who love to flex their mental muscles. And since escape rooms are a group activity, this makes an awesome outing for you and whoever you give this gift to!

    Dungeons and Dragon session

    For anyone who loves tabletop roleplaying games, hire a professional GM to run an adventure just for them! You can find pro game masters on startplaying.games. 

    Museum membership

    Your local museum needs support, and your friends and family need a museum membership! Whether it’s a natural history museum, a regular history museum, an art museum, or any other type of museum, a membership makes a great gift. Memberships might also get the holder access to exclusive events at the museum!

    For Adrenaline Junkies

    Trampoline park voucher

    Unless you’re getting this gift for a child, the person you give it to probably won’t have been to a trampoline park since they were a child. Imagine the excitement they’ll have when they realize they can totally go as an adult! Do a backflip!

    Sports game tickets

    For sports fans, tickets to a game are a great option. You could even check out season passes for their favorite team! One of the classic experience gifts, but always a winner.

    Racetrack driving experience

    If you need a gift for someone who channels Sonic the Hedgehog’s ‘gotta go fast’ mantra, driving on a racetrack could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Check local tracks to see if they offer this unique activity. You might also find driving experiences for high-end sports cars, perfect for the car enthusiast in your life.

    Amusement park or water park tickets

    Whether your giftee is getting in line for the biggest roller coaster or finds the lazy river more their speed, tickets to an amusement park or water park are a fantastic gift. After all, these places are specially designed to be a total blast.

    Food-based experiences

    High tea

    This might be a bit of a long shot gift idea, but sometimes you can find restaurants (or even places like the Boston Public Library) that offer high tea. This is a very special, very fancy tea party for adults, and is one of the most fun and unique experience gifts that no one will be expecting.

    Restaurant gift cards

    Find a unique or new (or both) restaurant in the area, and give a gift card. Or, give a few gift cards to the hippest places in town and encourage your friends or family to get out and about for some culinary exploration.

    In Conclusion

    We hope this experience gifts list has given you some inspiration when looking for gifts for people who have everything. Experiences are the spice of life, and giving people the opportunity to try something new is an amazing gift. Thanks for reading!

    Looking for more gifts?

    Check out the rest of our gift guides!

    View articles
  • DIY Cardboard Box Patterns

    DIY Cardboard Box Patterns

    Do you need a box? A box that is a specific size? Do you have cardboard but no box but need a box? Well, guess what: We can show you how to make a DIY box in whatever size you need with whatever pieces of cardboard you have laying around.

    Jump to Clamshell Box Pattern
    Jump to Box with Lid Pattern
    DIY Cardboard Box Patterns

    We have several box patterns for you – a clamshell box and a box with a removable lid. I have devised formulas that will tell you the size of the flat rectangle you’ll need to make a box of the size of your choosing. 

    Here are the formulas:

    A = width
B = length
C = depth

    Choose the size of the box you’d like and assign the appropriate letter to that value.

    For a clamshell-style box, cut out a piece of cardboard that is this size:

    Width = (A*2) + (C*3)
Length = B + (C*4)

    For a box with a removable lid, cut out 2 pieces of cardboard that are this size:

    Width = A + (C*2)
Length = B + (C*4)

    Next, we’ll see how to assemble the whole box.

    How to make a clamshell box

    Materials & Tools

    • Cardboard
    • Scissors
    • Exacto Knife
    • Ruler
    • Pen
    • Craft Glue

    Choose your box size and calculate


    Choose the width, length, and depth of your box. Assign the appropriate value to each letter.

    I’m making a 5in x 5in x 1.5in box, so I will assign A = 5, B = 5, C = 1.5.

    A = width
B = length
C = depth

    Calculate the size of the cardboard you’ll need using:

    Width = (A*2) + (C*3)
Length = B + (C*4)

    For my 5in x 5in box, this comes out to 12.5in x 10in.

    Cut out a cardboard rectangle with your calculated width and length.

    Optional: Cut out a square of cardboard that C x C. This is very useful later on for marking cutting and folding lines for this DIY box.

    Mark and cut out the corners

    Trace a C x C square onto the bottom corners of the cardboard rectangle, two sides of a C x C square onto the exact middle of the edge of the long side of the cardboard, and one side of the square in the top corners. See the first photo for what your marks should look like.

    Connect the squares from the middle and top corners (photo 2). Cut out areas that you just traced (photo 3)

    Mark scoring lines for the bottom of the box

    Mark the lines where the bottom of the box will be cut and scored for folds. Use solid lines to cut and dashed lines to score, using the pattern in the last picture.

    Mark scoring lines for the top of the box

    Mark squares in the top corners of the cardboard that have the dimensions of (C – 1/4). You can cut out a small piece of cardboard this size to trace around. These measurements will make the top of the box a little wider than the bottom, allowing the lid to close. Mark cut (solid) and score (dashed) lines as shown in the photos.

    Score and cut the box

    Score along the dotted lines and cut along the solid lines

    You can now fold up the bottom of the box and make sure everything is working as expected.

    Trim and adjust

    If it’s difficult to fold, cut out a little on the sides of the flaps to make extra room for the folds.

    Fold the box and secure

    Glue (or staple) the small flaps on the front and back sides to the inside of the left and right sides, to keep the box together. For easier folding, fold with the scoring on the outside. Get a smoother look by folding with the scoring to the inside of the folds.

    I found that hot glue does not work very well to keep the box together, so I used craft glue and held the box together with binder clips while the glue dried.

    Tip: If the lid of your box doesn’t stay closed, try scoring the other side of the fold on the back of the box as well. Pinch the fold together to open up the new scored line and help the lid stay shut.

    Use your new box

    Now you have a great new box for whatever you needed a box for! Maybe a gift?

    DIY an Elegant Gift Box

    Elevate and enhance your giving with a custom gift box

    View this DIY

    How to make a box with a removable lid

    Materials & Tools

    • Cardboard
    • Scissors
    • Exacto Knife
    • Ruler
    • Pen
    • Craft Glue

    Choose your box size and calculate


    Choose the width, length, and depth of your box. Assign the appropriate value to each letter.

    A = width
B = length
C = depth

    Calculate the size of the cardboard you’ll need using:

    Width = A + (C*2)
Length = B + (C*4)

    Cut out 2 cardboard rectangles with this width and length.

    Optional: Cut out a square of cardboard that C x C. This is very useful later on for marking your cutting and folding lines.

    Cut out the corners on the bottom

    Trace a C x C square onto each corner of the cardboard rectangle.

    Cut out the corner squares that you just marked.

    Score and cut the bottom of the box

    Mark lines as shown in the photos, and cut solid lines and score along dotted lines.

    You can now fold up the bottom of the box and make sure everything is working as expected.

    Score and cut the top of the box

    Mark smaller squares in the corners of the other pieces of cardboard that have the dimensions of (C – 1/4″). You can cut out a small piece of cardboard this size to trace around. These measurements will make the top of the box a little wider than the bottom, allowing the lid to fit on. Mark cut (solid) and score (dashed) lines as shown in the photos.

    Trim and adjust

    Try folding up the box and lid. If it’s difficult to fold, cut out a little on the sides of the flaps to make extra room for the folds.

    Fold the box and secure

    On both top and bottom, glue (or staple) the small flaps on the front and back sides to the inside of the left and right sides, to keep the box together. For easier folding, fold with the scoring on the outside. Get a smoother look by folding with the scoring to the inside of the folds.

    Use your new box

    Alright! Put some stuff in that DIY box! Need some inspiration?

    Ideas for an Air Plant Gift Box

    Give the gift of beautiful, easy-to-care-for air plants!

    View this guide

    In Conclusion

    Now you have the tools to make a DIY cardboard box in any size you’d like. We hope you enjoyed our article and thanks for reading! Use #willenwoodgrove to show us your creations!