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Jennifer Micciche, owner of Designs by Olivia Grey, stands in her shop while holding one of her Taylor Swift themed candles. (File photo)<\/p>\nWhen Jeannine Luby was a teen, her parents took her to see rock icon Tina Turner. Decades later, she took that memory full circle, giving her mother tickets to share an evening at a Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic salute to Turner.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a kind of gift Luby likes to give. \u201cYou\u2019re not creating more stuff for landfills or things people won\u2019t use,\u201d said Luby, a comedian who lives in Scranton. \u201cYou are kind of giving two gifts. You are promising to spend your time with that person, and you can\u2019t duplicate that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Luby pitched the idea of experiences as a good gift on the latest episode of her podcast, \u201cUncorked with Funny Wine Girl.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is a nationwide shift toward giving experiences as holiday gifts, according to TD Bank\u2019s 2024 Merry Money Survey. It said 45% of respondents plan on giving experiences rather than merchandise.<\/p>\n
That includes 55% of people earning more than $100,000 annually.<\/p>\n
There are plenty of local options. Here are some suggestions, with a focus on the new or unusual, as well as insights on the traditional restaurant gift cards.<\/p>\n
Jennifer Micciche, owner of Designs by Olivia Grey, stands in her shop while holding one of her Taylor Swift themed candles. (File photo)<\/p>\n
In the past few weeks, two people have reached out to Sweet Valley photographer Krista Patla to buy a photo session and digital photos for relatives.<\/p>\n
One was a mother who bought two sessions, one for a daughter and one for a son. Another buyer gave it to her parents. They wanted to ensure they had up-to-date photos.<\/p>\n
It struck a chord with Patla. \u201cI wish I had more photos of my dad, back when he was alive,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
She specializes in outdoor shots and can be found on Facebook at KMN Photography.<\/p>\n
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The Art Room in Scranton is among the many local options for giving experiences instead of things for the holidays. It is owned by Cathy Mineo. (Courtesy of Cathy Mineo)<\/p>\n
The Art Room in Scranton sells gift cards for its classes, camps and one-time events for kids and adults, led by Cathy Mineo, who has decades of experience teaching art in schools. \u201cSometimes the creative experiences are just a little better,\u201d she said. Website: theartroomscranton.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are a variety of art offerings in the region. One Luzerne County option is the Back Mountain Makery in Dallas, which has events for adults as well as children. Website: backmountainmakery.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Noteology, a Scranton candle and perfume store, offers DIY sessions and hosts groups. Website: noteology.com.<\/a><\/p>\n For a similar Luzerne County option, Designs by Olivia Grey in Pittston guides customers through making candles, individually, in groups and at themed events. Website: designsbyoliviagrey.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Taking a trolley to PNC Field in Moosic can make a Scranton\/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders minor league baseball game into a bigger occasion. The Electric City Trolley Museum excursions come from Scranton for certain games. The museum runs several other kinds of trips, some aimed at children. Website: ectma.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Everhart Museum in Scranton doesn\u2019t sell gift cards for admission or merchandise. But you can give someone an annual membership, which includes free admission. Website: everhart-museum.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are many regional options for giving tickets as gifts.<\/p>\n That includes getting out of town. Martz Bus sells single-day and multiday bus tours and trips to events, sometimes including tickets. There are regular trip and ticket packages for Broadway shows and shopping trip specials. Website: martzbus.com\/tour-category\/all-tours<\/a>.<\/p>\n Big venues that sell gift cards good toward tickets include the Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre Twp., and the Scranton Cultural Center in Scranton and F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre. Kirby Center memberships can also be given as gifts.<\/p>\n Kirby Center gift cards that have to be shipped should be ordered by Dec. 14. They are sold only at the 71 Public Square box office and by phone: 570-826-1100.<\/p>\n A restaurant gift card is a common way to give an experience. Of all gift card sales, restaurants are the leading category, at 27%, according to the National Retail Federation. Many can be bought online and can be emailed or printed.<\/p>\n Jack Cooper, co-owner of Cooper\u2019s Seafood House in Scranton, said half of annual gift certificate sales come in December. Of those, about half are purchased online. His most common denominations are $50 or $100.<\/p>\n Cooper doesn\u2019t like to talk about sales figures but says gift certificates are \u201clucrative.\u201d<\/p>\n His don\u2019t expire. Cooper\u2019s has redeemed gift certificates from the 1970s and 1980s, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think about it, as you get older, how much stuff do you need?\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n