How to Gift an Experience

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Groupon Gift Shop for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. #GiftGroupon

I’m gifting experiences this season. There are so many fun components to this idea, but how to gift an experience so that it is presented in a unique and fun way has been a highlight. The other benefits to this concept is that you are helping to create lasting memories while not filling up lives with more stuff. If you want to see more creative ways to gift an experience, I hope you’ll check out my DIY snow globes as well as my DIY helipad. Groupon has been a great way for me to find fun experiences and great deals to gift.

I chose a super unique experience that I get to gift to friends this year. The fun part about this is that my husband and I will be joining our friends in what is called “Trapped in a Room with a Zombie,” which is an experince from Room Escape Adventures. Listen to this experience:

“For one hour, up to 12 participants are trapped in a room as a zombie snarls in the corner, trying to break free from its chains. Together, the adventurers must untangle puzzles and gather clues hidden throughout the room to find the one key that grants them freedom. Every five minutes, the zombie’s chains grow longer, and if show-goers come in contact with it, they must sit out for the rest of the performance and only communicate with their team members verbally.”

How cool is that? I just love puzzles, problem solving and trying to figure out clues. This sounds like a scene from a movie, and I am really excited to take part in such a unique adventure with friends.

The next challenge is how to gift this experience in a unique way. I wanted to play off the theme of trying to open a locked door. I thought a fun way to present the gift would be in a locked box. However, it would be way too easy to give the receiver the key. I couldn’t possibly do just that. Rather, I decided to lock the box and then provide my friend with a bunch of keys so that they have to put a bit of effort into seeing their gift. Although this concept fits really well with this particular experience, it would be a fun way to give any Groupon gift or gift card.

Materials Needed to Gift an Experience in a Locked Wooden Box

Below, affiliate links have been added for your convenience.

Wooden Box with Locking Mechanism (I found mine at my local craft store.)
Little Lock and Key
A Variety of Other Keys (I found this collection on Ebay.)
Chain Extenders (found in the jewlery section of craft store)
Gold Plate Large Ear Hoop or Other Small Ring for Keys (found in jewlery section of craft store)
Creative Woodburner
Small Nail or Rounded Thumb Tack
Pencil
Printed Groupon

How to Make a Locked Wooden Box Gift Giving Experience

Print out your Groupon and add it to the box. I had a bunch of extra keys left over, so I put all of those into the box as well to add to the mystery, weight and feel of the box.
Lock the box with your padlock.
Beat up your brand new key a little bit. I had aged keys, so I wanted the sparkling new one to look used. I buried it in dirt, sanded it and used a meat mallot to try and disguise it as old.
Add your key collection to your hoop and put on the chain extender. Attach the chain extender to the box using a small nail or a rounded thumb tack.
Write your message on the top of the box in pencil so you have guidelines for your wood burner. I made sure to find my center point and center the letters well.
Using your woodburner, trace your written words. I had never used a woodburner before, and it was fairly easy to use. I used the cone point tip. I tested on the bottom of the box to make sure I understood the right pressure and speed to work.

Our friends had a lot of fun opening up the gift, and I’m convinced we are going to have a lot more fun actually going on this experience together. I hope you are inspired to creatively give the gift of an experience to one of your loved ones.

Did you know that on Groupon you can find things to do in your city and around the world, goods, services and even coupons for men, women and children? There are great discounts to be found at Groupon, so I hope you’ll check out the option for your own gift giving experience.