Madonna famously once belted out the lyrics “’cause we are living in a material world, and I am a material girl” — but thankfully we are no longer in the excess-crazed eighties, and hopefully have become a tad wiser through the decades.

A fancy bag or sparkling jewels might still do the trick, but research has shown that it is experiences that create the most memorable moments. People bond over shared experiences, especially if they are positive and exciting ones. Without further ado, we’ve put together an experiential gifting list that includes creative and unique experiences for you and your loved ones, from go-karting to jewelry-making and even DJ jam sessions!

Virtual Reality at Sandbox 

Soar above a futuristic Hong Kong, survive a zombie swarm, or battle swashbuckling pirates within the immersive, incredibly realistic and interactive virtual reality worlds at Sandbox. You will feel like you’re in an ultra-realistic video game or movie, with each action mirrored by your avatar in this imaginative world. The futuristic experiences can accommodate up to groups of six, with everyone interacting with one another during the VR session. Our favourite is the Amber Sky experience, where players transform into robots to save a futuristic Hong Kong. Sensory elements such as wind add to the realism factor as your avatar rises into space via a sky elevator, and vests vibrate during alien attacks. Will you be the hero and save your teammates?

4/F, Tern Plaza, 5 Cameron Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, click here to book 

DJ Jam Session at Audiomeleon

Unleash your inner beat and turn up the volume with a DJ jam session with your loved ones. Created by international DJ Emmanuel Diaz, who’ve performed across the globe alongside international artists the likes of David Guetta, Bruno Mars, Madonna, Wiz Khalifa, and will.i.am, Audiomeleon hosts an array of one-on-one classes ranging from beginners to advanced skillsets. Choose from per hour rates to various tiered packages, and start making some sweet, sweet music.

Email here or WhatsApp at 6905 9055 for more details

Jewelry Tour at L’École 

Indulge in the world of all things that sparkle at L’École at K11 MUSEA. The only School of Jewelry Arts outside of Paris, L’École in Hong Kong was established in 2019 with the support of world renowned jewellery atelier, Maison Van Cleef & Arpels. The original Place Vendôme school in Paris was founded in 2012. Both schools share the same ethos of opening the world of savoir-faire jewelry making and the art history of jewels to the general public through tours, courses and video presentations. Book an one-hour tour (free of charge) at the current exhibit, featuring the luminous world of Parisian jewelry Maison Lacloche, spanning 1892 to 1967, or take a deeper dive with a host of classes ranging from art history to jewelry making. And if you want to take a piece of the magic home, you can always drop a sizeable chunk of change at Van Cleef & Arpels…just sayin’.

Click here for more details.

510A, 5F, K11 MUSEA, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 2653-0030

Reve Up Your Engine at 18 Challenge Karting 

If you have the need for speed, then zoom away to your heart’s content at 18 Challenge Karting. This is Hong Kong’s largest indoor go-kart range, featuring 50,000 square feet of space with 18 twists and turns, perfect for unleashing your inner F1 superstar. There’s a professional time-keeping system to make sure your winning statistics are accurately recorded, a themed restaurant, as well as arcade games to keep the adrenaline going off the track.

The Gifts That Keep On Giving

Say It With Flowers

Remind your beloved that you’re thinking about them with fresh floral bouquets delivered directly to their door on a subscription basis every week, or however often you choose. Companies like Vanderbloom, The Floristry, BYDEAU and Lover Florals, just to name a few, offer plenty to choose from to keep your sweetheart smelling even sweeter. Most if not all floral subscription services come with their bouquets already arranged in a decorative vase, so this is really a one-stop shop to impress.

Style Refresh

We know (or hope!) that you dig your other half for more than their good looks, but it never hurts to spoil them with some good up-keeping! Beauty companies like Look Fantastic ships a box of hand-picked beauty goodies every month, so your special someone gets to try out the latest beauty products and trends. Style Theory is a wardrobe and bag rental service that delivers straight to your door, so your other half will never run out of fresh looks to wear.

The Way to the Heart is Through the Stomach 

Who doesn’t love a good meal, or delicious treats to look forward to? For the coffee addict, there’s coffee subscription services like Coffee + Tales, which brings some of Asia’s best micro-brewer beans straight to your door. If you’re looking for a little something for the after hours, wine subscription boxes from Toasst deliver the sommelier experience to your home with an array of unique bottles sourced from across the globe, complete with tasting notes. For the full meal plan package, dig into Nutrition Kitchen‘s delicious, health-conscious menus to make sure your loved one gets three nutritious meals a day with zero hassle.