Features

Christmas Gifts With A Twist

30 Sep 2008 by intern11

What do you buy to give someone a truly one-of-a-kind gift? Try an experience to remember, says Christina Kautzky

01. King for a day

Liechtenstein, a tiny European country bordering Switzerland, has a tourism campaign that those with royal dreams might want to think about. Now, individuals can rent the entire country on a daily basis. At US$320 to US$530 per day per person (up to 1,200), groups gain access to hotels, restaurants, meeting places and sports facilities. While there are no official state duties, and Prince Charming (or Princess Charming) doesn’t actually come with the package, there’s nothing quite like being royalty – if only for a day.

www.liechtenstein.li/en


The 13th-century French village of Castelnau des Fieumarcon is high on a hill in the Gascony region, and can be rented out in its entirety to those looking for their own, personal slice of medieval Europe.

www.lagarde.org


02. Give back

What to get for the person who has everything? How about a chance to give back to those who have almost nothing? Volunteer holidays all over the globe are a unique opportunity to see what’s really going on in the world, looking beyond the five-star hotel rooms and fancy fusion restaurants into the lives of those much less fortunate. Companies like Learning Holidays are a good place to start, with networks and contacts of organisations that offer short- and long-term programmes for interested philanthropist adventurers.

www.learningholiday.com


For the more scientifically inclined, help discover how global warming is changing the world on a real expedition into the Arctic. Through a pioneering project led by two professional researchers, participants will help study climate change and its affects on the environment.

www.responsibletravel.com


03. Star on West End

Dance like nobody’s watching and sing like nobody’s listening in a master class held at the refurbished Prince of Wales Theatre in London. The Creative MasterClass Company has joined forces with the producers of MAMMA MIA! and Chicago to allow theatre lovers to learn alongside top West End professionals. Held several times during the year, the three-and-a-half-day courses will teach amateur performers how to perfect original material from the show, at the same pace and to the same standards as the professionals who do it for a living. The course culminates in the participants’ own closed performance for family and friends.

www.thecreativemasterclasscompany.co.uk


04. Let go

There’s no better present than the gift of feeling healthy and happy in mind, body and soul, and a retreat dedicated to the art of personal well-being might be just what the doctor ordered. World-renowned yoga guru Rodney Yee holds retreats nearly once a month at various locations across the US, while earth mother and founder of a new type of vinyasa flow, Shiva Rea has led over 70 retreats around the world to date – her philosophy on life would be a much-loved gift by anyone on your list.

www.yeeyoga.com/sched.php

www.shivarea.com/calendar.php


Then there are those who feel most at peace with the wind in their hair and the adrenaline pumping. In that case, the F1 Driving School in several locations in the UK is the perfect gift, teaching driving aficionados how to manoeuvre like Lewis Hamilton.

www.f1-driving-school.co.uk


05. Winemaking 101

It’s one thing to gift a fine bottle of wine, but quite another to serve wine bearing your own label. For the wine connoisseur who wants to create his own, vineyards like Kings Hill Cellars in Napa Valley allow members to make half or full barrels of red or white across a number of varietals. Whether Sauvignon Blanc or Merlot is your preference, Kings Hill Cellars will provide equipment and consulting and you do the work.

www.kingshillcellars.com


The Private Winery in the Provence region of France gives wine lovers everywhere a chance to own part of a vineyard that produces about 10,000 bottles of local wine per vintage. Just remember – there’s a reason wine isn’t cheap. This gift will cost you about E55,000 (US$82,000).

www.theprivatewinery.com


06. Into the stratosphere

Jet-setter, adventurer, globe-trekker: if the world traveller on your list has been to all seven continents, climbed Mount Kilamanjaro, skied the Matterhorn and explored the hinterland of Mongolia on horseback, what about an out-of-this-world experience? Literally. Sir Richard Branson’s new offering on Virgin Galactic in the US takes wannabe astronauts into the stratosphere for a taste of what it’s like to fly to the moon. But, be prepared to shell out as this gift comes with a hefty price tag: US$200,000.

www.virgingalactic.com


For a less costly option with the same zero-gravity effect, cosmonaut training is available at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre in Moscow. In a series of parabolic manoeuvres, a special plane takes participants (up to 12) on an adrenaline-pumping ride into weightlessness.

www.cosmonautadventures.com/zero_gravity.html


07. Celebrities who lunch

Warren Buffett, Bill Clinton (left), Puff Daddy and Courtney Cox: what do these unlikely celebs have in common? They are all on the auction block, part of the growing list of famous folk willing to sit down with the average Joe and break bread… for a price, of course. Recently, someone paid over half a million dollars to chat to Buffett over steaks in New York City. Clinton commands about US$100,000 for speaking engagements, and a host of other famous people can be found through charity auctions or personal websites, looking to lunch for a good cause. While some celebs may take some work to track down, with a little know-how and a lot of phone calls, the favourite celebrity of your loved one could become a real, live lunch date.


08. Private concierge

Know someone who dreams of having a personal “Girl (or Man) Friday” to sort out concert tickets, get a table at that impossible-to-book restaurant, or fulfil the most outlandish and whimsical dream of a lifetime? Private concierges around the globe offer a range of services to meet the most-demanding client’s needs for business or pleasure, for travel, real estate, wine and dine, or anything else you can imagine. From organising the most exclusive holiday on a private island to seating a budding fashionista next to the catwalk at Paris Fashion Week, these concierge services have seen and done it all and can take care of last-minute needs in cities around the world. Show someone how much you care by giving them whatever they want, whenever they want it, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

www.quintessentially.com

www.conciergeconnection.net

www.vivezlavie.com


09. Haute cuisine

When buying one more cookbook seems like an old, tired gift idea, look to expert chefs to teach gourmands everywhere how to create exquisite dishes at home. Meyjitte Boughenout, who scored two Michelin Stars as head chef of a leading Belgian restaurant, has opened award-winning Absynthe on Australia’s breathtaking Gold Coast, where he hosts master classes for interested cooks. Another Michelin-Star chef, Martin Wishart has opened Cook School by Martin Wishart in Leith, Scotland, where he teaches day-long courses in specialty menus, or a comprehensive master class.

www.absynthe.com.au

www.cookschool.co.uk


Special requests for individual courses by world-renowned chefs at restaurants around the globe – Nobu, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée, and the list goes on – can also be fulfilled by calling the restaurant or hotel directly.


10. Warrior journey

Any number of African safaris promise an up close and personal view of Maasai warriors and tribes. But for a true explorer, there’s nothing like immersing yourself in the tribe itself. Through several eco-friendly companies, participants have the opportunity to become indoctrinated into the Maasai’s ancient cultural practices, rich in ceremony, tradition and ritual. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity gives lucky visitors a chance to learn primitive living skills, survival techniques and the rich ecosystem that the Maasai have maintained in the Serengeti. Life changing and intense, for those who want an authentic experience, this is it.

www.eco-resorts.com/warrior-training.php


The Maasai also run a camp in southern Kenya, Campi ya Kanzi, where guests will live in luxury while playing an active role in conserving the wildlife and cultural heritage of this tribe through a daily contribution and ongoing awareness.

www.maasai.com/luxury_safari_camp.asp

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