Gift for a housewarming, newborn or retirement: an experience instead of stuff
Three occasions, one shared problem: the default gift (a plant, a baby-gift box, gardening tools) feels like it's been given a hundred times already. An experience works better for all three.
Sanne Timmer
Co-founder Toudou
Why these three occasions belong together
Housewarmings, newborns and retirements feel very different, but share the same gifting problem: there's a strongly ingrained default gift (a plant, a baby-gift box, gardening tools) that the recipient has often already received several times. For all three, an experience works as an alternative — it's never a duplicate.
Housewarming gift
Choose something that fits the new phase, not the house itself — a cooking workshop for the new kitchen, a local experience in the new neighbourhood, or a surprise outing to get to know the area. That feels more personal than a decorative object.
Newborn gift (baby gift)
Alongside the classic baby-gift box, an experience for the parents themselves is a strong alternative — in the first months they often need a moment for themselves more than another baby product. A gift voucher for a surprise outing that only needs to be redeemed after a few months works well here: no pressure, but something to look forward to.
Retirement gift
Retirement gifts often come from a group of colleagues — that makes an experience especially suitable, since a shared budget lets you arrange something bigger than adding up separate small gifts. Think of a surprise outing for the retiree and their partner, or a shared send-off moment with the team.
How to choose between these three
Ask about the life stage, not the occasion. Someone who just moved to a quiet neighbourhood might want something relaxing; someone who just retired sometimes wants something active to fill their new free time.
Budget €30–80 per person for an experience gift of this kind, depending on the type and whether it's for one person or a couple.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give an experience as a gift without a fixed date?
Yes — a gift voucher with a validity period of several months gives the recipient room to choose their own timing.
Does this work as a group gift from colleagues?
Yes, this works particularly well for retirements — a shared budget makes a bigger, shared gift possible than everyone giving something small separately.
How Toudou helps with these gifts
Toudou puts together a surprise outing or gift voucher that fits the occasion and budget.
- A personal proposal, with a customer service response within 48 hours on working days
- Gift voucher with a validity period, no pressure to pick a date right away
- Also suitable as a shared gift from a group
Check out the Toudou gift card or start the Surprise Guide.