A pretty gift provides a sparkle of excitement, but a new hobby can kick off a much higher level of joy and self-knowledge. This season, we’re making an effort to give more sustainable and more meaningful gifts, and this list of experiential gift ideas is the perfect place to start.

Don’t get us wrong, we ‘re not forgoing clean candles and cute sweaters as gift list go-tos, but for the loved ones on our list who crave something a little more experiential, give them the gift of a new hobby instead. The following ideas are fun if you do it just once, but even better if you dive in and keep practicing…

Wheel Pottery | There’s just something deeply meditative and rewarding about sitting down at a wheel and modeling a functional vessel – with your hands – our of silky, natural clay. Our favorite spot in LA is Still Life Ceramics. Based downtown at ROW DTLA with a new Santa Monica location coming soon, the vibe is just right. You can purchase a one-off class or a monthly membership that gives you unlimited access to clay and glazes.

Homesteading | Up in NorCal, Women’s Heritage leads workshops that teach women how to homestead according to the three founder’s skill sets. The founders include a folk herbalist, and animal specialist and a home cook extraordinaire. See our features on the ladies here. 

Flower Arrangement | Support your local florists and learn a new skill in the process. A quick online search should reveal plant and flower arranging classes in your area. Its a slow and beautiful craft, and a chance to turn nature into art. Swoon over our floral workshops on the site — start with the one shown above.

Breathwork | Breathwork isn’ a hobby per se, but gifting a friend a private session or group workshop can kick off a new passion for it with benefits that will last a lifetime.

Wildcrafting | We’ve been enamoured with WildCraft Studio School in Portland for years. If you don’t live in the PNW, don’t panic — every so often they host workshops elsewhere as well. Check out our feature on their leather sandal class and this ‘it’ bag workshop too.

Bread Baking | It’s an art, its a science, it’s the perfect new hobby for your homiest friend. As baking bread takes several hours, it’s unlikely that you’ll find a class to purchase. Instead, buy your baker-to-be a couple of essential cookbooks (this or this), some key break baking tools, or a live sourdough starter. Better yet, make your own sourdough starter (recipe here!) and gift a piece to your friend.