5 days Ago By Eva Wasney
Struggling to find the perfect present at the mall? Weary of Christmastime consumerism? Looking for a meaningful last-minute gift? Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Struggling to find the perfect present at the mall? Weary of Christmastime consumerism? Looking for a meaningful last-minute gift? Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Struggling to find the perfect present at the mall? Weary of Christmastime consumerism? Looking for a meaningful last-minute gift? Experiential gifts can be a balm for givers and recipients alike — offering memories instead of material goods, as well as the opportunity to shop from the comfort of your personal computer. Here are some ideas for local classes, memberships, subscriptions and experiences for five different kinds of giftee. Restaurant gift cards are a solid choice, but why not give the food or drink lover in your life a new set of skills? They might even thank you with a home-cooked meal.
● on Roblin Boulevard has a long list of evening and weekend classes focused on basic cooking techniques and different cuisines. January’s lineup includes sessions on knife skills, sourdough bread baking, sushi rolling and cake decorating. Registration starts at $75.
MIKE SUDOMA / FREE PRESS FILES Patent 5 general manager Callan Anderson and his band of barkeeps offer mixology lessons at the distillery. ● Shake things up with a cocktail class. Local distilleries and both offer monthly cocktail-making courses led by in-house bartenders.
Attendees learn recipes for classic cocktails and how to use different bar tools while sipping and snacking. ● If your loved one prefers eating and drinking at home rather than making and mixing in public, an edible subscription could be the ticket. Most private wine stores in Winnipeg run regular wine clubs and sends out monthly beer boxes.
Or, you could indulge in the Cheese of the Month Club from , featuring three curated wedges. Most subscriptions include free citywide delivery. Whether highbrow or low, Winnipeg has an abundance of cultural venues and nearly every art gallery, theatre and dance company offers some form of membership.
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● The launched a new season pass program this year that provides access to most concerts on the calendar. The pass is pro-rated and available for $240 for the remaining 15 shows; or, you can purchase a punch card for three, five or 10 concerts starting at $69. ● The also offers multi-denominational gift cards, which can be redeemed for tickets to touring acts coming through the Main Street auditorium.
● For $125, you can give the cinephile in your life access to a year’s worth of movie screenings with an unlimited annual pass to . The Exchange District theatre also has a 10-film pass package and memberships starting at $20. ● has a flexible $80 season pass option that includes two tickets to one Friday night show per month from January to October.
Passholders can also trade in their tickets for four admissions to applicable weeknight shows. Send your loved ones into the wilds of Manitoba with some basic survival skills and pre-planned excursions. ● runs guided canoe and rock-climbing trips throughout the province, as well as backcountry skill-building courses.
The current roster includes whitewater paddling classes and indoor kayak rolling clinics at Pan Am Pool — email [email protected] for more info on the latter (gift cards available). ● Plan a winter day trip with , which offers snowshoe tours through the wooded forests and rocky shores north east of Winnipeg.
You can also embark on your own adventure with rented snowshoes, cross-country skis and fat tire bikes. ● Enjoy the outdoors closer to home with an annual membership to . The nature preserve on McCreary Road has individual, couple and family membership tiers, which provide free entry, gear rentals and facility discounts.
Shopping for someone who’d rather avoid the outdoors completely? Consider supporting a new indoor hobby. ● has reasonably priced art classes for every age group, skill level and nearly every imaginable medium. Upcoming courses at the St.
Boniface-area art school include lessons in painting, clay, screen printing, drawing and stop-motion animation. RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Wolseley Wool offers a variety of knitting and crocheting classes starting at $70. ● Keen on wearable crafting? has skeins upon skeins of how-to classes, from beginner to advanced knitting and crocheting courses, as well as project-based workshops on scarves, tuques and socks.
Registration starts at $70. ● community classroom is stocked with online and in-person learning opportunities — literary and otherwise. Sign your giftee up for an art class, lecture or writing workshop.
In February, the Grant Park bookstore is launching a book club focused on five classic novels, from to . The club meets monthly through June; registration is $100. A membership card might not elicit the same excitement as tearing into a gift-wrapped toy, but the delayed gratification can be just as satisfying.
COURTESY ASSINIBOINE PARK ZOO Journey to Churchill offers an up-close and personal look at Baffin and his eight polar bear buddies. ● Frequent museum-goers may enjoy an annual pass to their favourite historical venue. Or, you can offer a weekend of local fun with the from Tourism Winnipeg, which provides single or multi-day flat-rate entry into five notable destinations, including the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Royal Canadian Mint.
Travel Manitoba has a similar program called the , which includes admission to museums in and around Winnipeg. ● Double the fun with a joint membership to and . Members get unlimited general admission to both spots and pre-sale access to special events — including family and adults-only festivities, such as Brew at the Zoo.
JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Adam Schmidt, president and founder of Activate, offers a variety of interactive challenges at his two Winnipeg locations. ● And finally, help stave off the winter stir-craziness with an gift card. The locally founded active gaming facility has two locations in Winnipeg with interactive challenges suitable for players six years old and up.
[email protected] Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Arts & Life department since 2019.
. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and .
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