When it comes to gifts, it might be easy to fall back on the old standbys, things you know the recipient will appreciate but that probably don't really inspire excitement after a while. So why not go with experience gifts this year?

Unlike a tangible wrapped gift, experiences can bring friends and loved ones together to create long-lasting memories. That's why we decided to interview some of our customers to get their takes on what it's like to try something new, maybe even something a bit scary.

Here's what they had to say about some of our best experience gifts:

Helicopter Tour

If you want to be crowned the king or queen of the gift-givers, give your loved one a helicopter tour. Yes, it's pricey, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they will never, ever forget. Don't just take our word for it though. Listen to Arif, who took a doors-off helicopter ride with Magnum Helicopters in Oahu, Hawaii:

"It's worth every dollar." 

– Arif, helicopter tour customer

E.B., another customer, agrees, saying "Wife was afraid that she was going to get sick, within two minutes she said it was the best thing she has EVER done. We have a private plane ... so she has a few hours under her belt. But this is the flight she talks about."

We're just sorry that future you will have to come up with a gift as good as the one from present you.

Click here to find helicopter-tour deals.

Glassblowing Classes

A well-stoked wood bonfire can reach temperatures of about 2,012 degrees Fahrenheit. Think of how hot that feels on your skin when you stand near it. A furnace in a glassblowing class gets even hotter, reaching temperatures as high as 2,400 degrees.

Understandably, that can make students like April a little nervous: "I was very intimidated by the furnaces and handling hot liquid, blow torches, etc." Fortunately, the instructor at Live Laugh Love Art in Tigard, Oregon, put all those fears to rest by explaining safety procedures and demonstrating proper techniques.

Plus, that trepidation is all worth it for the chance to unleash your creativity, according to the studio's co-owner, Natalie Vinsant. Students find themselves holding a blob of orange liquid one minute and a piece of glass art the next.

"Everything is hot and glowing when [students] leave, so when they come back to pick it up, it looks so different. It's kind of like Christmas morning."

– Natalie Vinsant, glass-studio owner

"The best part was learning about the entire process, the hows and whys of glass sculpting," says one of our customers, Linda. Another, Ryan, agrees: "I found the history and science behind glassblowing fascinating. Our instructor spent a good part of his class sharing with us the purpose and the physical changes to the glass."

Click here to find glassblowing-class deals near you.

Cryotherapy

What is cryotherapy? Usually, it's a three-minute dip in a cryotherapy chamber chilled to -240 degrees Fahrenheit. People typically put themselves through this if they have pain and inflammation, which means it makes a great gift for the athlete or avid exerciser in your life. It's also one of the more memorable gifts you can give, especially if you do it together.

Take Erica, for instance. She's a customer who gave a voucher to her husband, joined him for the trip, and learned a little something about him in the process:

"Unlike myself, my husband was a scaredy-cat. He couldn't stay in for the full three minutes. He said it was too cold for him."

– Erica, cryotherapy customer 

Others aren't as bothered by the cold. Another customer, David, says: "I mean, they said it was going to be cold," he explains. "I don't think you realize how cold it is when you're in there." He was sold on the results, too. "My knees did feel great afterward." They felt so great, in fact, that now he schedules cryotherapy sessions every week.

Click here to find cryotherapy deals near you.

Pole-Fitness Classes

Pole-fitness classes seem fun and inviting until you have to show up to one. What if you look stupid? What if you can't do the moves? What if you feel awkward?

How can you overcome these anxieties? Bring a friend, obviously. Most of our customers wind up taking a class with their squad—their best friends, their sisters, their bridesmaids. And at least one of our customers brought along her mom!

Gifting a pole-fitness class is great because:

1. You don't have to go to class alone.
2. There's no way anyone else will give the recipient the same thing.
3. And as one customer, Audra, pointed out:

"How many people buy chair dance classes for themselves? Probably not that many."

– Audra, pole-fitness customer

Once you're there, it's immediately apparent that it's "a very nonjudgmental environment," says Karlee, another customer. She and her friend quickly shook off their anxieties and found themselves laughing so much that the sessions flew by. The women-only scene only made relaxing easier.

Click here to find pole-fitness deals near you.

Room-Escape Game

If one of your experience gift ideas is to lock your friends in a room to see if they can escape, you're either very fun or very disturbed. If it's the former, you'll give your loved ones a great experience and a good story to tell later. At least, that's how customers who purchased a voucher for Chicago's PanIQ Escape Room see it.

The rooms' themes were the first thing to surprise. Christina noticed "how meticulously each room was set up."

"We took a moment in each room to marvel at the intricate details that really made us feel like we were in a movie."

– Christina, escape room customer

Another customer, Kelly, chose the Mob room, where the backstory is that "you are in the mob and a rival family is coming to take out your family." Sandhya selected the Infection room, describing it as "an evil-doctor's-laboratory-type setup." There was even a smoke machine to add to the creepiness.

Then there's the actual escaping part. Nora made a game plan ahead of time. "We had an idea in advance to pick a leader in our group so we could have an organized approach to solving the puzzles ... It was hard! Harder than I thought it would be, but a really fun challenge."

Click here to find escape-room deals near you.

Tasting Menu

Treating a loved one to a nice dinner out is a great way to celebrate special occasions or just avoid doing the dishes for the umpteenth night in a row. But not all dinners are created equal—especially those served at Michelin-starred restaurants like Elizabeth and Acadia in Chicago. The tasting menus here are more than just meals, they're adventures, as these Groupon customers found out.

Jane's daughter, Ciara, took her fiancé to Elizabeth, and the couple plotted their meals to sample as many different dishes as possible.

"They each ordered different things so they could share and taste more courses. They were excited telling me about each course."

– Jane, whose daughter did a tasting menu

For Miguel and his girlfriend, Laura, Acadia's ambiance was just as memorable as its food. "My favorite part was how great the staff was with us," he says. Laura agreed, explaining that she was surprised by how "unpretentious" everyone was. In fact, the couple was lucky enough to get more than just great service. "My most surprising part was that we were able to go in the kitchen and meet Chef McCaskey." Miguel says.

Click here to find tasting-menu deals near you.

Paintball

If a friend is obsessed with video games, consider giving them the chance to chase real-life adrenaline on a paintball field instead. You don't have to be a seasoned player to have a good time—and you can be pretty decent by just following a few tips.

Michelle gifted a day of paintball for her husband and son. Michelle didn't play but still had a great time. "The best part of the game was when my husband and son teamed up on my daughter-in-law," she explains. "It was great to see how they naturally worked together."

Another customer, Anya couldn't wait to get on the field herself.

"I had the best time of my life. 

– Anya, paintball customer 

"At first I was playing tactically, then I switched over with maneuvers and low crawling. I shot a young guy on a 'commando' team, and he came out of the game asking who shot him. One of his teammates laughed and said: 'Man, you got shot by a woman.'"

Both women foresee more paintball in their future. "[My husband and son] were so into it that they came home researching their own equipment," Michelle says. As for Anya, she's already bought another voucher for paintball.