Top 10 Holiday Gifts for Empty Nesters in 2025

Looking for some last-minute gift ideas to fill up your empty nester bucket? Read here for 10 no-nonsense ideas. Happy Holidays!

Reach International Outfitters Bucket List Scratch Off Cards: These sets are available for all 50 states. Scratch off an adventure. Each card gives you a cost range, best time of day for the adventure, how many hours it takes, if it’s indoors or outdoors, the activity level and what time of year is best for the activity.  

Escapely Outdoor Escape Room: This escape game comes in a box and they are available for multiple U.S. cities. Grab your friends and explore the hidden gems in your city.

Paired App: This app serves up daily challenges and quizzes to get to know your partner even better. The app reveals your partners answers after both of you have answered that day’s questions, quizzes and challenges. It allows you to see where your strengths are and where you have opportunities for growth. At the end of every month it delivers an AI-generated summary that we really enjoy discussing.

Wine Club Membership: Ask your local wine bar if they have memberships that allow you do participate in regular wine tastings and discounted bottles, or look for a Cooper’s Hawk near you. Cooper’s Hawk has monthly wine tastings as part of their memberships and you can choose 1, 2 or 3- bottle memberships.

Travel Wine Carrier Kit: If you travel a lot like we do, you’ll appreciate having a carrier for a bottle of wine. Ours comes with a bottle stopper (but we all know corks are for quitters, LOL), 2 wine glasses and 2 cloth napkins.

Restaurant Gift Cards: Stock up on gift cards to your favorite restaurants or new ones you’ve been wanting to try. This is the time of year restaurants run specials where they offer extra gift cards for the purchase of one so you can get more value for next year. For example, some offer a $20 gift card for the purchase of a $100 card.

Cheese fondue from a recent fondue and wine night at home.

Buy a fondue kit: What is more romantic than having a fondue kit (and using it)? Look up the copycat recipe for The Melting Pot Wisconsin Cheddar recipe and make it a night in!

Sign up for a Cooking Class: Sign you and your partner up for a cooking class. Many local places offer classes. If you have a Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table near you, they also have robust schedules. The best part is not only do you get to a learn new recipes, you also get dinner covered!

Concert tickets or tickets to another event: It doesn’t have to be a giant show, it can be a local venue which is easier to get in and out of and a lot more fun. It can be one of those Candlelight orchestras hosted by Fever, a local band or a theater performance.

Surprise weekend: Look up a small town within 2 hours of your city and plan an escape. Book a hotel, an Airbnb or a bed and breakfast and see where the weekend takes you. 

We wish you and your families the happiest of holidays! May your nest be full of love.