The best presents are the ones people still talk about in March. A ticket does that. It gives someone a date in the diary, a reason to dress up and a story to tell afterwards.
Experience gifts also solve the two hardest parts of Christmas shopping: they suit people who already have everything, and they need no wrapping. Below are ten experience present ideas you can book today, grouped by who they suit. Every link opens a Tix Choice comparison page, so you see prices from several ticket sellers side by side before you buy.
Gift experiences for couples
1.The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House
Thu 3 Dec 2026 · Royal Opera House, London
Nothing says Christmas in London like Tchaikovsky in Covent Garden. The 3 December performance is a premium night out, so this is one for a milestone year.
From £589
2.Bob Dylan at the Royal Festival Hall
Sat 5 Dec 2026 · Royal Festival Hall, London
A rare chance to see a legend in a seated concert hall on 5 December.
3.Carols at the Royal Albert Hall
Thu 24 Dec 2026 · London Royal Albert Hall, London
A Christmas Eve singalong under the famous dome. It doubles as the gift and the day out.
Experience days for families
4.Paddington The Musical
Sat 19 Dec 2026 to Sat 9 Jan 2027 · Savoy Theatre, London
The nation's favourite bear on stage at the Savoy Theatre. An easy win for children and grandparents alike.
From £71
5.Home Alone in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Sat 5 Dec 2026 to Sun 6 Dec 2026 · London Royal Albert Hall, London
The Christmas film on a big screen while a live orchestra plays the score. An easy choice for a family with children of different ages.
From £73
6.Cirque du Soleil: Kurios
Wed 13 Jan 2027 to Sun 28 Feb 2027 · London Royal Albert Hall, London
Acrobatics on a scale that keeps every age group quiet for two hours. A strong choice when you are buying one gift for a whole household.
From £91
For the sports fan
7.Arsenal vs Manchester United
Sun 20 Dec 2026 · Emirates Stadium, London
One of English football's great rivalries, at the Emirates on 20 December. The date makes it an early Christmas present.
From £288
For the one who is hard to buy for
8.Strictly Come Dancing Live
Fri 12 Feb 2027 to Sun 14 Feb 2027 · The O2 Arena, London
The arena tour brings the TV favourite to London. Perfect for the relative who never misses a Saturday night show.
From £76
9.Rowan Atkinson in London
Sat 13 Feb 2027 to Sat 13 Mar 2027 · Gillian Lynne Theatre, London
A live date with a British comedy great. A good pick for parents and in-laws.
From £903
10.John Summit at The O2
Sat 27 Feb 2027 · The O2 Arena, London
A big night out on 27 February, the best-value pick on this list. A gift that gives someone something to look forward to after the January slump.
When the ticket arrives
When you book, the seller emails an order confirmation straight away. The ticket itself often follows later. Many venues and clubs only release tickets in the days before the event, so sellers commonly send e-tickets and mobile transfers 24 to 48 hours ahead.
For a gift, that changes what goes under the tree. The confirmation is the thing to print and put in the card on Christmas morning. The ticket lands on a phone nearer the date. Every listing shows how the tickets are delivered and when to expect them, so read that line before you pay. If the present is for someone who lives elsewhere, ask the seller how the ticket will reach their phone once it is released.
Choosing seats for someone else
Buying for another person is harder than buying for yourself, because you can't ask them where they like to sit without giving the game away. A few checks make it easier:
- Seats together. If you are buying two or more, make sure the listing says the seats are together.
- The view. Listings say when a view is restricted. For a present, a clear view is worth a few pounds more.
- Where it is in the venue. The seat map on each Tix Choice event page shows where every listing sits, so you can see the block before you choose.
- Value for money. Value Score rates each listing from 0 to 100 by comparing its price with what seats of that quality usually cost at the same event. A high score means a good price for the seat.
- The full price. Switch on prices with seller fees included, so the figure you compare is the figure you pay.
How much to spend
The cards above show today's lowest price for each event, and they range from a cheap night out to a once-in-a-decade treat. Two things help a budget go further. Dates in January and February usually cost less than December ones. And one pair of good seats makes a better present than four poor ones, so buy fewer and sit closer.
How to give a ticket as a gift
- Compare before you buy. Prices for the same event vary between sellers. Tix Choice shows them together so you can pick the best deal.
- Check the delivery method. Most tickets arrive as e-tickets or mobile transfers, which suits last-minute buying.
- Make it feel like a present. Print the confirmation, put it in a card, or wrap a small clue such as a programme or a scarf.
- Pick a date with care. If you are unsure of someone's diary, choose a weekend date in January or February.
Ready to find the right one? Browse theatre and arts, concerts and football on Tix Choice and compare prices in seconds.
Ticket gift FAQs
Are tickets a good Christmas present?
Yes. A ticket suits people who already have everything, needs no wrapping and gives them a date to look forward to. It also works as a shared present if you buy two and go together.
Can I buy a ticket for someone else?
Yes. The order is placed in your name and the tickets are sent to you. Most e-tickets and mobile tickets can then be passed on to the person going. If the event uses named or app-only tickets, the listing's delivery notes will say so.
Will the ticket arrive before Christmas?
The order confirmation arrives by email straight away, and that is what most people give on the day. The ticket itself is often sent 24 to 48 hours before the event, so for a January or February date it will arrive after Christmas.
What happens if the event is cancelled?
Each seller on Tix Choice has a buyer guarantee that covers cancelled events, and the terms differ a little from one seller to the next. Our ticket site reviews set out what each one refunds.
Is it safe to buy tickets from resale sites?
Tix Choice only lists established, vetted sellers with buyer guarantees. You complete the purchase on the seller's own site, so you always know who you are buying from and whose guarantee applies.
