My wife and I have an agreement: If at all possible, we don't buy each other gifts for birthdays or holidays, but instead use that money towards experiences. This agreement forces us to use our imaginations to come up with something fun to do for special occasions and compels us to step outside of our comfort zones to try new adventures. I'm not saying we haven't ever bought each other something, but the idea is that an experience, if at all possible, takes precedence over material goods. And they don't have to be huge, expensive experiences - just something thoughtful. A nice night downtown or a A few of my favorites have been:
-Hot air balloon ride in Asheville, NC.
-Great American Beer Fest in Denver and offseason stay in Vail
-Deep Sea Fishing in San Diego
Each of these coincided with a trip that we already had planned. With sites like Groupon and LivingSocial, these types of experiences can fit within a budget. I'm not going to try to tell you that they are cheap, because they aren't, but they also don't need to break the bank. There are many activities that can be enjoyed for much less than a gift would ever cost.
