The adage holds that experiences are better than things. We have enough junk lying around; what we really want is to create a memory, right?

While that bit of wisdom may seem at odds with a shopping-focused season, you can always give someone a future experience in the form of a gift card or certificate for a local outing. Play your cards right, and you’re giving yourself a night out, too; buy a couple passes for four and toss out a well-timed “And we’ll all go together!” when they open the envelope. (Or just wait for them to invite you, if you’re the polite type.)

Presentation matters — don’t just awkwardly pull a certificate out of your wallet, dress it up a bit — but we’re pretty sure these five gift certificates will impress more than an air fryer or novelty socks.

PHOTO COURTESY SANDBOX VR

Sandbox VR

A trip to Sandbox VR, the virtual-reality parlor in the Strip District’s Terminal Building, is one that will leave you sweating and laughing in equal measure. It’ll also make you feel as though you’ve been on a quest in a fantasy realm — or maybe tasked with fighting off hordes of zombies. The experience is so real, from the detailed vistas around you to the physical feedback you receive from the vest and helmet, that you’ll remember it like you actually traveled through space and time. Gift cards are available in any amount, but you’ll get a $30 bonus if you spend $100. Sessions start at $50 per person.

Pittsburgh Children’s Museum

Know a family in need of some outings? Gift a membership to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh and they can come back all year long. Gift memberships start at just $150 for a family of three, and can be scaled up for more kiddos or to also include admission to the nearby National Aviary. You can also buy single-use gift certificates in any amount; perhaps suggest a visit to the Museum’s “Countdown to Noon” celebration, ringing in the New Year with music and fun for kids who aren’t likely to make it ’til midnight. 

Bold Escape Rooms

Why listen to yet another murder podcast when you can escape a madman yourself? At the “Stalked By a Killer” Escape Room from Bold Escape Rooms in the Strip District, you’ll foil a fiendish plot — if you can uncover the clues in time. Prefer your fun in neon? Opt for the “Bring Back the ’80s” game. You can buy gift certificates in any amount; a private game for two people generally costs between $70 and $80, and the per-person price decreases as more people are added to the party. (Your odds of figuring out the puzzle, however, increase with more brains in the room.)

Pittsburgh Public Theater

There’s a bonus to this one, if your gift recipients are the types to plan ahead. You can buy a $100 gift voucher for an upcoming show at Pittsburgh Public Theater — good for “Dragon Lady,” “The Importance of Being Earnest” or “The Coffin Maker” — that your friends can exchange at their leisure. When they do, they’ll get the best available seats, regardless of price; if they act fast and pick a night with good availability, in other words, your gift can turn into a front-row ticket. You can also gift mini or flex subscriptions, for those friends who want to see everything.

PHOTO BY SEAN COLLIER

Manor Theatre

One of the oldest and best cinemas in Pittsburgh, the Manor Theatre is the perfect anchor for a night in Squirrel Hill. Grab dinner beforehand and see a new favorite; the theater, a fixture of Murray Avenue for more than a century, specializes in acclaimed features and a smattering of mainstream hits (current and upcoming titles include “Wonka,” “Maestro,” “The Boy and the Heron,” “Ferrari” and “The Color Purple.”) You can grab an e-gift card online, but stop by the theater to get a physical gift — and, while you’re there, you might as well see a movie.