Some gifts are meant to be ripped open and enjoyed right then and there. While experiences might not provide the same instant gratification, they give the recipient something to look forward to after the holidays are over—and a way to create memories that can last even longer.
From relaxing and exploring to creating and learning, these Northern Colorado businesses offer different ways to treat your loved ones this holiday season.
A scent-sational outing
Mountain Glow Candle Co. operates out of Rocky Mountain Olive Oil in downtown Fort Collins, offering guests the chance to create their own custom candles.
The experience, which costs $45 per person, also includes a cup of Rocky Mountain Olive Oil’s homemade popcorn drizzled with infused olive oil and a glass of the shop’s infused seltzer while participants test out the fragrances available for their candles.
Fan favorites include Horsetooth Mist, with its fresh, nature-inspired scent, and Yeti’s Night Cap, featuring a creamy vanilla and spiced milk scent that owner Andi Rose finds calming before bedtime. For fall, Rose likes Evergreen Ember, which evokes the feeling of being wrapped in warm flannel, and Jingle and Spruce, with hints of black currant and absinthe.
Once guests identify their favorite scent, Rose and her team help them assemble a 12-ounce candle that burns for 80 to 85 hours. They select a container, attach the wick and then fill it using precise measurements of hot wax and fragrance.
The hour-long experience is recommended for ages 10 and up, with adult supervision for participants under 18.
“You don’t have to be super creative, artsy or dexterous,” Rose says. “Everyone can enjoy discovering their own scent preferences, and we can help you with the rest.”
Prepare for a powder day
Those wanting to show off some skills on their next mountain trip can practice at Northern Colorado’s only indoor ski and snowboard slope.
Infinity Slopes in Loveland offers revolving slopes for those seeking lessons or wanting to practice on their own. A private, 30-minute lesson costs $80 and includes equipment, instruction and demonstrations. Lessons are available for all ages and skill levels.
“Lessons let guests learn in a controlled environment without committing to an expensive day at a resort,” says owner Travis Corder. “We love seeing someone come in nervous about their first mountain trip and leave 30 minutes later feeling confident and excited to go.”
Those who want to practice on their own can book a 30-minute open session for $50, with up to two additional guests costing $15 each. Open sessions are designed for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders.
“There’s no chairlift or waiting in line, so in just one of our 30-minute sessions, you can gain as much experience as you would in a half-day on the mountain,” Corder says. “That way, when you do make the trip, you can spend more of your day actually enjoying it instead of brushing up on skills.”
A chance to recharge
Red Light Method in Fort Collins offers 25-minute sessions to help guests heal and relax using medical-grade red light therapy. Manager Lucy Manlove says the sessions make great gifts for anyone interested in improving their overall health and wellness with a comfortable, non-invasive approach.
“We have clients who are 16 up to clients who are 90,” she says. “Most are coming in for recovery purposes or pain and inflammation relief, as well as skin health, weight loss, energy and mood boosting.”
Red light therapy uses different wavelengths of light to stimulate the mitochondria, which produce energy within cells. Unlike some fast-fix treatments, red light therapy only works with consistency. That’s why Manlove recommends at least two sessions per week.
“Just like going to the gym, the more regularly you do it, the faster you’ll see results,” she says. “We tell people to give it three months before they expect to see changes, but everyone’s body reacts differently.”
Red Light Method offers membership rates as well as drop-ins starting at $45 per session. Red light therapy is often combined with their Power Plate and Pilates reformer offerings, which Manlove says are designed to activate muscles and burn calories quickly.
Adventures for history buffs
Mark Serour, owner of Traces of the Past History Tours, brings local history to life by sharing stories, objects and other pieces of history he’s collected over the years.
“These tours are geared toward anybody who desires to learn, is generally inquisitive or just wants to augment what they already know about local and regional history,” Serour says. “After taking one, patrons will view Fort Collins and the surrounding region through an entirely different lens.”
Traces of the Past offers four two-hour tours, each costing $36 per person. The “Military Years” and “Early Settlement and Town Beginnings” van tours depart from Watson Lake State Wildlife Area in Bellvue and consist of several stops. Walking options include the “East Poudre River Tour” around Rigden Reservoir and “In the Footsteps of Explorers” around Running Deer Natural Area, both in Fort Collins.
Serour hopes to stir guests’ curiosity with each tour. He plays the part, too, by wearing 19th-century clothing and explaining historically meaningful sites through fun and educational storytelling.
“I’ve always had a passion for historical study and saw a need for someone to convey local and regional history in Northern Colorado,” he says. “I love storytelling and wanted to give history a voice and make it accessible.”
tracesofthepasthistorytours.com
A night under the stars
Not only does Berthoud’s Little Thompson Observatory offer private sessions to learn about the night sky and see it through giant telescopes, but it also provides the experience for free.
Knowledgeable volunteers provide presentations on topics tailored to the ages and interests of the group, from constellations to black holes to the evolution of stars. Guests can explore the star wall, an entire wall devoted to stars and constellations, before heading upstairs to look through the observatory’s six-, 18- and 24-inch telescopes.
Weather permitting, they might see different colored stars, star clusters, nebulas and galaxies beyond the Milky Way.
“Nowhere else in the region gives you a hands-on observatory experience like this, where you can push the buttons yourself and control the telescopes,” says Ted Cline, a volunteer with the observatory. “Our goal is to excite guests of all ages about physical science.”
Sessions are available three nights per week and can be reserved up to two months in advance.
Toast to the perfect blend
Tiffany Weber started offering wine blending classes to introduce people to the process of mixing different wines to find their desired flavor profile.
“Blending is such a big part of winemaking, but most people never get the opportunity to experience that side of the process,” says Weber, who owns Blendings Winery in Fort Collins.
Her two-hour classes are designed to be intimate, with participants sampling selected wines, experimenting with their own palate and learning about the effects of aroma, structure, acidity and tannins on flavor.
Guests might pair a traditional blend, such as a red Tempranillo, with a fruit wine, such as peach. Someone who doesn’t typically like reds can often find a combination that suits their palate through blending, Weber says.
Then guests blend two or three wines to create their own custom bottle. The experience is $95 per person and includes samples, charcuterie, the wine they create and guidance throughout the process.
“The best part, for me, is watching people discover the blend that they love,” Weber says. “There’s no one ‘right’ blend, and sometimes the smallest change completely transforms a blend.”
