The Gift of Travel

• Travel is an experiential gift that your wife will remember for a lifetime. You can make arrangements to take your wife to a place she has always wanted to go or be adventurous by going someplace that neither of you are familiar with. Tropical islands, European cities or secluded beaches in the Pacific make for romantic or fun getaways. If you make the travel arrangements ahead of time, you can wrap the airline tickets in a box for her to open on Christmas. However, if you have a wife who works full time, you may not be able to surprise her as much, since she will most likely have to request time off from her job in advance.
  
  

Classes

• Classes are another type of experiential gift that your wife under 50 will appreciate. Consider what types of things your wife is interested in doing. If she has expressed interest about taking cooking classes, learning a foreign language or joining a Pilates studio, jump on the idea and buy her the gift of classes. You can pay up front for a series of classes that she can enjoy over and over again.
  
  

Pampering

• Your wife can always use a nice pampering session at the local spa. Women of all ages enjoy getting pedicures, manicures, massages and facials. As a Christmas gift, you can treat your wife to a full day at the spa for the ultimate relaxation and pampering experience. After her enjoyable day, complete the gift by taking her out to dinner. You can purchase a spa gift package in advance and have it specially gift wrapped for her to open on Christmas.
  
  

Art

• If your wife has a local or famous artist that she loves, find a piece of his artwork that you can purchase for your home, such as a small framed painting or a sculpture. Your wife will appreciate your thoughtfulness and will enjoy being able to display the art in your home.
  
  

Something Homemade

• If you are the crafty type, you can touch your wife's heart by making her something from scratch. Paint her a picture, write her a poem or make her a piece of jewelry. Even if the gift is simple, it will be special because it was made by you.
  
  

Functional Gifts

• While functional gifts may seem boring to some, many women under 50 enjoy getting gifts that can be used around the home, such as a new set of luxury towels, a high-quality set of pots and pans or -- on a grander scale -- a new piece of furniture.