Christmas gift ideas 2022: Best gifts under $50, $50-$100 and $100 or more

Movie tickets

Who doesn’t love a movie? The brilliance of movie vouchers – or even tickets to a specific film – is that it offers you the chance to spend some quality time with your loved ones. There’s plenty of great flicks now showing or coming soon to cinemas in Australia, from Avatar: The Way of Water to The Lost King to Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Why not take your giftee to one of Melbourne’s best cinemas, like the 1930s Astor Theatre from the Palace Cinemas group?

RACV Members can save up to 60% on movie tickets to participating Village, HOYTS, Palace, Event, Moonlight and IMAX cinemas.

STREAT vouchers and Christmas hampers

Give back to the community this Christmas by treating your loved one to a STREAT gift voucher or Christmas hamper. This coffee shop / social enterprise gives disadvantaged youths a second chance, with a six-month training program and jobs working as STREAT’s baristas, servers, bakers and more. They're also one of Melbourne’s strongest proponents for reusable coffee cups.

A STREAT voucher comes in $25 or $50 amounts and can be used at STREAT Cromwell Street in Collingwood on coffee, baked goods, cookbooks and more. Hampers can include preserves, coffee grounds, sweet treats and more in a wide range of gifting options from a vegan hamper to a breakfast hamper.

Sovereign Hill tickets

If you know a history buff, they’ll love getting tickets to Sovereign Hill for Christmas. This Ballarat treasure trove is a totally immersive ‘living museum’ of the 1850s gold rush. Catch a horse-drawn carriage, talk to costumed actors, and visit faithfully recreated factories, shops and schools before panning for gold in the original diggings and touring the mines. Young or old, you can easily spend a whole day exploring Sovereign Hill’s many gems. Who knows – maybe you’ll even strike gold.

RACV Members save 10% on Sovereign Hill tickets.

Luna Park tickets

Luna Park is a firm favourite with Melburnians and tourists alike ever since it opened in 1912 – which is why it remains one of Melbourne’s most unusual wedding venues. Its famous gaping mouth entrance is one of Victoria’s most Instagrammable spots, while its Great Scenic Railway is the oldest continually running wooden rollercoaster in the world. Take the whole family for a Christmas present full of old-timey carnival fun: there are plenty of gentle rides for younger kids and thrill rides for brave adults. Don’t forget to enjoy the classic games and attractions like Dodgems, Laughing Clowns, Carousel, Mirror Maze, Ghost Train and many more.

RACV Members save 10% on Luna Park tickets.

SEA LIFE Melbourne tickets

Discover thousands of sea critters this Christmas at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, perched on the banks of the Yarra River in the Melbourne CBD. From luminescent jellyfish and cute Manta Rays to spooky Moray Eels and Pinjarra the Mega Croc, you’ll spend hours gasping over the strange and wonderful creatures on display. There are also extra activities like hands-on touch pools, animal presentations, shark feedings and a 4D cinema show. If the Christmas holidays prove cold and rainy, SEA LIFE Melbourne is a great pastime to while away the hours.

RACV Members save 10% on SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium tickets. If you’re willing to stretch the budget, you could even gift your loved one an incredible Shark Dive or Penguin Encounter.

Gift cards

Gift cards are more thoughtful presents than you might think. They allow the recipient to pick out something they’re sure to love from one of their favourite stores or brands. Not only do gift cards eliminate unwanted gifts (and therefore wastage), but they’re also perfect for events where presents must stay within a certain price range. Pop a gift card in a nice holiday card with a handwritten message for a perfect present.

RACV Members save up to 7% on eGift Cards from Australia’s leading retailers like JB Hi-Fi, Myer, Apple, Rebel Sport, Country Road, and much more.

Puffing Billy tickets

Do you have a train enthusiast in the family? Puffing Billy is a genuine 1900 steam railway that chugs passengers through the heart of the Dandenong Ranges every day of the year except Christmas Day. Over 300 volunteers work to preserve this century-old steam train, which used to carry livestock, potatoes, timber and passengers to the small communities living in the hills. At Puffing Billy, smelling the coal steam billowing out of the train’s chimney and feeling the train work beneath your feet while you hear the train whistle blasting is a magical experience for everyone. Make a day of it and purchase a return journey to Emerald Lake Park, where you can hire paddleboats and visit the model train museum.

RACV Members save 10% on Puffing Billy tickets.

Resort voucher

Gift a getaway this Christmas with an RACV Resort voucher, which can be redeemed at nine resorts across Victoria, Tasmania and Queensland. From fine dining and dramatic coastal scenery to rich bushland or a bustling city break, there’s a resort and travel experience for everyone. The voucher owner can choose from resorts in:

• Torquay on the stunning Great Ocean Road

• Cape Schanck on the coastal Mornington Peninsula

• Cobram along the serene Murray River

• Inverloch on the wild Gippsland Coast

• Goldfields near historic Ballarat and relaxing Daylesford

• Healesville in countryside Yarra Valley

• Noosa, the foodie’s hotspot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast

• Royal Pines on Queensland’s surfing paradise Gold Coast

• Hobart, Tasmania’s ever-evolving capital city

RACV Members save on stays at RACV Resorts.

Hot springs soak

Alba Thermal Springs and Spa is a newcomer to the hot springs scene in Victoria, but it’s already making a splash since its opening in October 2022. Enjoy 22 geothermic bathing experiences, from the cascading rain pool to the herbal-infused botanical pools, invigorating cold-plunge pools and Eve the sunset pool. There are both secluded and social pools, all using the natural geothermal springs’ warm mineral waters. An Alba Thermal Springs and Spa voucher also provides access to the onsite sauna and steam room.

RACV Members save on hot springs passes.

Mini golf passes

Mini golf is a popular activity for both family and friend groups, and Victoria is lucky to have some of Australia’s best mini golf courses. Why not grab a mini golf gift voucher this Christmas for a fun day out together full of friendly competition? Apart from being buckets of fun, mini golf can develop key golfing skills that you can also put to use on one of Victoria’s best golf courses.

RACV Members save on mini golf experiences across Victoria, like Boneo Discovery Park, Grampians Adventure Golf and Sporties Mini Golf.

The Phantom of the Opera tickets

Theatre fans will relish the opportunity to see The Phantom of the Opera: one of the most successful musicals of all time. The Phantom of the Opera is a fantastical romance story that follows a beautiful soprano star who is haunted by a mysterious Opera Ghost living in the catacombs neath the Paris Opera House. Finish the night off by visiting one of Melbourne’s most haunted locations to try and find your own ghost!

RACV Members save on The Phantom of the Opera tickets.

One Spa retreat experience

Gift the gift of relaxation and self-care this Christmas with a voucher to the One Spa wellness and beauty retreats, located throughout Victoria and Queensland. Gifting a massage or spa treatment tells the recipient that you care about their health and well-being, making it perfect for a partner or parent. At One Spa, guests can drink herbal teas in the pre- and post-treatment Relaxation Room, engage in relaxing and revitalising treatments, and be treated to the luxury skincare range LaGaia UNEDITED. Depending on location, you can even add on a flotation tank or Hammam bathing experience.

RACV Members save on One Spa treatments.

V8 supercar drive experience

Pump up your supercar enthusiast’s Christmas with a high adrenaline V8 supercar driving experience at Melbourne’s Sandown International Raceway. They’ll be able to tackle the same famous 3.1km circuit as legendary drivers Jack Brabham, Peter Brock and Mark Skaife. A professional, experienced driver will remain by their side to ensure their safety.

RACV Members save on Melbourne motorsports and V8 supercar experiences.

Escape room experience

Escape rooms challenge your logic, problem-solving and communication skills, making them an excellent present for friends and family. Melbourne has a large collection of escape rooms, the best of which you can read about in our comprehensive escape room guide - and get some top tricks for breaking out, while you’re at it.

RACV Members save on Escape Hunt and Virtual Room escape rooms.

Hot air ballooning

Melbourne is a leader in the hot air ballooning industry - in fact, Kiff Saunders, the director of the Victoria’s largest ballooning operator Global Ballooning, has said that Melbourne is the only major, popular city that you could traverse by balloon. Glide up and away with your favourite person this Christmas to see Victoria’s capital from a brand-new perspective several thousand feet above the ground, with views that stretch from the Yarra Valley to Port Phillip Bay.

RACV Members save on hot air ballooning experiences.