The Most Entertaining Way to Gift Entertainment
...with Bonus Creative Gift Ideas & Things To Do Inspiration
by Lu Ann Wall, OTL Seat Fillers
Giving the gift of experiences is exciting—but let’s be honest, an emailed or printed voucher can feel a little... flat. Wouldn’t you rather give the most entertaining gift in the most entertaining way?
I had way too much fun putting this together! So, if you're wondering how to level up your OTL Seat Fillers gift (or any entertaining gift voucher), I’ve got you covered with clever, creative ways to make it unforgettable.
Bonus: Many of these ideas come with built-in gift inspiration, too!
>> Jump to #1
Think Outside the Envelope to Gift Entertainment
OTL Seat Fillers memberships let your lucky recipient attend live shows and events with free tickets in their city. Yep, it’s pretty much the perfect gift for any entertainment lover (as long as they live in a seat filler location).
With just a little creativity, you can turn a simple voucher into a total showstopper. I’ve pulled together 10 spotlight-worthy ideas. Fair warning—some do take a bit of planning. While OTL vouchers are emailed instantly, these next-level presentations might require a trip to the store (or a little shipping time).
Not gifting an OTL voucher? No worries… these ideas work with just about any type of entertainment gift. So go ahead - pull back the curtain, cue the lights, and let the gifting magic begin!
1. "Night Out" Gift Basket
Build anticipation for their upcoming entertainment experiences:
- Fill a small basket with items for a perfect night out: a wine glass, snack items, a rideshare gift card...
- Add local entertainment guides or venue brochures.
- Print and include the OTL membership voucher in a decorative envelope as the centerpiece
- Include a few movie tickets, a voucher for bowling, escape room admissions… You get the idea.
- Attach a tag that says "Everything You Need for Amazing Nights Out."
The fun thing about gifts like this is you can have fun being as creative as possible, and you can rein in your gift-giving budget or go wild!
2. Custom "Golden Ticket" Presentation
Create a memorable Wonka-inspired "golden ticket" presentation.
- Print the voucher on gold cardstock or spray-paint a small envelope gold.
- Place it in a chocolate bar wrapper that you've carefully opened and resealed.
- Include a note saying "Your Golden Ticket to be an Entertainment Insider."
- For extra impact, pair it with actual chocolate bars as a sweet bonus. Because, really, who doesn't LOVE chocolate?! And, if you want to take it to the next level, check out Ethel M's for chocolate!
This playful approach draws on the universal appeal of the golden ticket concept while making the gift feel extra special.
3. Theatre Night Gift Box
OTL Seat Fillers are invited to plays, musicals, and comedy shows more than anything else, so embrace the dramatic!
For fans of Broadway or local theater, create a theatre-themed gift box. Come up with a theatre theme and decorate a basket using the theme. Fill it with a themed t-shirt, Playbill, mug, custom-designed cookies… You could even add a second subscription for hardcore Broadway lovers, as Broadway HD offers streaming packages.
The star of the show, though, will be the OTL voucher, printed on beautiful paper, and presented as a theatre-lovers insider membership for 2 or 4!
4. Embrace Their Star Quality
OTL seat filler members are super secret free ticket VIPs. They receive private invites to shows and events. So, embrace the VIP-ness with a star-themed gift package.
Check out these awesome star nesting boxes I found on Amazon. Every box could contain a star-fabulous gift, including an OTL Seat Fillers gift voucher. The small box holds a star necklace or keychain. You could gift a phone case (the one above is under $10!) Let your imagination run wild – stars are everywhere!
5. From the Heart
Not only do we have the OTL Seat Fillers club, but we’re all in on our love and support of arts and entertainment. Recently, we launched Heart The Arts™, a way to help fund our mission to get people to unplug and embrace entertainment IRL.
Part of the collection includes custom notecards with a message that says it all. We love Hallmark as much as anyone, but Heart The Arts™ says it all when you’re giving a gift of entertainment from the heart.
6. Book It!
Go old school for this one… they’ll appreciate it!
Find a beautiful planner, like this beautiful one from Bloom Planner. OTL membership gifts are unplannable. The invitations pop up occasionally and unexpectedly. So, it’s an awesome idea to give them a planner to keep track of what’s coming up, as well as other things to do near them.
Tuck the OTL Seat Fillers gift voucher inside the front of the book, and supplement your gift with a unique pen, some stickers, and print out some upcoming events in their area. OTL has local and national event calendars in the US and the UK. You can isolate a category, like festivals, and give your gift recipient some ideas!
7. Digital Reveal Scavenger Hunt
For tech-savvy gift-givers and recipients:
- Create a series of QR codes that lead to images that represent clues around the house.
- Each clue hints at entertainment and live performances.
- The final QR code reveals a personalized video message from you explaining the gift.
- Provide the actual printed voucher at the end of the hunt.
- For extra flair, hide the voucher inside a DVD case of their favorite movie or show or a tub of gourmet popcorn.
This interactive experience builds excitement and makes the gift reveal memorable and fun. Of course, you'll need a bit of technical expertise as your images and video need to be hosted. But you could also go offline with one image that leads to another.
8. You’ve Got Star Quality!
I love this one… I actually came across it when writing this blog post and had to include it. Again, it’s playing on the fact that seat fillers are secret VIPs (I think private invites and comp tickets merit that status!).
Roll the gift voucher into a little scroll and insert it in the rolled-up customized poster that makes THEM the star of the show! (Well, you could feature yourself if you want to be cheeky, too!
In the Poster offers free worldwide delivery, and the price (when I looked at the site, anyway) was $34.99.
9. Memory….
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again
No, I'm not suggesting tickets to Cats!... not that there's anything wrong with that. But, check out this glittery, glitzy scrapbook, ideal for recording memories (like an evening at Cats!). You can put a special picture on the cover and include the seat fillers gift voucher inside.
This scrapbook is available at Michael’s for $29.99 (right now, anyway). However, it’s not in store, so plan early because it’ll be shipped to you. You can also enhance the gift with pens, stickers, templates, etc.
Pro Tip: Michael’s often has sales you can take advantage of when you shop in-store and online. I found a 20% off coupon when I shopped for this scrapbook, reducing the price to $24!
10. A Tourist in Their Own Hometown
I’m playing on a theme we tend to use at OTL… being a tourist in your hometown. That’s because for the past 10 years, OTL has introduced members to venues, musicians, comedians, and shows and events they hadn’t even heard of before their seat filler experience.
So, run with it!
Do some research and find some hidden gems – a Mom and Pop coffee shop, a hole in the wall Italian restaurant with the best food in the area, a wine shop that offers monthly tastings. Buy a few vouchers, pick up some cookies or cupcakes from a local treasure, and fill a suitcase! Really!
I found the suitcase-type box above to be perfect for this one.
Gift Entertainment in the Way It Deserves!
I hope you get some inspiration from at least one of these ideas. I must admit that I tend to rush through the gift-giving process. A gift bag, an envelope, an e-gift in the email... But it was fun to think of ways to enhance gifts and your gift recipient will feel the love!