Christmas Gift Guide for Travellers: 6 of The Best Travel Presents for 2016
Hey everyone,
I cannot believe that it is Christmas week… where the hell has the last year gone?! It only feels 5 minutes since it was last Christmas, and I’m not quite ready for it to be here again if I’m honest! I’m also not feeling all that festive this year, I’m not sure why, I’ve had a rubbish few weeks recently and have let that affect my personal life quite a bit, but I’m hoping I’ll finally embrace the Christmas spirit this weekend when the big day is here!
Anyway, enough about me, this post was created for YOU, my lovely readers! For those of you who may have left your shopping until now *ahem* or if you’re struggling to find the perfect gift for those avid travellers in your lives, I thought I’d put together a quick gift guide to help with your last minute present worries! Here’s my pick of the 6 best gifts for travellers, in my humble opinion of course…
An Experience Day
WHAT IS IT? – An Experience Day is a TOTAL saving grace for people who you have absolutely no idea what to buy for. The whole point about an experience day is that you can treat someone to something they wouldn’t dream of purchasing for themselves, like a Ferrari racing day, an afternoon tea experience or a luxury spa weekend. There are so many different experiences to choose from for him, her, families and couples alike and you’ll be TOTALLY spoilt for choice! Personally, I use Red Letter Days, I’ve never had a bad experience with them, but there are a number of different companies offering similar gifts, and you can find anything you need on there. Just beware of any date restrictions that might be part of the experience, and read the small print before you buy!
WHERE CAN I GET ONE? – As you know, Red Letter Days is a firm favourite of mine, but you could also try Groupon, Buy A Gift or Virgin Experience Days for fun alternatives! Prices can start from as little as £10 for a photoshoot to as much as £200 for a hotel stay, depending on where you buy from.
A Selfie Stick
WHAT IS IT? – It’s pretty self explanatory, and if you don’t know what it is where have you been HIDING for the past 5 years? Selfie sticks have taken the travel (and photography) industry by storm and I for one absolutely love them! They make a great present and enable you to take great pics from a range of different angles, and you can avoid the awkwardness of asking another human to take your photo in front of that really cool statue just cos, ya know, sometimes that can be embarrassing if they say no and walk away, or if they don’t understand your language and stare at you weirdly. Selfie sticks are particularly good for solo travellers – yes you are independent human who doesn’t need to rely on ANYONE else to get the perfect profile picture! You got thisssss.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE? – There are sooo many outlets selling these, but any kind of major store such as Debenhams and Argos or supermarkets and walmarts will stock these, or pretty much any online store!
A Decent Suitcase
WHAT IS IT? – I would hope that you all know what a suitcase is… This may seem like a boring, practical present, but I literally LOVE my suitcase and it was the best present in the world (ok, I bought it myself, for myself, I won’t lie!) My bright pink companion comes EVERYWHERE with me, no matter how long or short my trip is. This one was just £25 from TK Maxx, it’s a hard cased, 4 wheeled and incredibly strong and sturdy. It’s also big enough for me to put everything in; it can carry an awful lot, I don’t have to worry about it getting wet or ripped, and I can do it up without busting the zip (bonus!) Every travel lover NEEDS a suitcase, so treat them to a decent one and they’ll be so excited to use it that they’ll end up booking their next adventure before you can say Boxing Day. You’re welcome.
WHERE CAN I GET ONE? – As I’ve mentioned, my pink companion was from TK Maxx, but any major department stores will stock decent suitcases, especially at this time of year, so try Debenhams, John Lewis or large supermarkets too!
A Scratch Map
WHAT IS IT? – This is SUCH a good idea, it’s basically a large map which can be hung on your wall, and you then scratch off the world country by country once you’ve visited specific places. I love mine, I’m obsessed with scratching off new countries as soon as I’ve come back from visiting them, especially as I’m halfway through my 25:25 challenge! A scratch map is a really thoughtful present, and it’s also good for setting goals and planning travel adventures for the year ahead. You can even put photos or souvenirs around the edges to make it look pretty too – yay!
WHERE CAN I GET ONE? – Major department stores and supermarkets, as well as popular online giants such as Amazon & eBay.
A Travel Journal
WHAT IS IT? – A travel journal is a reaaaalllyy cute gift, like really really cute. I want one rather a lot, but no one has bought me one yet! *hint hint* I think that, in this day and age, with phones, laptops and social media, it is so nice to go back to basics and start WRITING about your travel experiences, you know, grab a pen and some paper and just pour your heart out. Describe the amazing adventures you’ve been on, or explain any adversities you may have had to face as part of your trip. If you write each day, you’ll have a proper account of what happened on your trip, and every little detail will be there for you to relive in the weeks/months/years to come – I wish I had done this on my American adventure; I blogged when I was there, and my Instagram feed is a great visual diary, but its just not the same as having a written timeline of events that I can go through again and again… If no one buys me a journal for Christmas I am 100% buying one for myself as a new years present, and I have absolutely NO SHAME in that whatsoever!
WHERE CAN I GET ONE? – You can pick up journals pretty much anywhere, in the supermarkets, or on Amazon or eBay, but check out top stationary stores Paperchase & Typo for specific travel related ones!
A Portable Mobile Phone Charger
WHAT IS IT? – Well, as the name suggests, this little device lets you charge your mobile on the go, so you don’t have to be attached to a mains plug whilst taking your selfies. These make great stocking fillers, and are sooo handy, especially if your travel friends are out and about for hours on end. From a safety point of view they’re brilliant too, who wants to run out of battery when they’re out hiking in the middle of nowhere?!
WHERE CAN I GET ONE? – Most retailers stock these, but I love my one from PNY Europe! It’s thin, lightweight and can be slotted into my jean pocket without me feeling a thing. The best thing about it is that it isn’t bulky/heavy and doesn’t take up any room at all – it’s been a life saver at times where I’ve been out ALL DAY and desperately needed to contact someone, or take a great Instagram shot, because that’s important too, right?!
So there we have it, my pick of the top 6 gifts to buy your travel lovers this Christmas. If you’re braving the stores, good luck with all the crowds, I don’t envy you one bit! Or if you’re ordering online, be quick, don’t miss those delivery deadlines! Have you bought any travel related gifts for your loved ones this Christmas? If you’re a traveller yourself, what do you ask for from your friends and family? I’d love to find out and add some more items to my wish-list, especially with my birthday coming up… 😉
Merry Christmas and Happy Shopping!
Love Jess x
