With Christmas just around the corner, the following gift ideas are sure to excite avid travelers across the globe. If you’re wondering what to get your travel-loving buddy, significant other, or family member, these practical and essential travel items are guaranteed to show up on any traveler’s wish list this Christmas season.
Starting small with some must-have stocking stuffers, we’ve also included some luxury travel items that are only for those who have been really nice this year. We hope this article gives you some great Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones who love to travel!
11. New-Skin Liquid Bandage
This isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned this product, and that’s because it truly is a lifesaver when traveling. There honestly isn’t anything worse or more painful than having blisters on your feet due to excessive walking, and New-Skin Liquid Bandage is a cheap and practical stocking stuffer that is really nice to have handy when walking for miles on the cobblestone streets of Europe or the gravel roads of Africa.
Made to cover and protect wounds, New-Skin is the ultimate waterproof solution for providing a flexible seal that shields scrapes, cuts, blisters, calluses, and cracked skin. Weighing in at 1 fluid ounce, New-Skin is small enough to bring on any carry-on bag. Trust me when I say your traveling friend or family member will be thanking you for this nifty travel item!
10. Travel Journal
One thing I make sure to do while traveling is write down all of my experiences. I love being able to look back and remember small moments; they have the power to transport you back to a specific time and place. I’ve been carrying a travel journal around with me for years, and I’m incredibly thankful that I’ve documented my journeys along the way.
Coincidentally, my first ever travel journal was gifted to me for Christmas, and it is something that I always have with me when embarking on a new adventure. Buying a travel journal for a loved one is another practical and affordable travel item that can easily be stored in a purse, backpack, or carry-on suitcase.
9. Portable Delicates Washbag
An ideal gift for those who take pride in traveling lightly, a portable delicates washbag is an incredibly handy item to have with you on any trip.
Traveling is all fun and games until you run out of clean underwear. Luckily, this lightweight, compact portable pouch allows you to throw all of your delicate clothing items into one place and wash them with ease during your travels, sidestepping the nuisance of overpacking. Just be sure to follow the instructions printed on the outside!
8. Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag
Another item I’ve mentioned before, anti-theft purses and bags are a great item to have to avoid pickpocketing while traveling. Though this is one of the downsides of traveling and it pains me to even mention it, there are places where petty theft is common, especially in areas where tourists congregate in high volumes (think popular tourist attractions, Metros, restaurants, etc.).
Anti-theft bags vary in size and price, but most come equipped with locking zippers, slash and cut resistant body panels, and RFID protected pockets. This is an item that many travelers might not think to buy for themselves, but they’ll be very thankful when to have this with them while traveling!
7. Trtl Travel Pillow
While attempting to avoid discussing the most obvious item that most travelers already have, I couldn’t help but mention this up-and-coming travel “pillow.” The Trtl Travel Pillow is a hot new item that is making travelers ditch their old bulky pillows and switch to this new and improved design.
Scientifically proven, half the size of a normal travel pillow, and machine washable, the Trtl Travel Pillow features strengthened ribs for better neck and head support, soft fleece and foam that is stretched to create a comforting hammock effect, and a patented design made to fit any neck, jaw, and shoulder shape.
I’ll admit that when I first saw a friend with this travel item, I laughed at its awkward design and didn’t believe it worked. Let’s just say that, after borrowing hers for a couple of hours on an overnight bus, I was jealous I didn’t have my own.
Trtl travel pillow. Wikimedia Commons
6. Morihata Binchotan Charcoal Eye Mask
Another great stocking stuffer, the Morihata Binchotan Charcoal Eye Mask promotes blood circulation, relieves eye pressure, and helps reduce headaches. The mask is infused with Binchotan charcoal, a white coal native to Japan that is traditionally used in cooking.
Made from organic cotton, this travel item comes softly padded with a silky satin front and an additional fabric strip that rests gently on the nose and eyes to block out any incoming light. This unique eye mask is most commonly used for relaxation, meditation, stress relief, sleep and, of course, airplane travel!
5. Flight 001’s 4-in-1 Universal Travel Adapter
As an avid traveler, I can personally never have enough universal travel adapters. It’s an easy item to misplace, but one you definitely don’t want to be without.
The Flight 001’s 4-in-1 Universal Travel Adapter puts all other universal- adaptors to shame with its color-coated plugs that can adapt to more than 150 countries. It is the first product of its kind to utilize the JA/C READY Adapter system and comes paired with a color-coded map for simple usage. Ringing in at only $25, this is an affordable and essential gift idea for travelers.
4. A Birchbox Subscription
For only $10 a month, Birchbox will send you a personalized mix of makeup, hair products, skincare items, and fragrance samples. The best part about Birchbox? Everything is travel sized!
Each month, Birchbox will send you five beauty items with a mix of prestige and niche brands. Once the second month of your subscription rolls around, you get to personally choose one of the items in the bunch. While you can purchase full-sized products with free shipping, I personally love Birchbox for being able to have my favorite trusted beauty products with me while traveling in the right size for carry-ons!
3. BauBax Travel Jacket
Moving on from simple stocking stuffers, the BauBax Travel Jacket is the ultimate travel companion for the most seasoned of travelers. After raising $11 million on Kickstarter and Indiegogo, BauBax recently released a new and improved version of the original jacket, BauBax 2.0.
The new and improved jacket is back with 25 features, including a built-in inflatable neck pillow and eye mask, a separate drink, sunglasses, tablet, passport, phone, and blanket pocket, hand warming pockets, charger pockets, and an earphone holder.
With four different comfortable designs to choose from fit for most weather, the BauBax Travel Jacket is versatile and durable. Once you have this item, you’ll never understand how you traveled without it before!
2. Dash Pro In-Ear Translator
What a time it is to be alive! In 2018, iTranslate and The Dash Pro by Bragi have teamed up to create the world’s first in-ear translator. The Dash Pro In-Ear Translator is bringing travelers the first-ever translating earpiece with the ability to translate into nearly 40 languages.
The Dash Pro connects with your phone, allowing you to speak instantly with a simple tap for completely hands-free, real-time conversations. This innovative technology is considered the world’s first pair of true Intelligent Earphones, and it will cost you a pretty penny — around $330. While the Dash Pro is currently out of stock on its website, the earphones can be found on eBay or AccessoryJack.
1. Travelmate Robotics Suitcase
Providing a whole new meaning to the term luxury travel, the Travelmate Robotics Suitcase is a cutting-edge, artificial intelligence luggage item that, in its smallest size, costs a whopping $1,099.
Travelmate is the first ever robot assistance and autonomous suitcase, with smart features like obstacle avoidance and the Follow Me system that uses autonomous movement technology. This adaptable suitcase dynamically optimizes its movements and adjusts to your speed; it is approved for use on all airlines. Being gifted this luxury travel item this Christmas season will provide you with all the bragging rights amongst your closest travel buddies.
Check out the video below to see just how the Travelmate Robotics Suitcase works.
We hope this article gave you an idea or two what to buy the happy wanderers among your friends and family. Happy trails!
