9 Perfect Xmas Gifts for Travellers

Travellers can be a little difficult to buy for, particularly those of us that like pretty and practical and don’t want to be weighed down with a mountain of luggage.  Here are a few of my favourite ideas for holiday gifts for travellers in your life this year.

(1)     iTunes Card

Our trusty gadgets (iPhones and iPads) make our lives so much simpler, more fun and mean our email and social media is never far away so we can stay in touch with you more often.  There’s a constant stream of new apps that make our photos prettier, our notes easier to find and our schedules more flexible.  On top of that who doesn’t want a new game, movie, book or music this Christmas.

 (2)     Vanity case | Washbag | Makeup Bag

Steamy bathrooms, cramped spaces, frequent use, getting packed, unpacked, squashed and subjected to leaky products means that a wash bag or vanity case has a pretty tough life.  Cleaning and airing can only do so much and it’s going to need replacing from time to time.  Plus who isn’t still on the search for the perfect holdall for those essential travel products?

 3)     Pashmina

A large pashmina or scarf is so useful when travelling.  Not only does it make you instantly look a whole lot more stylish but it doubles as a pillow, blanket and another warm layer which is incredibly useful when surviving cattle class transport and overzealous air conditioning in tip-top shape.

 (4)     Phone or Tablet cases

OK so clearly my iPhone and iPad are much-loved items.  Being carried with me constantly, in and out of bags, propped up on tables, in my lap or on my beach towel they take a fair share of wear and tear.  A protective case has also saved my much-loved devices from serious damage on several occasions so I’m more than happy to treat them to a pretty new one from time to time. 

The choices now are fabulous, you can be stylish, fun, functional and express your personality with so many gorgeous options.  You can even have your own iPad wardrobe of looks – not that I would, really, I just have a couple of spares in case of emergency.

 (5)     Travel size skincare

Lovely skincare and makeup products make us feel our pampered best and there’s no need to make do with sub-standard products when you travel.  Your skin has enough to deal with given the climatic changes, air conditioning, likely dehydration while flying and more time spent outdoors in the elements.  Favourite products in travel-sized plastic containers or a set of travel bottles and jars are a handy gift for most of us.

 (6)     Water Bottle

We all know you can’t take a bottle of water through immigration at the airport anymore, you can however take your water bottle and fill it on the other side.  It’s still worth having your own bottle with you on the plane, those little cups of water they hand out are nowhere near enough to keep you hydrated throughout your flight.  Your own environmentally friendly bottle is also useful at the destination, on a road trip and anywhere else on the go.  Glass bottles with a rubber protective sleeve are now my favourites, they are long-lasting, easy to sterilize and there’s no risk of those nasty contaminants found in many plastics getting into your drinking water.

 (7)     Portable charger

There’s not always a charging point handy and having a portable power pack in your purse can really save the day.  The portable charger is no longer a bulky and quite frankly ugly device.  Look out for some gorgeous and very practical alternatives.

 (8)     Travalo Perfume Bottle

We all like to smell good after a long flight but liquid limits in cabin baggage and the risk of a bottle of your favourite perfume leaking over everything you have with you in you your luggage isn’t a good option.  The Travalo is a refillable atomizer that lets you easily decant your favourite perfume into it for travelling or even just to carry around in your purse on a daily basis.  It holds a reasonable quantity, lasts well and I’ve had no problems with leakage.  I did find it worth getting the original Travalo though as I’ve not had the same success with cheaper copy versions.

 (9)     Camera Strap

It seems crazy that you can spend thousands of dollars on a camera and invariably, no matter what the brand, it comes with a cheap, uncomfortable strap.  If the traveller in your life enjoys photography there’s a fair chance that they spend a good portion of the year with a camera strap around their neck, often in hot and dirty environments. 

That puts a lot of wear and tear on any strap and means that a new, comfortable and well-balanced one is probably going to be appreciated.  There’s a good variety around from quirky Etsy designs to my personal favourite, the Black Rapid professional crossbody strap.  The Black Rapid even comes in a women’s version that skirts comfortably around the anatomy without squashing you.

What great ideas do you have for holiday gifts for travellers on your Christmas shopping or wish-list this year?