Hey, beautiful people. I’m currently on a plane (thank you, scheduled posts!) on my way to Toronto and, as we’re reaching the end of the year, I’ve been feeling really reflective.
I just feel a bit David-Tennanty when he was regenerating. (We didn’t want you to go either, Ten!)
The best thing about this year is all the travel I’ve been lucky enough to experience. (I mean, sure, my bank account doesn’t feel particularly lucky – but my soul does!) The only thing keeping me from curling up into ball of despair over this year ending (look, I don’t know why I’m so doomsday about this, but just leave me to be sad) is the potential for travel next year. It’s going to be amazing.
And then I realised . . . I’m now one of “those” people. The people who say “well, you spend as much on a weekend out in London as you would to go away for a weekend, so we might as well go” and “yeah, fine, Reading festival looks great and all, but we could to Spain for Fib instead!”. I have been bitten by the travel bug. (And if you’re also feeling those travel blues . . . I’ve just edited my Mauritius video and I’ll stick it below so you can watch and love it. It’s only 2 minutes.)
So I decided to just give in to it. Everyone’s asking me “Mia, what do you want for Christmas?” and, honestly, I want to travel or be reminded of the fun I have whilst travelling . . . so I decided to make a little gift guide for people who, like me, love to travel. We’re going to cover some of the more practical gifts, as well as some of the fun ones. Let’s go!
Oh – and, if any of you remember, I’m currently building my graphic design portfolio . . . so I actually made a mock-email shot with this in mind. I’ll show you at the end!
#1 – Travel Wallet
How have I only just seen this? So much anxiety could have been avoided over the past year just by having one of these useful puppies. A travel wallet is exactly what it sounds like; a wallet that allows you to keep all of your essential travel documents close-by and in one place. For any traveller, you know that gut-wrenching panic of “shit, do I have everything?!” right before you leave your home and hotel. Not with this baby!
Travel Wallet – Amazon UK – £12.99
Travel Wallet – Amazon US – $11.99
And, yes, I bought myself one.
#2 – A Cute Carry-On Suitcase
Savvy travellers know that carry-ons are no joke. You can fit a lot in a well packed carry-on suitcase and, even better, you don’t need to pay those luggage fees! Personally, my favourite is the one I currently own and I bought it from River Island last year (sadly, it isn’t in stock anymore). I’ve taken this on pretty much all of my holidays and it’s amazingly convenient, instantly recognizable (helpful after getting off a 3am flight, running on 0 hours sleep and needing to pick up your luggage off the carousel) and pretty.
Photo-Design Carry-On – Amazon UK – £34.95
Rose Gold Carry-On – Amazon UK – £35.99
Retro Vintage Carry-On – Amazon US – $199
#3 – A Map Of The World
I love using a map as the world as a room decoration to bring a little of the world back home with you; there are so many cute ways to use it. Of course, I would be a truly cruel person if I didn’t include some of these decoration ideas, right?
See – how adorable? Coming home after a day of work isn’t so bad when you get to come home to that, is it?
The great thing about maps is that there are loads of them available on the market – scratch-off ones, chalkboard ones, wallpaper murals . . .
Scratch-Off Map – Amazon UK – £16.90
Scratch-Off Map – Amazon US – $24.95
Pinboard Map Of The World – Amazon UK – £24.95
Pinboard Map Of The World – Amazon US – $24.97
Map Of The World Tapestry – Amazon UK – £9.65
Map Of The World Tapestry – Amazon US – $9.90
#4 – Travel Necklace
First of all . . . I love jewellery. I mean, who doesn’t? (No, seriously, direct me to them so that we can have a sit-down chat about what’s going wrong in their lives.) Good jewellery is meaningful and personal – as well as being cute, naturally. A travel themed necklace is a great gift for a travel lover because what’s better than being able to carry the world with you wherever you go?
Vintage Globe Necklace – Etsy (Worldwide) – £16 – $21
Vintage Map Necklace – Etsy (Worldwide) – £18 – $23.75
Gold Globe Necklace – Etsy (Worldwide) – £9.15 – $12
Passport Necklace – Etsy (Worldwide) – £6 – $8
#5 – Polaroid Camera
I actually recieved a polaroid camera as a Christmas gift last year and I love it. Honestly, while I absolutely love the high-definition of our modern cameras and phones and their ability to capture moments and memories perfectly . . . there’s something so tangible and almost more meaningful about these tiny, instant prints.
Instax Polaroid Camera – Amazon UK – £119
Instax Polaroid – Amazon US – $119.95
#6 – GoPro
In this wonderfully connected age of the internet where people can make money sharing their lives (and their travels!) on things like Youtube and blog websites . . . creating videos is something a lot of travellers like to utlise; it’s a way to preserve memories and pay to keep the dream going. Who could ask for more? Well, if your traveller likes to do extreme sports, go to places that are difficult to film – or likes to take footage underwater! – the GoPro camera is probably the best thing you could get them. If you watched the Mauritius vlog above and you saw the crazy high-def images of the wish under the water – that was filmed on a Go-Pro!
GoPro Hero5 – Amazon UK – £361
GoPro Hero 5 – Amazon US – $399
#7 – Passport Cover
Sure, these may not be a total essential . . . but they are amazingly cute! Passports are a not-so-optional accessory that every traveller needs, so why not jazz them up a bit? (In a way that’ll still let you use it, anyway.)
Floral Passport Cover – Amazon US – $8.99
Sass and Belle Passport – Amazon UK – £4.75
#8 – A Holiday!
I know you’re thinking “well, Mia, that’s just extortionate and ridiculous” and you might just be right – if I were talking about going out of your way to book a normal holiday. I’ve recommended Wowcher a lot on this blog recently, mainly because it’s brilliant, but I’m going to recommend it again. Wowcher is basically a voucher site where you can grab some amazing deals on things like classes, nights out . . . and holidays!
For example:
All Inclusive Mallorca Holiday – From £99 pp (linked)
#9 – A Travel Book
Our memories are indescribably precious things; the fabric that makes us who we are. However, some memories are more interesting than others. That time you fell asleep at your desk? I’d waver the first time you go snorkelling or take a plane journey on your own is something you’d rather remember. People that enjoy travel have the opportunity to make so many life-changingly amazing memories that it would be a complete waste to forget them . . . so why not gift someone something to immortalise their favourite memories?
Scrapbooks and memory-boxes are great for this!
And So The Adventure Begins Scrapbook – Amazon UK – £16
Adventure Scrapbook – Amazon US – $19.99
#10 – A Savings For Travel Box
My last gift idea could actually work as a DIY gift, if you were so inclined . . . a travel savings box! Travel is a pretty expensive thing – so why not help your gift recipient save towards it? There are some really cute savings jars and boxes out there, but I think my favourite travel themed ones have to be these:
Adventure Fund Shadow Savings Box – Amazon UK – £14.99
Travel Fund Shadow Box – Amazon US – $34
Adventure Fund – Amazon UK – £7.64
BONUS GIFT: Notebooks
1 – Adventure Awaits – £6.99 // 2 – Never Stop Exploring Notebook – £5.99 // 3 – Map Book – £7.99 // 4 – Adventure Books – £5.99
And that’s today’s gift guide done! As I am a woman of my word, here’s my email shot that I designed as part of my portfolio!
(Ignore the funny spacing; when you use software like MailChimp, typically you upload images into “blocks” as opposed to one, big infographic and I had to seperate the JPG from the GIF, so WordPress kind of screwed up my spacing. But that’s my email shot!)
Guys . . . we’re legitimately in December; how terrifying is that? I’m not emotionally ready. My bank account is also not ready; Christmas as an adult is expensive. That said, I am excited for New Year – that whole wave of motivation and productivity? Sign me up. Anyways, this is all totally irrelevant. I hope you enjoyed this little gift guide; what was your favourite gift? Are you a travel lover? Let me know your thoughts below!
Peace,
Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter // Bloglovin’
I’ve been seeing the scratch-off map everywhere!! I want to get it for my sister who’s planning on traveling once she has graduated. I enjoyed this post 😊
Ljoy x
Me too…but I am resisting the urge to buy it! My wall is already too full ;-; and thank you so much – I’m sure your sister will enjoy it xx
these are very cute gift ideas. x
Why thank you so much lovely!xx
love this! xx
Thank you so much lovely!xx
Cool post!! I would love having a map of the world in my room as a decoration
Thank you lovely! I totslly agree…i may need to invest in a map tapestry tbh 🙂 xx
Yes,I very badly want one of those travel wallets or a scratch off map. Great post 😊
Thank you so much lovely…if the ever travelling Bri likes my post, I have succeeded 😉 xx
Oh my goodness, you’re too sweet 😘 I always love your posts!
Love this so much, I’ve needed a cute carry on case for ages!! xx
Thank you gorgeous girl! And omg in summer river island have some AMAZING ones xx
Loved this post,my travel wallet (not as cute as this one) has saved my life!! Hope you have an amazing time away, post loads of pictures!!
I definitely will do – Toronto is so photogenic and we hit a christmas market, so how could i not share? 😉 And thank you lovely, I only just bought mine but its already making my life 102000 x easier xx
So many cute picks! I love the travel wallet idea, such a good present xx
Thank you so much lovely – and I totally agree; it’s super cute but also really efficient xx
I’m so bad at buying so many notebooks to write all my little adventures in!!
I mean, is that reaalllly a bad thing? 😉 xx
J
Here’s trouble
Aaaah I loved this post so much! I also have the travel bug 😍 I can’t wait to travel through Spain again. I have a polaroid camera but I would love to have a go pro too. That would be awesome to have when I surf haha I’m a beginner 😂 I also would love to have that wallet, so handy. I easy loose stuff hahah 😅 I have a world map too at home. I have that one where you scratch every country where you have been to. Safe travels and have fun beautiful 😍 I love your writing style. I also loved the video; so beautiful omggg wanna go ❤🌊
Thank you so much lovely! I love your comments, they always put a big smile on my face 🙂 And omg I absolutely love Spain; where’s your favourite part? We actually have a GoPro and the underwater footage in the video is from that – they’re absolutely BRILLIANT; the film capture is so high def it’s unbelievable. Would definitely be great for surfing… and omg that’s so cool!! I’ve never surfed in my life, but it looks awesome…I shall live through you! 😉 They’re so cool – I really want one, but I have no wall space 🙁 Thank you, we’re definitely enjoying Canada <3 I sincerely hope you do manage to get to Mauritius, it's such a beautiful and relaxed place <3
For me it is so important to have cute carry on, I don’t know why but I need to have pretty one. Lovely post as always. xx
Yep, me too! Have you ever looked at River Island? Theirs are GORGEOUS. And thank you lovely xx
Love the map wall so much! But I really like all the ideas!
https://marioness.wordpress.com/
Thank you so much! And me too…but it’s christmas, so all these things can be added to the wishlist! 😉
Yas!
Ive never really been able to travel much, but I’m hoping 2018 is the year for me! I have $50 in change alone that I’ve saved over the last 4 months, so I may invest that towards some traveling this year, as I’m still saving lol. All of these ideas are so cute!
Yes girl yes! I hope 2018 does bring you some wonderful opportunities 🙂 xx
Thank you ☺️ me, too, haha!
This post spoke to me on a cosmic level! And I love what you wrote about how lucky you feel even if your piggy bank doesn’t. That struggle is REAL! I loved all the travel-esque gifts! All of them are a must! I hope you have an amazing trip! <3
Thank you so much my lovely! And omg can we not please, part of me is like “wow, mia, you should really save” and then most of me is like “Okay….but you’d just be saving for a holiday LATER why not go on a holiday NOW? 😉 ” And thank you – we are having SO MUCH FUN! <3
You are very welcome sweets! Bwahaha the struggle is real! And girl yasss! Always holiday now!:) so happy you are having fun!💗
Great ideas! I would add some cute packing cubes to the list. They’ve saved my sanity more than once, and they’re SUPER useful when TSA decides that they want to open your suitcase.
Ooooh those sound useful! xx
I love this! I have so many friends who love travelling and I didn’t want to get them cliche items, but you’ve given some great suggestions! I actually want some for myself!xx
That travel wallet looks awesome, really wish I had one! Great post 🙂
Thanks lovely! They’re super useful 🙂 x
Are you travelling and posting? 🙂 How is it going? That map wallpaper has been my favourite for some time now and someday I hope to get such a bedroom in place. I also heart the vintage neck pendant. You have put together lovely ways of carrying the world with you. xx
Ish – I cheated 😉 Basically, I wrote up a load of posts in advance, so all I have to do is read other people’s blogs and reply to comments, which can all be done is lovely cafes and back at the hotel 🙂 And yes they are rather lovely! Thank you so much lovely xx
You said ish! Gosh that is such a Bengali (Indian) word 🙂 Such cheating is good. Organisation and all that, love. How is NYC treating ya? Are you dazzling it too? xx
Oooh I didn’t know that; I now love ish even more! We aren’t actually in New York as of yet; we fly out in two hours to go so we will be there tonight🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️🤸🏻♀️ xx
We use ish the same way so you might be an honorary Bengali 😉 Anyway, all the best for a safe flight. I just got back from the city after a marathon day of walking and am knackered. I guess you must be in soon into the city. A big yay to that! Enjoy yourself love. xx
Nice products, need to get myself a travel wallet! We’re one extended travelling and I can’t believe I forgot to bring my scratch map!! Nice post 😊
Thank you! And oooh you’re so lucky – I’m super jealous; I’m back home next week ;-;
Ah sure you’re so excited tho! Where’re you going home from?
We flew out to Toronto, but we’re hitting New York for a couple of days then coming back from there 😭
Some great picks here for the budding adventurer, loved reading sweet x
Aww thank you lovely 🙂 x
Love all these travel lover pressie ideas!! 😁 xx
Thanks lovely xx
It’s okay 😊 xx
My GoPro is my child. I use it all the time, and I definitely made the most of it on a trip to Hawaii in January for my ‘schoolies’ or leavers holiday with my best friend…complete wiht the travel video when we got back and everything!!
Aaaahh I want the cute suitcase and the map!!! <3