Archives for December 2017

Do you have a traveler or bibliophile in your life? I’ve purchased some super handy travel items (and spotted some others that I want for myself) lately that I think would make great gifts for the traveler in your life. And bookish gifts are always fun! Here are sixteen items that make up my holiday gift guide, for the traveler or reader in your life.

1.Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones. These are so wonderful to have on plane rides. They really do make it so much quieter. And being able to listen to music or watch a movie make the trip go more quickly.

2.Hardside Spinner Luggage. This year, I’ve been converted to hard shell luggage. I’ve found that combined with packing cubes, my packing is so much more organized; and I’m able to fit more into the same amount of space.

3.Packing Cubes. I’ve been a big fan of packing cubes for the last few years. I love that my luggage stays organized even on those trips where I have to repack my bags several times.

4.Kindle Fire. Plenty of reading material, and also a tablet for watching movies and accessing the internet. My Kindle Fire is an indispensable part of my travel supplies.

5.An Amazon Prime subscription. Seriously, I think that Amazon Prime is a wonderful deal. Free 2 day shipping. 1 free borrowed book per month (Kindle Owner’s Lending Library), and 1 free book per month (Kindle First). Free movies and television shows. Free music. And all of that for only $99 per year. This would be an awesome gift for travelers, book lovers, movie lovers, music lovers…pretty much everyone.

6.Portable Luggage Scale. With airlines cracking down on the number and weight of luggage, we’ve found our portable luggage scale to be invaluable to avoid excess baggage fees or repacking luggage in the airport. Especially when we go on scuba diving trips, our luggage can easily be overweight if not distributed property, so this makes packing easy. And it’s small (and lightweight) enough to fit in a carry-on or checked bag so that bags can be repacked for the return trip easily. Plus, they only cost about $7.99-9.99, depending on the brand that you purchase.

7. External battery charger. In the last year, I purchased a bigger external battery charger like this one that is fantastic for traveling. It will charge a couple of different devices at a time, and get them from empty to a full charge. This one is priced at $39.99, which looks like a good value in external battery chargers.

8.Dry Bags. Because we scuba dive, we use these frequently to keep our clothes or other items dry on the dive boats. But I’ve also used mine to keep phone, towel, and kindle clean and dry when going to the beach. So I know that these would come in handy for snorkelers, or anyone who just wants certain items kept clean and dry.

9.Point and shoot camera. I have this Samsung point and shoot digital camera. I really like it. It has about the most functionality that you can get in a point and shoot, takes great pictures, and it will fit in a small purse or in a pocket. After doing some research, and thinking about my needs when it comes to a camera (primarily portability), I decided that a big DSLR camera isn’t really a good fit at present. These range in price from $159.00 to $274.99 depending on the particular color that you want.

10.Amazon gift cards. I read a ton on my Kindle, but especially while on trips. And I love listening to Amazon music, some of which is free with Prime music, but some of which is not. So I am always happy to get an Amazon gift card, so that I can stock up on ebooks and tunes before I leave.

11. Infinity scarf with hidden zippered pouch. I don’t have this item, but really want it. It sounds like it would be perfect for holding cash, credit cards, and a passport, to keep them safe from muggers, without looking like a dopey tourist with a money belt. At $11.00, it’s inexpensive enough to buy in a couple of different colors to wear with different outfits.

12. Airline gift cards or hotel gift cards. I use IHG and United credit cards and love earning points rewards points. If family or friends wanted to purchase gift cards for us for hotels or airlines, we’d definitely get a lot of enjoyment out of it, as those are often the two largest drivers of cost. So I think that hotel and airline gift cards would make an awesome gift!

13.Fun Bookends. I’ve got more books than I know what to do with. But neat bookends like these Fender themed ones would help to manage my collection, or that of any book and music lover.

14.Beautiful Agate Coasters. The coasters are gorgeous! And they would be perfect for that hot or cold drink paired with a good book and a cozy chair.

15.Hardcover Books. If you know someone who is a fan of a particular book series, purchasing the whole series for him/her in hardcover and a set as beautiful as this one, would be a lovely gift. I’m certain that any book lover would be grateful for something like this.

16.Book Themed Gift. I love this Harry Potter themed mug, that changes colors when either hot or cold. Themed gifts for a particular book series are always fun.