Although you don't have to worry as much about space constraints here as you do with other travel items, make sure your recipient has the space to display your gift and the desire to have it. That is, don't give cufflinks to a man who doesn't own a suit and avoid a large map or piece of art for someone in a rented space who can't put anything on the walls. Other than these considerations, use your imagination - it's hard to go wrong with anything that reminds your globetrotter of his trips or favorite destinations.
Here are some final (for awhile) suggestions for the traveler on your list:
- Traveler Map: This product is listed first for a reason - it is the perfect gift for any and every traveler. I received this map a few years ago and it has been one of my favorite possessions ever since. The original version (and the one I have) is a world map, but there are also US, kid's US, and European editions (along with maps for US golf courses, national parks, and baseball stadiums and country maps for France, Germany, Italy, and the UK). Each map comes with a personalized nameplate and pins to mark past travels, dream destinations, favorite spots, and the next planned trip. There are plenty of other maps you can personalize, but this is my favorite by far. For any serious traveler, buy an extra set or two of pins so she doesn't run out. You can buy from the original manufacturer, Stone Arch Merchants, but a number of other stores sell them as well. This world map mural (wall sized and laminated for easy writing and erasing) and scratch off world map (a colorful world map covered with scratch-off foil) are also neat options.
Jewelry: For a globetrotter who regularly wears jewelry and accessories, an upcycled or original piece is a great travel memento. For women, look for rings and necklaces; for men, consider cufflinks or a tie clip. Repurposed transit tokens from major cities make unique gifts - you can find them fashioned into
cufflinks (link: choice of Boston, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, or Chicago),
rings (link: Boston), and
necklaces (link: Philadelphia). Many stores also offer cufflinks made from
original (link: Vatican) and
handpainted (link: South Korea) coins or featuring
city manhole covers (link: various locations),
flags (link: South Africa), and
signature items (link: UK red phonebooth). Many tie bars also feature country flags, like these
Irish and
UK versions. For a personalized option, consider cufflinks or a necklace with a custom map location. Choose one of your traveler's favorite destinations or special places, such as a honeymoon spot or vacation home. You can find pre-made and custom pieces in several Etsy stores - my favorites are this
cufflink and necklace set (perfect for newlyweds with their honeymoon destination) and these custom
black and white cufflinks.
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| Handpainted bronze Australian coins - many of these coins were removed from circulation and used in the bronze medals for the 2000 Sydney Olympics (photo courtesy of Cufflinks Depot) |
Collectibles: For a traveler with space to display items, think about giving a small decoration or two that reminds her of a favorite destination or spot. Consider country or city symbols or mottos, famous landmarks, and classic representations of a place (like a double decker bus or red phone booth for London). I like this
Arc de Triomphe stamp,
New York map handkerchief, and these
Paris map playing cards. One of my favorite products is the city-in-a-bag series, shown below, that includes several miniature representations of the city. Check out
MUJI for more great selections and ideas.
Photos: Travelers always have lots of pictures from their travels and would love some help getting them into a tangible format. For globetrotters using digital cameras, give credits or a gift card that allows him to print out his photos. I use
Shutterfly for my travel pics, which offers three
prepaid plans of 4x6 prints - $54 for 600 prints, $44 for 400 prints, and $20 for 200 prints. They also offer other products made from your traveler's photos, including books, coasters, calendars, and puzzles. If he uses a film camera, give him a gift certificate to get his film developed. If he already has his pictures printed but needs a way to display them, give him a gift certificate for a local craft store where he can get frames, such as
Hobby Lobby.
Art and Maps: An interesting and quality piece of art is a great reminder of traveling. Think framed pictures (like this
Eiffel Tower construction progression
), paintings (maybe a reproduction print of a piece he saw during his travels), or sketches (a favorite city landmark is nice). Also consider maps of a favorite destination - you could get a modern version or find an antique map of the area, or frame a map of the city's subway. Etsy sellers
bananastrudel and
OldMapsandPrints have some great authentic vintage maps at very reasonable prices. For a unique twist on a traditional map, I love Etsy seller
studiokmo's handmade city maps - especially her
original mapcuts (link: various cities including Singapore, London, Paris, Berlin, and Sydney),
original ink drawings (link: Melbourne), and mapcut designs printed on
stretched canvas (link: Dublin) and
heavyweight paper (link: Amsterdam). Here are some more of my favorites:
London and
Paris paper cut prints, framed original London
Tube and
bus destination blinds, world map
memo board,
city map plates, and
country dish towels.
Globe: Every globetrotter needs a nice globe for reminders of her travels and quick reference when planning future trips. You can find globes all across the price spectrum, but don't feel like you have to spend big for a quality globe.
National Geographic has a classic quality version for $99, and Amazon has lots of great globes for much less (search "desk globe"), including
perpetual motion globes
in a variety of colors (they complete a full rotation every 18 seconds, powered by a hidden battery) for as low as $
17.77
. Of course, you could go for a more expensive model like this
Frank Lloyd Wright floor globe ($800) designed by the architect himself or this
Lead Crystal Everest Globe made from crystal and billed as "the world's finest globe" ($8000).
Shower Curtain: This suggestion may seem somewhat random, but I have long been a fan of these shower curtains that help you learn a new language. Each curtain includes 100 English words and their translations (and pronunciations for Japanese and Chinese) and comes in
Spanish
,
French,
Japanese,
Italian
,
German, and
Chinese
). You might also consider this
world map shower curtain or this
photo shower curtain with pockets for photos, cards, and small trinkets - what great way for your traveler to start every morning!
Dining Experience: One of the best ways to recreate a travel experience at home is through food. Take your globetrotter to a local restaurant that serves cuisine from one of her favorite destinations or make her an authentic meal at home. Check out
Saveur and the
World Hearth Recipe Collection for recipe ideas and
Urban Spoon for nearby restaurants.
Travel Box: Serious travelers have lots of mementos from past adventures and inspirations for future journeys, and these items deserve a place of their own. Also called a hope/dream chest or memory/keepsake/heirloom box, this provides a special (and organized) place for your globetrotter to keep ticket stubs, old passports, postcards, brochures, and travel articles. You can go as large or small as you want, but remember that a tiny box isn't going to allow much room for dreaming. Find any kind of box you think will inspire your recipient - my favorites are wooden, but you can get any material with as little or as much decoration and color as you see fit. Take a look at this
heirloom box made of reclaimed wood,
vintage wooden travel box with leather strap closure, and
custom heirloom chest with your choice of calligraphy text to get you started.
Map Chair: I've featured this product
before but it is well-worth mentioning again. This decoupage chair is custom-made by Etsy seller
Bombus (who also makes the atlas journal mentioned in the previous post) in your choice of map - choose a city, country, or the world! It is a true piece of art and makes a great conversation piece for any devoted traveler.
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| Map chair featuring London (photo courtesy of Bombus) |
What are your favorite items to remind you of traveling?
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