Can’t believe Christmas is almost here! This year, I decided to compile a list of my favorite things, a few last minute DIY ideas and what is on my wish-list for my 2015 “Top 50 Wanderful Gifts for the Traveller” post. I hope you enjoy this wonderful holiday season with your family and friends and that you get all that you wish for this year! Merry Christmas!
Men/Women Fashion:
1) Travel Scarf with a hidden pocket hand crafted by my fantastic travel blogger friend Beth at Speakeasy Supply Co. I am absolutely obsessed with these scarves; in fact everyone in my family, including my best friend has one of their scarves. My first purchase was the nautical anchor fabric, and I just recently got the San Felipe serape blanket print and I am absolutely in love with how gorgeous it is. I cannot wait to take my latest print with me on my next adventure. It is perfect for storing my passport, hearing aid batteries, EOS lip balm and metro cards. Full review coming up soon on the blog!
2) “There’s a Map for That” Travel necklace – you may remember this from last years list , show off this cute necklace on a night out on the town. Check out the silver version as well!
3) Women HeatTeach Extra Warm Lounge Dress (long sleeved) – This is one of the most comfortable long sleeved lounge dresses I own. In fact, when I first bought mine, I wore it for two days straight- no joke. That is how cosy it is, I am actually considering buying another one. I cannot wait to test this out on my next flight, as I feel like it would be perfect. Make sure to keep an eye out for sales, I was able to snatch mine up for $4.00! Available in Pink and Black.
4) Ultra Light Down Hooded Jacket from Uniqlo. The newest version has zippered pockets which is a godsend. I hardly buy any down products due to animal cruelty, but the down is humanely sourced. I especially love how foldable this jacket is, with it’s handy pouch to store it. The selling point for me was how lightweight they were and yet they kept me extra warm. They also make these uber cool jackets for men.
5) Uniqlo Heat Tech extra warm leggings and HeatTech extra warm long sleeved crew shirts– What can I say? Uniqlo has some of the best, warm, cosy clothing items for the winter. I recently ordered the newer “extra warm” leggings, and the long sleeved shirts, and was so surprised to find that the newer versions are extras soft and the best part is that they are still thin enough to wear underneath jeans, or sweaters without making it look bulky. I love the lightness of these making it perfect to travel with them all year round. With its moisture-wicking fabric with its ability to retain heat and features anti-odor properties to keep you feeling fresh even when you sweat. Making this a must to add to your travel wardrobe. Men’s version of the extra warm long sleeved shirts are available as well.
6) Game of Thrones Map Dress – I absolutely adore this lightweight dress, it is a map of Westeros and it also appeals to the traveller in me with it’s gorgeous unique map design. Game of Throne fans will love this travel themed outfit. Outfit idea – pair with the ultra light heattech leggings for the airport.
Tech/Nerdy/Books
7) Unicorn Beetle Iphone 6 Plus case – Finding a good sturdy case is hard too come by, especially when they are bulky. But at last I finally found a sleek Comes in 5 colors, Black, Blue, Green, Pink and White.
8) “I am your Luggage” Star Wars themed luggage tags from Target, perfect for the Star Wars fan.
9) Tunnelbear App – Tired of the pesky censorships and website blocks in other countries? I would always get frustrated whenever I couldn’t watch Netflix or Hulu in other countries because it wasn’t available there. Now there is a way around it, it changes the VPN setting whenever you are abroad. Compatible with Android, iPhones iPad, PC and Macs. You can try out the free version but it can be limiting with 500MB per month but they have other subscriptions.
10) Google ChromeCast -I love this portable handy device that connects any of my devices to any TV wirelessly.
11) Photojojo has a great variety of gifts for the Photographer savvy, such as this Iris Photo lense series. While it is a bit pricey, but I absolutely love the effortless way you can switch the different lenses. So far they have Macro, Wide Lens, and Fisheye.
12) The Martian by Andy Weir – read this fantastic Sci-Fi thriller about a astronaut stranded on Mars before checking out the Matt Damon adaptation in theaters.
Health/Beauty:
13) Benefit travel kits from Sephora or Ulta – Each of these kits have travel samples by some of my favorite Benefit Cosmetics.
Feelin’ Dandy Lip & Cheek Kit –
High Beam – I will not travel without my High Beam illuminating cream, it makes my skin look fresh and dewy after a long flight.
How to look the Best in Everything
14) Urban Decay 24/7 colorful travel sized eyeliner set: Colors in the set are Perversion(Dark Black), Zodiac(Forest Green), Delirious(Purple), Accuse(Blue), and Muse(Brown). These funky colored eyeliner are travel sized and stay on for hours!
15) Kat Von D Tattoo Eyeliner – I recently discovered this gem. After hearing rave reviews, I had to try it for myself so I went out and bought this with my beauty insider points. The first day I tried this waterproof eyeliner, I was impressed with it’s staying power- even through the snow storm! Easily this is one of the best eyeliners I have ever had, nothing smudged it nor would it fade after an whole day!
16) NYX roll on shimmer eyeshadow – I love the ease of the roll on eyeshadow, it makes it much easier to put it on during my flight. My personal favorites are Onyx, Almond, Chestnut and Purple.
17) Violife Slim Sonic electronic travel toothbrush – I currently have the London version. I absolutely love these toothbrushes with it’s wide variety of colorful designs. They even have one for Paris, Texas, Hawaii, Chicago as well as 53 assorted prints and colors. Don’t forget the replacement heads! They come in a pack of 4, which is great to have a backup in spare in case something happened to your toothbrush on your travels.
18) Steripod clip on toothbrush sanitizer to go with your toothbrush to keep it protected from these pesky germs.
19) Birchbox – Cost $10 per month subscription, but I absolutely love the designer samples from Benefit, Paul mitchell, and many other notable brands. Every now and then I get travel sized makeup, such as lipstick, mascaras, from top notch brands like Benefit, The Balm, etc.
20) EOS Lip Balms – I admit that I may be slightly obsessed with these lip balm. My particular favorites are Coconut milk, Sweet Mint, and I also love the Rachel Roy limited edition with Orange Blossom, Strawberry Kiwi and Pink Grapefruit. Word to the wise- if you have pets, keep them away from them ; one of my dogs is obsessed with them! Haha
21) Sudocrem tube from Boots– but you can also order the Sudocrem 125G or 400G tub . I cannot travel without these, because they really keep your skin hydrated especially in the harsh winter months.
22) Tangle Teezer compact style hairbrush – I love that it covers the hairbrush protecting it from getting damaged or filled with lint inside your purse. They also come in a wide variety of colors, and easy to pick up from boots for those in the UK. I am so glad that they finally started carrying these on Amazon!
23) AROAMAS solid perfume sticks – I have such amazing friends, I am constantly amazed by their brilliant ideas. Brooke from Her Packing List created these amazing travel perfume sets with natural ingredients, they don’t spill, alcohol free, and no liquids which means you can take it through security without any fuss! Also check out their website for more scents, and they even have cologne travel sets for men!
24) Travel sized Batise Dry Shampoo in Blush- 1.6 ounce, which makes it perfect for travel on those long overseas days. You can get it in original, blush, and cherry scents. In addition you can also grab these from boots in the UK.
Travel Gear:
25) The Carry on Cocktail Kit for a long travel day. Perfect for the man in your life, they currently have them in Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule, and Gin &Tonic.
26) 11-Tools-in-1 Stainless Steel Credit Card-Sized Survival Tool– Although they are not really accepted at airports (I’ve sadly had it taken away) Despite that, it is super handy for the outdoors. Did I also mention that it is only a $1.74?
27) The Hobo roll compression bag – perfect to compress the items in your backpack, you can store winter clothes in there. I love it!
28) Lo& Sons The Catalina Canvas Bag – Last year I posted the O.G tote bag, but I must admit that I love this canvas bag.
The Rhodes– geared for men, but I absolutely love that it slips over the suitcase handle unlike the Catalina bag.
29) RuMe Bag Foldable carry all bag – it is basically a light weight, cheaper version of the Catalina bag, but it also slips over the suitcase handle.
Budget/Home/Misc:
30) Scratch off Map by Luckies of London – Pair with the Parabo Press frame towards the bottom of the list
31) USB Cable kits at the local dollar store. Go check out your local dollar store you will be amazed to discover many cheap travel finds there are. From foldable hand towels to usb cable, to pouches to store stuff in.
32) Zippo Hand Warmers- Now this is a tricky one. It may not be accepted at airports but This is super handy to have for ski trips, camping outdoors, or on a hike through winter wonderland. They stay warm for 12 hours!
33) Starbucks Gift Cards – I’ve been able to use my credit overseas with the iPhone app, so make sure you reload your card!
34) iTunes gift cards – so they can stock up on their favorite shows/music for their long flight!
35) City Passes– New York City, Boston, SoCal, and many more. It is a great no fuss way to take in all the museums, and the sights in town especially if you know that they will be on a time crunch. Also check for international cities for Paris, Barcelona, and so forth.
Super last minute easy DIY gifts:
36) Spray paint a sculpture or bookends from Target, or Homegoods, etc. I spray painted this $10 dollar Elephant statue with Rust-Oleum metallic gold spray, it revitalized the look of a old, worn down statue that now sits proudly as a centerpiece. You can also do this with paperweights, or bookends. Have some fun with it, pick a wild fun color!
37) Create a frame for hanging sunglasses -Do you know someone who has a bunch of sunglasses and nowhere to put them? Why not create a DIY sunglasses holder; I bought a cheap frame without a glass at the local thrift store for $1, and spray painted it a color of my choosing and strung along a wire across, and voila a sunglasses holder was created!
38) Print their favorite travel photo at the local Costco or from Parabo Press Prices vary from print sizes.
39) Magnet Board – If they have nowhere to put their awesome collection of travel souvenir magnets, or the refrigerator was running out of space then why not create their own. Buy a metal sheet from Home Depot or a local hardware store, hang it up and it’s ready to be adorned with their international collection of magnets. Prices vary from size.
Disclaimer – All items above I’ve personally tested out on my own and absolutely love. Not to mention some items are affiliate links, which gives me a small commission to help keep this blog running 🙂
If that still doesn’t give you any ideas, then check out my personal Christmas Wishlist.
40) Splendid Cities: Color Your Way to Calm Adult coloring books – I really am eyeing this one, and the Lost Ocean version. However, I did just discover that there will be a new one out by fellow travel bloggers called “Travel Between the Lines – coming out soon. Will post on here once it is available! This is a great way to pass the time on those long travel days.
41) Parabo Press frame – perfect for the Scratch off map that I mentioned earlier(#30). I’ve been looking for a great frame that will allow me to still scratch off the countries from time to time. A friend of mine recommended this frame to me, I sincerely hope I get it for christmas 😉
42) MeFOTO Aluminium Roadtrip Travel Tripod Kit– after reading rave reviews from Adventurous Kate, I decided that I wanted to add this tripod to my wishlist. The selling point for me was the fact that it is ultra lightweight, which makes it perfect for my travels.
Cameras – I am currently debating between two cameras, both come with rave reviews. If you decide to grab one, let me know!
43) Fujifilm X-T1 16 MP Mirrorless Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and XF 18-135mm Lens WR Kit (Weather Resistant). While it is on the higher end of the spectrum, it does produce quality photos, with wifi capabilities that connect to your mobile devices.
44) On the lower end of the price spectrum, I also thought about getting the Fujifilm X-A2/XC16-50mmF3.5-5.6 II Brown Mirrorless Digital Camera with Lens Kit, I love the vintage vibe that the brown leather brings. This also has wifi capability, LCD screen tilt so you can take selfies and much more.
45) Li’l Laser Smart Projector – I have always thought portable projectors are awesome, how fun would this be to take on a camping trip? 
46) Ringly– this gorgeous ring actually alerts you when you have a message on your phone. How cool is that? Check out this aptly named meteorite ring called Wanderlust
47) GoPro HER0 4– I’ve always wanted a GoPRO, it is perfect for the outdoor traveler who loves to capture their journey down the slopes or catching the waves.
48) Luxebell GoPro 5 in1 Accessories – it comes with a extendable handheld monopod, bike handlebar mount, head strap, chest strap and a carrying case.
49) GoPro Fetch Harness for your dog! For the traveller that loves to bring their dog along on their travels.
50) Pacsafe portable anti-theft safe – Having a portable safe that easily folds up in your bag would be super handy in hostels, hotels, etc.
Disclaimer – the items from my personal wishlist are those I have not tried out in personally but have researched the reviews intensively, and came highly recommendations from friends & family.
