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Sometimes, getting the right gift for your loved ones can be a stressful ordeal if you don’t know what to buy. Especially when their hobbies are expensive. Things like finding stocking stuffers for travelers in your life can be hard if the only gifts you can think of for them are plane tickets or a fancy luggage set. Or a hotel stay.
But buying presents doesn’t have to be so stressful. In fact, it can be a meaningful way to express your love for another person–without breaking the bank.
Giving gifts is one of the five love languages. Christmas time, birthdays, and other gift-giving holidays are a great time to show some love to special people in your life. I always feel incredible when I can find something special for the people I care about.
People who love to travel don’t need vouchers for airline tickets or fancy hotel stays for you to get them a meaningful gift. There are a lot of travel-related things that fit in a Christmas stocking.
So, without further ado…
Face Mask
No, not the kind that goes over your mouth to prevent the spread of disease. (Although that’s a great option, too!) I’m talking about masks that go over your eyes to block out light.
These are essential for people who want to sleep while they travel. No mode of transportation goes completely dark at night unless you’re in a private sleeping suite. Airplanes need visible aisles for safety, while cars and buses pass streetlights and other vehicle headlights.
This particular mask blocks out light without being restrictive, and it’s very soft and comfortable. I highly recommend it for the weary traveler who just wants a little shut-eye.
Reusable Water Bottle
Honestly, like a few of the items on this list, a reusable water bottle is a great tool even when you aren’t traveling. It’s eco-friendly, saves money, and is a convenient way to carry around a drink.
A reusable water bottle is crucial for travelers who are constantly on the move and may not have a convenient home base to return to for a drink. Providing their own water source makes their trips much more manageable.
Scratch-Off Travel Map
These are so fun! I have one hanging up in my office to chronicle to places I’ve been. A part of me wishes I could scratch off individual cities, but that map would be way too big!
This item is great because even though the traveler in your life won’t take it with them to different locations, it’s a great reminder of where they’ve gone. It’s cute and easier to put on display than a scrapbook, making it a wonderful memento of places visited.
Shampoo Bars
Shampoo bars (and conditioner bars) are a fantastic way to cut down on your plastic use. They are also ideal for traveling, because they aren’t liquid! That makes them TSA compliant and immune to spilling in your suitcase. Win-win!
This particular brand is also vegan and cruelty-free, which is a major bonus for me.
Identity Protecting Travel Wallet
Better safe than sorry! Scams can happen to anyone. In fact, being in an unfamiliar location makes you a bigger target for local scam artists.
This travel wallet comes with a layer that protects your cards from RFID identity theft. Wikipedia defines this as “a form of identity theft described as ‘the act of compromising an individual’s personal identifying information using wireless (radio frequency) mechanics.'”
Modern day thieves don’t exclusively resort to pick-pocketing. As a result, this wallet is a wonderful option to avoid having your information stolen and used by tech-savvy scam artists.
Travel Phone Charger
This is one of the most universally useful stocking stuffers for travelers. Almost everyone carries around a cell phone these days, and we often keep our travel information on our phones instead of printing them out.
If you have a downloaded map of the area or a bar code to claim your car rental on your phone, the last thing you want is for it to die when you don’t have access to an outlet.
The traveler in your life will thank you for this gift when they’re wandering around a foreign city with 1% battery or on a 12 hour flight with no usb ports.
Universal Travel Adapter
Heads up: Different parts of the world have different shaped electrical outlets. Converters adapt plugs, but they’re region-specific, rendering them useless outside their designated area.
This universal adapter is amazing because you can take any type of plug in and attach it to any type of outlet. I have used an older version of this many times and been very happy with it, but I’m definitely going to get the one with usb ports soon!
Travel Journal
This is one of my favorite items on the list. Documenting your travels in real time is a highly rewarding process. It’s nice to have a dedicated space to do so.
Weeks and months after the trip, your loved one will be able to flip through the pages of their journal. When they do, a dozen half-forgotten memories will come flooding back to them.
As useful as practical tools are, this sentimental gift will surely bring a smile to your loved one’s face. And don’t worry, it’s made with vegan leather.
Hand Sanitizer
Traditionally when you think of stocking stuffers for travelers, hand sanitizer would not be at the top of your list. However, transportation options are often filled with germs, and staying clean is even more important now that we’re in a pandemic. This one smells like lavender and has aloe to keep your hands from getting dry, which is an awesome bonus.
As useful as practical tools are, this sentimental gift will surely bring a smile to your loved one’s face.
Digital Luggage Scale
Imagine this nightmare: You are packed and ready to go on a trip you’ve been dreaming about for months. So, you show up to the airport and they weigh your checked luggage. It’s just slightly over the 50 lb (23 kg) limit. Now the airline wants to charge you an absurd amount of money, which puts a noticeable dent in your carefully-crafted travel budget.
Instead of trying to use your slightly inaccurate bathroom scale that’s been gathering dust since 2013, a digital luggage scale is perfect to avoid the above situation.
This digital scale is great because you place the handle of your bag on the hook and lift it up to measure it. The average bathroom scale is not the right size for a suitcase, and it’s hard to keep the wheels from rolling off even if it does fit.
Plus, since you’ll probably only use this for weighing luggage, it won’t decline in quality very quickly and you’ll have an accurate result for a long time.
TSA Approved Lock
This one is another boring one, but very important. If you travel with anything expensive, whether it’s nice clothes or souvenirs you bring home, you probably don’t want people to have easy access to your suitcase.
Or maybe you just don’t want random airport employees to have easy access to your underwear…
Either way, having a lock on your suitcase is a great way to protect your items and your privacy. This lock is TSA approved, which will save you the grief of an overzealous security guard grabbing bolt cutters.
Travel Blanket
Having a nice travel blanket can be a life saver on buses, trains, and airplanes. This is especially helpful for overnight travel. But it comes in handy any time you’re cold while your luggage is packed away.
I especially like this one as an option for stocking stuffers for travelers in your life because it’s a pretty color. However, you can find other variations under “similar items” when you follow the link.
The ability to give a useful, personal gift is a treasure in itself. I love finding special things for my loved ones that they will be able to use in multiple situations.
What are your favorite stocking stuffers for travelers?
