The travel gifts that will really get you going
EVERY week our Holiday Hero NEIL SIMPSON takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the legwork so you don’t have to. This week: Christmas gifts for travel-lovers.
A BRIGHT yellow luggage tag shaped like a pineapple, a grab-andgo game of travel Monopoly and a super-soft kids’ monkey-shaped travel pillow – all are among stocking fillers on offer for less than £10 from map and travel experts Stanfords (stanfords.co.uk).
If you’re buying for a sun-lover, a hand-made Fedora or Panama hat from £85 could suit. Choose one from Pachacuti, the ‘British Hatter of Distinction’ based in Leek in the heart of the Peak District. It also offers hippy-chic embroidered belts for women for £39.50 and a range of ‘yacht-friendly’ loafers and sandals ideal for a cruise (panamas.co.uk).
Stylish luggage is on offer from Stubble & Co, a British brand with a strong environmental focus. Its £185 jet-black Adventure bag made from recycled plastic includes a laptop pocket, shoe compartment, water-bottle-holder and document pouch (stubbleandco.com).
A £95.95 heated jacket could be a hit for anyone planning a ski trip. The Regatta jackets have three temperature settings and provide two hours of batterypowered warmth (regatta.com).
Personalised ‘Treasured Location’ prints are a reminder of a favourite place. Tell the designers at the Brambler studio in Kent why a holiday was special – a honeymoon on St Lucia, for example – and for £28 they’ll draw a stylish map with a short message and a heart or star to mark the spot. Order the location prints at notonthehighstreet.com.
Holiday gift cards are a brilliant idea for those dreaming of time in the sun. Tui offers cards from £50 (tui.co.uk). Trailfinders gift cards start at £10 and have no expiry date, and are popular with young travellers inspired by the agency’s gap-year offers. A top choice for 2022 is the return of the Summer In The States trip, where travellers work in summer camps, then follow Route 66 and tour the country (trailfinders.com).
Individual hotels around Britain also offer gift cards. A fun option comes from award-winning The Impeccable Pig in Sedgefield, County Durham, dubbed the ‘Christmas time, mistletoe and swine’ gift card. From £25 (impeccablepig.co.uk).
Choose something more traditional in English Heritage’s online store. Gingerbread and salted caramel spreads, jars of winterberry and apple jam, bars of Merry Christmas soap or cranberry and raspberry chocolate start from £3.50. Or give Whiskey & Water handwash for £19 (englishheritageshop.org.uk).