The Ultimate Christmas Gift Guide For Travellers Stuck Closer To Home This Year
It’s essentially a month until Christmas and you’re probably not any closer to cracking the code on what presents to buy family and friends. If you need ideas and want to avoid both the stress of last-minute shopping and unnecessary waste from desperation buying, then get around this gift guide.
For the people in your life who love to travel (read: everyone), good gifts for 2021 are less about airplane comfort on long haul flights and more about road trips, long weekends and summer staples. Here’s a few of our top picks to get you started.
Gifts $50 and under
#1 Anaconda Pool Inflatables, $19.99 – $49.99
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Whether you want to jazz up your own pool, get troppo at a rental or stand out at the beach, Anaconda has released a brand new novelty inflatables range that includes everything from eggplant emojis to the majestic bin chicken. Hot tip: club members get pretty decent discounts and it’s free to join.
#2 Audible membership, $16.45 – $164.50
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If you know someone who’s new year’s resolutions always include ‘read more books’ but the reality is a struggle, then audiobooks could be the answer. Audible have released a bunch of gift memberships which are available to purchase online. It’s also the perfect answer to a road trip playlist.
It’s $16.45 for a one-month membership, $48.95 for a three-month membership, $93.95 for a six-month membership and $164.50 for a full year.
#3 Reflex: A Conversation Card Game, $39.99
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Ready to start conversations around the campfire? This is a card game with a difference. Beloved influencer/DJ/creator Lillian Ahenkan AKA Flex Mami developed Relfex with “fun and unique questions to help you explore what you think and why”. It’s a great group activity where everyone unwittingly winds up strengthening their critical thinking skills.
#4 Airbnb gift card, $25+
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Let’s hear it for domestic travel. Between campgrounds and glamped out cars, are some super funky Airbnb stays to make any trip memorable. A gift-card is a fail-safe pressie for any travel enthusiast, and even more of a reason to start exploring our own backyard.
#5 Thongs Australia thongs, $39.95-$44.95
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Swap your Havaianas for 100 percent Australian-made and owned Thongs. Using premium natural rubber, these are durable and comfortable and lessen your chance of a blow out. Plus, the colours are chic AF and inspired by Aussie landscapes.
#6 Sunnylife underwater camera, $26.95
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It’s time to make new memories. Don’t miss a happy snap when splish-sploshing around this summer. This underwater camera uses film (we know, very old school) and comes in four fun summery styles.
#7 Other-wordly: Words Both Strange And Lovely From Around The World, $27.40
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For true travellers, part of the thrill of the unknown is immersing yourself in new cultures and languages. Picking up phrases and idioms is a huge part of international travel. This book highlights some of the most interesting words out there, so you don’t need to leave your own country to indulge in that unique experience.
#8 Lifestraw, from $25
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If you know someone who’s really planning to take to the wild, the Lifestraw is small and easy to carry, and means you can drink from just about anywhere. It’ll filter out bacteria, parasites, microplastics, dirt, sand and cloudiness.
Gifts over $50
#1 Portable picnic table, $93
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These bad boys are a genius solution for picnic lovers, campers and those of us who don’t enjoy sand in our food/bevs. Aussie brand Summer Picnic Tables has been making these since 2013.
There are four wine glass cut-outs to keep glasses from tipping, a bottle holder to keep it upright and enough room for a plate of food. Both legs fold neatly, making storage a breeze. There are multiple sizes and shapes, too.
#2 Darche Ranger Solo+ swag, $299
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Aussie brand Darche specialises in tents, swags and camping equipment that will have you exploring the Great Outdoors in no time. These are products built to last generations. The Ranger Solo+ swag has been designed with the solo adventurer in mind. Both compact and lightweight, this swag is perfect for long distance motorcycle touring, overnight stays, horse trail riding trips — all trips really.
#3 Luxury Escapes gift card, $50 – $5000
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From local weekends away to once-in-a-lifetime getaways, a luxury travel gift card could be just what the doctor ordered, with amounts starting at $50 and going all the way up to $5,000. Physical cards are now available in Woolworths, Kmart and Australia Post, and e-vouchers available online at Luxury Escapes.
#4 Fujifilm Instax SQUARE SQ1, $199
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If you want traditional square pics, you can’t go past the Instax SQ1 for ease and style. Plus the chic cameras come in on-trend colours and have auto exposure.
If your gift receiver is a gadget geek, you could also consider the mini LiPlay, which is an instant camera and printer with an LCD screen, sound recording feature and the ability to control the camera directly from a smartphone via the app. If you still love the classic mini, the 11 comes in a great gift pack for $129, including film and a case.
#5 Kathmandu camping ear, $79.98 – $149.99
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Kathmandu has a range of beach and camping gear available this summer, but our picks are the Roamer Picnic Cooler Backpack ($149.99) which can store up to 18L of food and drink, and can be carried with shoulder straps or as a backpack; the Retreat Pop Up Beach Shelter ($139.98) so you can last all day at the beach; and the Roamer Sand Proof Beach Towel ($79.98), available in three colours.
#6 Waverley Mills Recycled blanket, $229
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Made in Australia, the Waverley Mills Recycled picnic rugs and blankets are beautifully soft and perfect for the home, office, car or outdoor adventure. The recycled fibre is made using blanket ends, woollen offcuts and other unused fibres that pass through the mill (closing the loop on their own waste). These all-purpose blankets are versatile, come in a range of colours and are ideal for the eco-conscious.
#7 Away The Weekender bag, $315
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Now we don’t really have to worry about that precious, precious 8 kilos, we can base weekender bag purchases purely on looks. I am LIVING for this canvas weekender: the neutral colours, the seperate zip for your filthy shoes, the sleek design. There are a bunch of different colours though, so do you.
#8 JBL Flip 5 Eco edition portable speaker, $169.95
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Wherever you go, it’s usually made better with good tunes, especially when driving and campgrounds are involved. JBL makes excellent portable speakers, with the classic Flip 5 being super popular. But there’s an eco version that is made from 90% recycled plastic and has eco-friendly packaging – so why wouldn’t you choose this option? It’s even IPX7 waterproof up to three-feet deep.
#9 Finska Wooden Tossing Game, $69.95
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Who doesn’t love an ancient log throwing game from Finland? In all seriousness, this one is addictive – it requires you to be strategic and cunning in the race to 50 points. The best part is it’s suitable for all ages and comes in it’s own crate, making it easy to throw in the boot with your suitcase.
#10 Stand up paddle board, from $300
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SUP boards are the perfect thing to tie to your roof racks and get out on the water no matter where you go. They typically start from just under $300 and go way up to thousands of dollars. No roof racks? No worries, go for an inflatable option, like this one from 4WD Supacentre for $294.
(Lead Image: Unsplash / ian dooley)
