The Holiday Season is typically one of the most stressful times of the year. I find myself getting anxious at the prospect of buying Christmas presents for friends and family near and far. One thing that causes me to lose sleep at night is trying to figure out what to buy my friends who like to travel.

Since embarking upon my digital nomad lifestyle, I’ve had a lot of time to think about what makes for a good Christmas present for people like me. I’ve slowly collected a variety of travel-related items that make life on the road a whole lot easier and pleasant.

So without further ado, here’s my list of the top 12 Christmas gifts for the frequent traveler in your life.

1. Eagle Creek Exhale Neck Pillow

I bought this neck pillow at the San Francisco International Airport last year because I accidentally left my long-time favorite Bucky pillow at home right before a long-haul flight. I didn’t think much of this one at first, but it ingeniously deflates to fit in the palm of your hand. It’s easy to use and stores quite neatly in your carry-on bag, and that’s a huge benefit since I spend so many days on the road. There’s a different texture on each side, one is quite slippery and the other side has a fabric texture. The little clasp on either side anchors the pillow around your neck. Choose from blue or grey. Perfect space saver!

2. Flight 001 Molded Eye Mask

This eye mask is easily my second favorite thing to take on long-haul flights. I usually follow my body clock to tell me when to sleep regardless of the what the sun is doing outside the airplane window. Some times you want to sleep when there’s full sun outside or when your seat mate is watching TV in a dark cabin. This eye mask is hollow in the eye socket which blocks out the light quite effectively. They come in 2 cool colors: blue and pink. Guess which one I have?

3. Mack’s Flightguard Airplane Pressure Relief Earplugs (1 pair)

I’ve had to travel for business when I had a cold more than once. The pain upon takeoff and landing was excruciating. It felt as thought I was being stabbed in both ears with an icepick. The pressure in my ears and sinuses were unbearable. These days, these ear plugs are essential for my long-haul flights. The tiny ceramic insert works as a release valve. During takeoff they gradually increase the pressure so that you ear canal and sinuses aren’t overwhelmed. And during landing, the process works in reverse. I prefer these over the disposable ones because they also work well for blocking out noise. Win-win!

4. Flight 001 Emergency Travel Blanket

This travel blanket is yet another travel essential in the era of ice cold airplane cabins. I cannot tell you how many times this blanket has come in handy on a flight. I’m very leery of the airline blankets given out during boarding. Do you really think the airline is laundering those blankets in between uses? This one serves several purposes. I’ll sometimes use it on short-haul flights when I’m wearing a dress or skirt to prevent indecent exposure. I’ve also used it as an extra pillow when I need a little more cushion than my neck pillow can provide (such as leaning my head against a cold airplane wall). Choose from Flight 001’s iconic pink or blue colors.

5. Sockwell On The Spot Graduated Compression Socks (1 pair)

Deep Vein Thrombosis is a very real danger when you fly a lot and for long periods of times. These socks are tightly compressed to your leg and they force the blood to constantly flow even when you’re seated for long periods of time. I slip these on after boarding my flight and don’t take them off until I get to my hotel. If my lower legs and feet are swollen, I’ll often follow up with an Epsom salt bath. They’re available in a variety of colors. I personally have the purple and pink pair.

6. Eagle Creek Pack It Specter Cube Set (3 Pack)

What did we ever do before the invention of packing cubes? These thin cubes save so much space in your suitcase. I designate the different sizes for different types of clothes, but you can use them in whatever way works best for you. When used in conjunction with the Flight 001 Go Clean Set, my luggage organization on trips is most definitely on point! You can buy them in blue, lime green and white.

7. Flight 001 Go Clean Set (Set of 4)

I love the way the bags in this set keep me ultra-organized and tidy on the road. The set includes 1 Laundry Bag, 2 Shoe Bags and 1 Stuff Bag. They’re made from heavyweight nylon material that holds dirt and grime inside, keeping your suitcase clean and organized. My favorite are the shoe bags which prevent dirt from entering my favorite Vera Bradley luggage in Purple Punch. The laundry bag is super handy to have when I want to keep my dirty clothes separate from my clean ones. Choose from blue, charcoal or red colors.

8. Sonoma Lavender Eye Mask

I easily travel at least 100,000 miles a year. That creates a lot of wear and tear on my body, not to mention the stress that comes from spending a lot of time in airports. I’ve recently integrated several self care strategies during my travels to ensure that I remain centered while in transit. The most effective methods are drinking plenty of water, getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night, and using aromatherapy. This eye mask is a wonderful way to stay relaxed before, during, and after a flight. When you’re on the ground, you can microwave it to release the lavender scent and place it on sore muscles for extra relief. It’s soft and fuzzy and smells divine!

9. Bobble Filtered Water Sport Bottle

I first encountered these filtered water bottles during my long walk on the Camino de Santiago de Compostelo in 2015. The bottle is ergonomic so that it fits in the palm of your hand comfortably. The top part is fitted with a long carbon filter so that you can safely drink potable water from fountains around the world. It does a great job filtering out fine metals. They’ve expanded their selection to now include different sizes and grips. My favorite is the sport because the plastic is a little thicker than the standard bottle, and stands up to my heavy use.

10. TYLT Portable Power Bank (2 Pack)

These portable power banks are workhorses when you’re on the road. They’ve saved me many times when I’ve had a full day of travel. This dual pack comes with a charging stand, but I rarely use it b/c it takes up too much space in my backpack. Instead, I automatically charge the power banks nightly using a standard USB cord.

11. Flight 001 4-In-1 Travel Adapter

I’ve traveled to many cities over the last couple of years and this travel adapter has saved my bacon more than a few times. It’s color coded to different parts of the world so you never have to wonder if it’ll work in your current location. Plus, Flight 001 has conveniently listed the countries by color on the outside of the box. I love this product so much that I included it in the goody bags for my William Marshal Tours guests during our trip to Ireland last year.

12. W&P Carry On Cocktail Kit

This is a purely indulgent gift. I usually don’t drink alcohol on flights these days because I get dehydrated quite easily. If you have a short-haul flight under 5 hours, then you might enjoy mixing your own cocktail on a flight. They have a variety of cocktails mixes to choose from: Bloody Mary, Champagne, Gin & Tonic, Hot Toddy, Margarita, Moscow Mule, and Old Fashioned.

I’m super nosy so leave a comment below to let me know which gifts you plan to buy for the frequent traveler in your life.

xoxo

Tee

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