Christmas Gift Ideas for Every Travel Lover!

Do I dare say the C word? When some of you are probably reading this on a hot tropical island (where was our invite?). Well, I’m going to – CHRISTMAS!

It’s nearly Christmas! And without a doubt we are the hardest people on earth to buy presents for. When I say ‘we’ I mean those of us that would prefer an incredible experience abroad over any sort of gift you will find online; ‘ Wanderlusters ’. Now, we can’t very well ask for a free world trip (unless Santa is listening!), but with gift exchanges being such an indispensable part of the holidays, here’s a list of practical, affordable AND thoughtful presents that will be sure to come in handy for every traveller’s adventures… 

family celebrating summer Christmas with holiday meal outdoors

1. AeroPress Portable Coffee Maker

aeropress portable coffee maker

Let’s be honest, there isn’t any country in the world we arrive in and don’t need a cup of the golden stuff pretty swiftly. But the likelihood of that happening is slim in many of them. Solution? Bring your own coffee maker that fits in your backpack. No more coffee problems, just coffee happiness.

View it here!

2. Conversation Starter Cards

travel table topics to go cards

What do you do to while away the lonely hours in airports, hostel, dorms or trains filled with strangers? Grab them and start a game of travel questions that’s what. With these conversation starter cards, you don’t even have to come up with topics yourself! All it takes for strangers to become friends is an inspiring conversation, and all good conversations start with a good question! Plus, anything that is designed to getting people thinking and talking meaningfully sounds like a great gift to us.

3. Portable Organiser

tech travel organiser in grey

The ultimate gift for the OCD ones among us. Pockets, straps, compartments and holders to fit everything from your passport to your portable charger. What more could you want?

View it here!

4. SteriPen

water sterilising pen

Never sure whether it is safe to drink the water from the tap in the country you’re in? There is no need to even check if you have one of these in your backpack. The SteriPen eliminates over 99.9% of bacteria, viruses and protozoa that cause water-borne illness. Just pop it into your water bottle and within 48 seconds the water will be safe to drink. Plus, weighing in at only 2.6 ounces, it is the world’s smallest and lightest UV water purifier.

5. Camping Sleeping Bag

Patagonia oragnge sleeping bag

This one’s for the nature lovers who enjoy seeking adventure in the wild outdoors! Whether you’re about to embark on an epic hiking trail in Patagonia or just looking to explore the nearby woods at your Workaway homestay, a sturdy sleeping bag to keep you comfy and warm on all your camping trips will make all the difference in your explorations.

6. Travel Cutlery Set

bamboo reusable utensil set with brown fabric case

No trip is complete without some delicious local food, so having your own reusable cutlery set handy is perfect for trying out street food, market snacks and fast-food style restaurant goodies while avoiding single-use plastic utensils and containers.

Check out this cutlery set made of organic bamboo!

7. Eurostar Voucher

eurostar gift voucher

Here’s something uber-practical for your next backpacking trip around Europe – a Eurostar voucher to cover your train journeys across your bucket-list destinations! Explore cities such as Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris and London, relax in the South of France or even plan a ski trip for the holidays.  

8. E-book Reader

kobo e-reader

Now, we know it’s different from flipping through an actual paperback, but hear us out: if you’re a long-term traveller who can’t live without a book, a Kobo or Kindle will make sure you’ve got a vast selection to choose from, in any genre and language. No need to lug your heavy books around and worry you’ll run out of good reads!

9. What Christmas gifts does Workaway want? christmas tree portrait shot surrounded by wrapped presents and Patagonia backpack at the bottom

Because between us we have 346 years of travel experience. (Obviously that is not 100% correct, but we calculate it to be somewhere close to that..) 

Hey, Mr Workaway (aka David, Workaway Founder) whatcha want Santa to bring you?

‘Well apart from world peace, a teletransportation machine and a machine to download my dreams…also I’d like anything handmade like a painting or item that has time put into it, rather than money.’

*Shouts across the office*
Alicia (our Design and Social Media whiz) what about you?

‘This year I’d love a backpacking hammock and a collapsible + eco-friendly travel mug, so I will be able to get cozy at the best spots during my travels. Thank you Santa!’

Also we have Alex here, our Workaway techie! What’d you like for X’mas?

‘Since visiting Colombia and snorkelling in the Caribbean last year, the trip has really opened up a whole new world for me. I want a good waterproof camera to capture the amazing underwater world.’

10. A year of meaningful travel experience

What if none of the above excites you? Yes, we do have a plan B!

How about more than 50,000 volunteering opportunities in over 180 countries to choose from as a Christmas gift?? That’s called a Workaway subscription! Well that’s not a hard sell since we know it’s a great way to give anybody that head start for their adventure of a lifetime. As a special deal for the holidays, we’re adding THREE extra months to your Workaway subscription, so that you/your loved one can extend their travels for free. Now that’s the ultimate Christmas gift for every travel addict in your life. 😉

No matter where you’ll be spending your Christmas in the world (home or afar), always remember to be grateful for all that you have. ❤️🎄✨

a couple smiling and rubbing noses together while lying in snow and admiring the sunset
gift ideaswintercelebrateholidaysseasonalxmas stocklingspresentssantagiftschristmaswanderlustworkaway teamtravellers

About Workaway

Here at the Workaway team we are lucky enough to witness all the amazing experiences enabled via the site and we'd love to share them with you too! From new and improved website features for our commu... show more...

View all posts by Workaway


Share the Workaway idea


9 comments

You might also like

Travel photography - "Catching Up With The Sun's Fire" (Siwa Oasis, Egypt)
How to travel on a budget using the sharing economy