Looking for Christmas gift inspiration for the back-packer (or luxury traveller) in your life? Covering everything from long haul flight essentials to on trend travel gadgets and ideas for capturing lasting memories, you're sure to find inspiration with our pick of fun and thoughtful Christmas travel gifts.
Find more Christmas goodies on our dedicated page. And, take the legwork out of your Christmas shopping by checking out the Real Homes team's top 50 Christmas gifts: we want them (and so will you and your friends and family).
1. Capture memories on that inter-railing trip
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A favourite amongst millennials who can't get enough of its retro feel, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 9 Instant Camera is an on-trend option for capturing travel memories. Available in four pastel shades, this popular travel accessory inspires creativity and delivers tangible memories. Find it at John Lewis (or, better still, buy it below).
2. A must for frequent long-haul flyers
A luxury that most wouldn't buy for themselves (these always make the best gifts, right?!), a silk eye mask is a truly thoughtful Christmas present for frequent long-haul flyers. The soft texture of silk aids sleep and makes long travel times more comfortable.
We love the bright design of this Giraffe Eye Mask available at Annabel James.
3. A gorgeous, reusable water bottle (bye, bye plastic)
If you're horrified by the fact that 13 billion plastic water bottles are purchased every year in the UK (only half of which are recycled), gifting a friend with a gorgeous reusable water bottle is a great step towards reducing this figure.
We love the Liberty Floral Collection from S'well; their sturdy and leak-proof design makes them the ideal travel water bottle.
4. Reduce the risk of lost–forever luggage with a handy tag
If chosen with a nice design, like this Kate Spade New York Luggage Tag available from John Lewis, luggage tags can make a lovely gift for a keen traveller. In addition to adding a decorative touch to a standard suitcase, they're a practical stocking filler that can make the difference between finding and not finding lost luggage.
5. A sleek and shiny pouch perfect for storing valuables
Keeping everything important – that's passport, money, insurance print outs – in one easily-accessible place is key to successful travel and that's where this handy gift comes in. Designed by Katy Loxton and available at John Lewis, The Perfect Pouch is exactly what it says on the tin: perfect for keeping you organised while travelling.
6. Remember a special trip shared with a personalised print
Whether it was a special birthday, an engagement, an anniversary or simply a trip filled with incredible memories, a Personalised Map of the Stars from Not On The High Street captures the exact positioning of the stars in the sky on the evening of a given date and time.
This unique and thoughtful print makes the perfect gift for a loved one you shared a travel experience with.
7. Get a luggage upgrade with Instagram's favourite suitcase
Designed with an unbreakable polycarbonate shell, ejectable battery that charges your phone and hidden laundry bag (to name but a few features) it's easy to see why the sleek and stylish Away Suitcases are every influencer's favourite.
Available in nine shades, their practical design makes them a great investment gift for frequent travellers – you can include yourself in that.
8. Capture the action with a hardy head cam
For the traveller who loves all things adventure, you can't go wrong with the Go Pro Hero 5. Waterproof and designed to suit with a range of activity-orientated mounts, they're perfect for those who love skiing, snorkelling and other extreme sports. Find the best deal for a Go Pro Hero 5 using our price comparison tool below.
9. A practical stocking filler (everyone will love)
While perhaps not the most glamorous of gifts, we all know the pain of running out of battery while away, making the Anker Power Core power bank a practical stocking filler for travel lovers.
With capacity to charge an iPhone 8 almost seven times, the Galaxy S8 five times or the iPad Mini 4 twice, there's no need to worry about running out of charge again.
10. A compact, fast drying and sand proof beach towel... need we say more?
Combining stylish designs with fast drying, sand proof properties The Alchemist Beach Towel from Tesalate is a pretty and practical gift that prevents its user getting covered with sand while sunbathing. Perfect for that winter break.
11. A coffee-lover's best friend
A favourite of ours from this year's travel gift guide, the Wacaco Nanopresso Portable Coffee Machine from Hurn & Hurn is ideal for coffee lovers who don't want to rely on shop bought beverages, but make their own anywhere in the world. Compact and lightweight, its travel friendly design allows it to be stored easily.
12. Something to read on the plane/train/automobile?
We know we would say this but Real Homes magazine is a fab read – as well as being a great reference for anyone looking to transform their home. A subscription means your giftee will have all the latest on updating their home, whether owned or rented, and whether they're on a budget or splashing out on a forever family home. It covers the latest decorating trends, too. Do they love period or vintage decor? Why not double up with a subscription to Period Living mag too? It'll keep them quiet for the whole journey...
13. An easy way to stay organised (well, to try at least)
Anyone who's ever been backpacking will know the pain of trying to keep clean and dirty clothes separate, especially during a long trip where the 'shove everything in' technique becomes increasingly popular.
An easy way to prevent sweaty clothes ruining the clean ones is with the help of these Hana Floral Travel Bags from Oliver Bonas. Pretty and practical, they're perfect for keeping a backpack a tiny bit more organised.
14. A handy tool for tech loving travellers
Know a tech-lover who travels frequently? If so, it doesn't get much more handy than this Leather Cord Organiser from Not On The Highstreet.
Practical and personal (there is the option for customisation) this stylish leather piece will help loved ones keep their leads and chargers in one place.
Looking for more gifts for techies? We've got it covered in our handy guide.
15. The most practical (and trendy) bag on the market
A firm favourite amongst the Real Homes team – seriously, at least half of us has this bag – the Fjällräven Kanken Classic Backpack is the perfect travel companion thanks to its durability, ability to effectively repel water and stylish, Scandi design.
16. A faff free way to store jewellery
We've all experienced the hassle of touching down after a long flight only to find our favourite necklaces tangled together in a mess that will only be resolved post-holiday.
This stunning John Lewis & Partners Amaris Jewellery Roll makes the ideal gift for someone who loves accessories almost as much as they love travelling, helping keep jewellery organised while on holiday.
17. Invest in a quality set of noise-cancelling headphones
An essential for those who frequently fly long haul, noise cancelling headphones, like these Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones from Amazon, might be a bit more an investment, but they're more than worth it for those seeking a little peace and quiet.
18. Gorgeous and gift-worthy travel guides
If you know the travel lover in your life has a trip planned (they probably will), a travel guide makes for a lovely and thoughtful gift that might leave them feeling inspired.
Written by local creatives, the CITIx60 travel guides, available at Waterstones, are perfect for travellers seeking hidden gems. With guides for cities across the globe – Paris, Stockholm, New York and Tokyo to name but a few – these gorgeous books are a breath of fresh air for those looking to explore more than the tourist traps.
19. The waterproof Kindle e-reader
Ideal for those who don't want to lug a stack of books around with them while travelling, the new Kindle Oasis E-Readeris waterproof, making it the perfect gift for those who might be lucky enough to be spending their Christmas on a beach (or are caught in a monsoon rainstorm).
Looking for more Christmas inspiration? Look no further...