With Instagram feeds and Facebook updates bringing the world to our smartphones, “Wish You Were Here” postcards are all but obsolete. Introducing their retro-futuristic equivalent: custom postcard books of your vacation photos, courtesy of Artifact Uprising.
With Instagram feeds and Facebook updates bringing the world to our smartphones, “Wish You Were Here” postcards are all but obsolete. Introducing their retro-futuristic equivalent: custom postcard books of your vacation photos, courtesy of Artifact Uprising.
We may not be able to give the gift of exotic trips to all of the special people in our lives this holiday season. But helping them savor travel memories and plan for a future trip is definitely in the budget. We’ve put together a list of globe-trotting goods for this holiday season, none priced at more than $110.
As we reflect on what we’re thankful for, our trips top the list. And we’re not alone. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, international travel was up 5 percent in the first eight months of the year, with a record 747 million people venturing outside their borders. And a recent TripAdvisor survey found that 88 percent of people think it’s worth making sacrifices to make memories. We couldn’t agree more.
See All of the Best Travel Gifts
Definity Digital Good Night
Help a jet-setter conquer the scourge of jet lag with this Definity Digital Good Night bulb. Most bulbs (and gadget screens) emit blue light, which tells the body not to make one of the hormones needed to fall asleep. Developed by NASA astronauts, this bulb filters out more than half of that blue light, helping travelers conk out more easily (store.earthled.com; $59).
4-in-1 Adapter
This handy Lego-like tool snaps together four plugs and one adapter to power up gadgets in 150 countries. The red, blue, yellow, and green components correspond to a color-coded map to help you quickly determine the parts needed based on your destination (flight001.com; $25).
Kate Spade Saturday Two-Tone Passport Holder
In 2013, Kate Spade launched sister brand Saturday with products in bold prints and bright colors like this two-tone leather passport holder. It comes with interior slots for a passport and three cards, plus a clear ID window and an exterior slot for stashing a boarding pass (saturday.com; $50).
Audio-Technica ATH-ANC29 QuietPoint Noise-Cancelling Headphones
The top choice for those who need to tune out their seatmates at 30,000 feet, these sleek headphones strip away 87 percent of outside sounds when noise canceling is turned on. With thumping bass and clear dialogue at a reasonable price, these headphones made T+L’s recent list of the best travel gadgets (shopaudiotechnica.com; $100). —Tom Samiljan
Artifact Uprising Postcard Packs
Great vacation shots tend to languish on hard drives and iPhones these days. Show them off instead by making a postcard book with Artifact Uprising. Its easy online tool helps you upload photos and edit them into richly designed postcard packs, photo books, even a wooden calendar made from reclaimed Colorado pines (artifactuprising.com; $16.99–$29.99).
Bentgo Containers
Culinary-minded fliers, road trippers, and car campers alike will appreciate being able to pack and go with these stackable plastic food containers. Inspired by Japanese bento boxes, the BPA-free plastic packs include two containers; a built-in knife, fork, and spoon; and a sealing strap. They’re safe for both microwaves and dishwashers (bentgo.com; $14.99).
Eagle Creek Ultralight Convertible Bags
The teeny pouch weighs less than a pound, but it folds out into a tote that converts into a backpack—or a backpack that converts into a duffel bag. Made from ultralight, durable ripstop nylon, the convertible bags come in black and a variety of ’90s-inspired bold neons (shop.eaglecreek.com; $60–$80).
Hand-stitched Artemis Leatherware Camera Case
Add some old-school cred to a new-school camera with this hand-stitched leather case. Made from vegetable-tanned, high-quality Italian leather with solid brass hardware, it’s meant to weather and age as you travel. Because each one is handmade, the case can be custom designed for a particular camera model in a variety of leathers (etsy.com; $110).
Neuhaus Haute Patisserie Chocolate Box
Nine international pastry chefs, including Cronut creator Dominique Ansel, have crafted gourmet chocolates inspired by their surroundings and cooking philosophy. Think praline, hazelnut, rose petals, and fresh raspberries topped with chocolate ganache and robed in milk chocolate to reflect the Cornish garden of chef Martin Chiffers (neuhauschocolates.com; $45).
Blue Bar10der Cocktail Tool
There’s no better way to make friends on the road than with a cocktail or three. That’s why we love this 10-in-1 bar tool that includes a muddler, a knife, a stirrer, a jigger, a corkscrew, and a bottle opener. Made of stainless steel and BPA-free plastic, it’s a compact way to mix up draughts on the go (shopkitson.com; $39.95).
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