holiday gift guide for the travelista

Good morning from Park City! The hubs-to-be and I packed up our warmest sweaters and ski gear yesterday for a week of skiing and relaxing in Utah. I’ve had a very busy few months finishing grad school and am needing a little R&R – this trip couldn’t have come at a better time!

It’s fun getting to travel together now but Rob and I were long distance for quite some time which means we both did a lot of traveling to see one another. I somehow accrued over 200,000 airline miles in the past few years. It’s true, Delta adores me, but that’s a lot of flying. The silver lining to all that travel, in addition to free flights and checked baggage, is that I have the flying routine town. As I packed my bags yesterday, I made a mental list of my travel “must haves.” I then used the 4 hour flight to put together this holiday gift guide – suitable for any travelista on your shopping list this year (or for yourself if you’re a jet setter as well.) Enjoy!

1. Italia Storyteller Scarf – a traveler staple that helps with temperature fluctuations but are also great for blocking out noise and action on a long flight when draped over your head. This cutie also comes in New York City Neighborhoods & Parisian City Street prints.

2. Bright passport cover – so you don’t have to be that girl holding up the security line while you look for your ID and boarding passes

3. Black leggings – feel like pajamas, are comfy to sit in for long periods of time but actually look quite cute when paired with #4

4. Long, chunky cardigan – so versatile… take it off if it’s hot, throw it on if it’s cold, or bunch it up and use it as a pillow for a quick nap

5. Racerback tanks – cute, comfy, lightweight and go great under that long cardigan

6. Short booties – easy to slip off when going through security, don’t take up a lot of suitcase space and can be worn year round

7. Cozy socks are key – keeps those toes warm at 30,000 feet. Any smart female flier has a pair of socks in her purse if she’s not already wearing them

8. Ray Ban Aviators – classic, go with everything and are great for hiding tired eyes

9. Bright iPad cover – easy to spot which means it’s less likely to be misplaced while juggling armfuls of luggage

10. Cross-body leather bag – keeps your ID and money within reach at all times and is less likely to be put down and left behind

11. Gold leather luggage tag – a little luggage bling makes your bag easy to spot

12. Leather jewelry wallet – allows you to pack only what you need and offers a safe place to put your rings and things at bedtime

13. Grid-It – an electronics accessory organizer to keep all those cords from creeping out of your purse

14. The New York Times 36 Hours: 150 Weekends in the USA & Canada – a great book to get your girlfriends so you can plan your weekend getaway reunions for years to come

15. Leakproof & BPA-free Travel Nalgene Bottles – have these and don’t know how I lived so long without them

16. Travel-size shea butter lotion – airline soap + more frequent hand washing can do terrifying things to your skin but shea butter makes everything better

17. Dermalogica toner – a quick spritz feels so good after a long drive or flight and helps rehydrates hot, dry skin

18. Vapur water “bottle” – a BPA-free, flexible water bottle that can be rolled, folded and flattened – great for filling up after getting past security, before boarding a flight

Hope you enjoyed this! It was a lot of fun to put together – I’m already plotting more for the next couple weeks! Have a great Friday!

PS. 2011 Gift Guides for dudes, for the sporty spice, and stocking stuffers for the cook.