May is a busy month in our family between birthdays, Mother’s Day, and anniversaries, throw in wedding season and graduations and it seems more like “gift season” than Spring!
This week I wanted to share some of my ideas to help you with those gifts.
Have you considered the gift of travel?
Mother’s Day – I don’t know many Mom’s out there that wouldn’t love the opportunity to get away from their routine for a few days, or more. When families vacation together during a well planned family vacation the experience can be effortless. I’m not talking about a weekend at the beach where Mom spends her time running back and forth between the grocery store and the kitchen. I’m talking about a vacation where Mom is free from her every day duties as well. Not sure where to start? The professionals here at Slaydon’s Travel are here to help you, and we can even put together a gift basket for you to present to Mom this Sunday with either a gift certificate or a complete vacation itinerary.
What about the graduates in your life? Are you still searching for gift ideas?
Travel can be life changing at any age. It’s one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. It helps shape the way they see the world and gives them a greater appreciation of their own situations.
Maybe you’re not ready to give an around the world airline ticket to the kid down the street, I’m not suggesting that you do.
Here are some suggestions that may be more inline with gifts appropriate for those loved ones and help them create memories that will last longer than a check or a gift card. Most are also appropriate for the weddings you’re attending, although I always suggest you check with the bride and groom to see if they have a honeymoon registry (we offer them to all of our honeymoon clients).
Passport – you can literally give them the World! Having a valid passport opens all sorts of opportunities to see the world, and they are good for up to 10 years. It’s literally the gift that keeps on giving. For those graduates that already have a passport consider the gift of Global Entry to ease their travels.
Luggage – The right piece of luggage can make or break a vacation. I recommend the hard sided cases with four wheels for most vacations – stick with the 20″ – 22″ pieces if you don’t want to fuss with checking a bag. Of course if your graduate is off to hike the Inca Trail or spend a month sailing around the South Pacific perhaps a backpack is more practical.
Personalized Map of the World – Have you seen these? There are some very nice versions available with push pins to mark the destinations you’ve visited. Others are scratch off and allow you to expose a destination after you’ve visited. This is a great gift for those who are taking a gap year or plan to study abroad. They are also great wedding gifts so the bride and groom can map out their travels together.
Perhaps the graduate in your life already has a trip planned to celebrate their achievements, here are some additional suggestions
Electrical Converter – my favorite option offers several outlets as well as USB and individual plugs that fit into the back that allow you to use it with several electrical systems throughout the world. You can easily pick up items like this on Amazon for under $25.
Camera – sure, the camera on a smart phone does a darn good job these days, but nothing beats the quality of a “real” camera. Something like an entry level DSLR kit from Canon or Nikon is often priced under $400.
Journal – there’s no better way to capture memories during a trip than to keep a journal as you go along. I often look back at journals for past trips.
Hopefully these suggestions have given you a few ideas. Maybe you’re inspired enough to start planning your next vacation, if so, give me a call so we can get started. Still have kids at home? Remember you’ve only got 18 summers and they can fly by in a flash, let’s get started on your plans before another summer slips away.