Valentine's Gift Guide: Give the Gift of Travel

I'm not sure about you, but my choice gift is always experience over things. I'm not just saying this, I truly feel this way. Clothes go out of style. Jewelry is expensive. Flowers die.

...but your photos & memories from your awesome trip will last forever :)

Truth be told, if you're still trying to figure out what to do for Valentine's Day, it might be a bit late, so let's talk about some alternatives.

Book a Trip (for a different weekend)
Quite frankly, traveling for Valentine's Day can be pretty expensive. We actually chose to go to Charleston last weekend because the flights were half the price & there were many more hotel options.

Planning a trip for your significant other is SUCH a romantic gesture, they'll love it. 
- To save money, choose a low density time to visit - the weekend before or after Memorial Day, or traveling mid-week to save money on flights. 
- To make it more of a "gift", make a cute card or give a small gift as a token of the trip. You could wrap the plane ticket, find a print on Etsy that represents the location, or give sunscreen in preparation for a tropical getaway. Get creative!

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Road Trip
Everyone lives within a few hours of another city. From Nashville, I'd suggest the Whisky Trail in Kentucky, a cabin in East TN, or Birmingham for a small city getaway. Pick somewhere you both love or maybe you've never been before. 

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Staycation
Ah, the art of the Staycation. The only rule of the Staycation is to treat it like you're out of town. Turn off your phone, avoid your typical spots & forget about Netflix! There are so many options:
- Book a hotel in your town. Whisk them away and have something special planned, like a nice dinner or a spa treatment.
- Skip the hotel to save a few bucks, but make your home a hotel for the weekend. Turn off your phones, stock up on your favorite snacks and cook a meal together. Add a bottle or two of wine, and you've got yourself a great little weekend.
- Plan on visiting places you've always wanted to go/do but never been. See a play, try a hike you've never done, visit a museum, whatever - play tourist in your own town. It can be really fun!

So if you're looking for a last minute idea, skip the over priced roses or stuffed animal... give experiences. They'll love it, I promise.
xo

Gift Guide for Travelers: 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12!

Stockings are my favorite part of Christmas gifts. My mom always filled my stocking with super practical and fun things like gum, hair ties, cd's & make up. I know that sounds like a silly thing to want, but for some reason, they've always been my favorite :)

H&M is killing it this year with stocking stuffer gifts for travelers! Here are 12 under $12 that I would love to find by the fire place this Christmas.

1 - Passport Case (other patterns here & here) / 2 - Mini Lint Roller / 3 - Headphone Splitter / 4 - Hand Wipes / 5 - Mini Umbrella / 6 - Wool Socks / 7 - Jewelry Organizer / 8- Eye Mask & Neck Pillow / 9 - Mini Notebook / 10 & 11 - Luggage Tag / 12 - Luggage Lock

If you're main gift to your friend or loved one this year is a trip or vacation, why not add small "gifts" like these to go along with the surprise without spending a lot of additional cash?

These would also be great for a dollar-limit Secret Santa gift or White Elephant gift! 

All of these are really practical while still being extremely fun. Plus, who doesn't love H&M?

xo

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Gift Guide: Gifts for Him Under $25

Shopping for guys is HARD. 

I spend the better part of my year just trying to think of a few good gifts for Matt that he doesn't already have, would say "I don't need this", or preemptively purchases under my nose. Dang it.

These are all gifts I've gotten him in the past & I've realized would be a great gift for most dads, husbands, boyfriends or brothers. May the odds be ever in your favor.

1 - Dwell Subscription / 2 - Pocket Squares / 3 - Haiti Made Passport Case / 

4 - DSB Bitters / 5 - Leather FOB / 6 - Sphere Ice Molds

Dwell Subscription - $20
Guys love this kind of stuff. Planning out the dream home they'll be building with their own hands.

The Tie Bar Pocket Squares - $8 
Sometimes they have to dress up against their own will. These will jazz up any outfit!

Haiti Made Passport Case - $25
I made Matt a leather passport case for Christmas the first year we were married... it was a painful endeavor & I wish I found this two years ago. Plus, this employs workers for a fair wage in Haiti. Win-win.

DSB Bitters - $20
For the aspiring bar man. He likes to whip up a new cocktail every so often. These add a certain edge to any drink!

Leather Key Fob - $20
Keep those keys where we can find them. Plus the leather adds a manly touch.

Sphere Ice Molds - $11
Once again, the bartender in every man will love these ice molds. Makes every drink look badass.

Look no further for a gift for the men in your life. Happy shopping!
xoLast year's gift guide for Men

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Gift Guide: Gifts for Her Under $25

Gifts for your mom, gifts for your sister, gifts for your best friends, gifts for your co-worker.... gifts for all the ladies in your life. These items are high quality, on trend, and fit in the budget nicely, as each on is under $25.

1 - H&M Tartan Scarf / 2 - Rifle Paper Co Calendar / 3 - West Elm Bud Vases / 4 - Mast Brothers Chocolate / 5 - Anthropologie Mini Volcano Candle / 6 - Tori Burch Perfume Roller

Tartan Scarf - $17
The blanket scarf has taken over, and tartan is chic. This is cozy & seasonal but will endure all winter long.

Rifle Paper Co Calendar - $22
We all love Rifle! Beautiful designs & girly notes, this is perfect for anyone with a desk or home office!

West Elm Bud Vase - $14
I'm always looking for cute little bud vases to pop a few sprigs into before guests come over. These are gorgeous and fun. Plus, you can snag 2 for under $25.

Mast Brothers Chocolate - $10
Delicious chocolate in every type of flavor. Many specialty shops (locally in Nashville you can find them at Barista Parlor) carry these chocolate bars, or you can order packs online. Chocolate is certainly the way to any woman's heart!

Capri Blue Candle - $12
Everyone loves an Anthro candle. These mini versions are adorable and fit nicely in a stocking. You could double the fun for 2 under $25, or buy one for a friend and keep one for yourself :)

Rollerball Perfume - $25
This Tori Burch rollerball comes in a cute Christmas cracker packaging, making it instantly gift-able. Sephora has a wide range of designer scents for every lady friend you have.

If anyone is shopping for me, feel free to send these all my way ;)
Which girls are on your list this year?
xo

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12

Gift Guide for Travelers: Gifts under $25

It's that time of year... we're all shopping for family, friends, husbands, co workers and the lot. That's where gift guides come in handy!

This gift guide is filled with gifts for the traveler in your life. These are all gifts that are compact, help in packing, aid in travel, and overall make trips easier... and easy on your wallet since they're all under $25 :)

1 - Vapur Element Bottle / 2 - Nerdwax / 3 - SanDisk Ultra II SD Plus 2GB Card / 4 - Birchbox Subscription / 5 - eBags Packing Cubes / 6 - Anker Lipstick-Sized Portable External Battery Charger

Vapur
I've shared before how much I love this little water bottle. It packs up easily when you're done (or going through airport security) and it pays for itself when you avoid buying 4 bottles of water after the TSA pat down. 

Nerdwax
If you wear glasses (prescription, fake, sun or otherwise), this is a great product for you. A natural beeswax product that you put on the bridge of your glasses so they don't slide constantly. It's amazing, and made locally in Nashville!

SD Cards
These aren't just any SD cards... they flip out and automatically become a USB. They're handy for travelers in 2 ways - you can leave the cord behind if you want to transfer photos on the go, and you can use this as a jump drive if you need to save a document for some reason. This feature has been so handy over the years, I'll never use another normal SD camera card again.

Birchbox
Customized to your own profile (curly hair, combination skin, loves nail polish, hates new perfume, and so on), it's a great way to get fun, new beauty products in travel size. Every month I receive new travel sized hair products, BB creme, dry shampoo and more. It's the best!

eBags
I've said it a dozen times before: packing cubes are the BEST way to pack light & maximize your space in a suitcase or backpack. This multi-pack has a small, medium & large. I use them every time I travel & they're a game changer! They're also super helpful for staying organized when you're living out of a suitcase.

Anker Charger
This is a lifesaver for work when I was on set all day. It charges my phone almost two full times from a dead battery. It charges my iPad about 1.25 times. Long road trip, international flight... any time you're bored & draining your battery... this charger is clutch. It's the size of a lipstick so you've always got room. 

These are my favorite gifts for travelers under $25! I hope you find the perfect gift for the traveler in your life :)

xo

Other Gift Guides!

Gifts Guide for Her Under $25

Gifts Guide for Him Under $25

Gift Gide for Travelers Under $25

Gift Guide for 12 Stocking Stuffers Under $12