15 gifts travelers will actually want

cnn.com
Jan 21,2019

Christmas, Hanukkah, The Holidays. Whatever you celebrate, there's usually gift-giving involved.

And if you're tasked with gifting a traveler who's always on the go, or has everything, or wants nothing, you may end up stuck in last-minute lines scrambling to find something that fits.

But forget all that. A true traveler wants things that are either necessary or chic -- and with any luck, both.

So here's a handful of gifts for every traveler on your list.

Chatbooks
If it isn't on Instagram, it's possible it never happened. Or so the saying sort of goes.

And if it's a hit on Instagram, it might also be worthy of a more permanent home. Like a Chatbook.

Users can create the hand-sized photo books on the Chatbooks site, which syncs right up with Instagram accounts, so there's no searching and uploading, just choosing which of the 'grams is pretty enough for print.

What's most convenient is the feature that allows for pulling photos from someone else's Instagram (after Chatbooks gets their permission first, of course), making it easy to bestow them a keepsake 2016 highlight reel.

Starting at just $12 for custom photo books, it's a good "one for you, one for me" kind of gift.

From $12, chatbooks.com

Coordinates Collection bracelet
Think of this as the modern-day answer to the locket.

But instead of a photo, Coordinates Collection customizable jewelry highlights a special location as a reminder of a person, place or thing. Even all three.

For those who want to keep close that place they scaled their first mountain or where they met life loves -- or where they met the love of their life while scaling their first mountain -- bracelets (or necklaces, or rings) can be engraved with the location's coordinates.

Colors, shapes, stones and scripts can all be customized at no added cost. Endless sharing of the story behind the bracelet also comes at no added cost.

From $125, coordinatescollection.com

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Corkcicle Canteen
Wine lovers will rejoice at the gift that gives them good wine while they adventure.

The Corkcicle Canteen lets wine go where wine hasn't often gone before. The stainless steel bottle that goes where glass can't -- like the beach or the pool -- can keep whites cool for up to 25 hours, hot sun or not, and the 25-oz canteen holds just about a full bottle of wine.

That wine your adventurers brought back from Cinque Terre? They can drink it on a boat or on a train or in a tree. They can drink it anywhere.

$34.95 for 25-oz, corkcicle.com

Sudara Punjammies
Some travelers feel good about gifts that give back.

They'll also feel good about these pj's when they're wearing them.

Sudara Punjammies pants for men, women and kids won't get the requisite "gee, thanks" response once the receiver knows their gift is making a better, safer life for women in India.

The Indian-made jammies are made by women taught to be seamstresses to keep them out of human trafficking, and give them a new, better community to be part of.

Plus, they're just really nice.

From $29 for kids, sudara.org

Locksmart keyless Bluetooth padlock
Here to kill all birds with one lock, Locksmart.

Safeguarding checked luggage with this TSA-accepted lock is simple enough, so why not have the same lock double as a suitcase tracker?

With Locksmart's Travel Bluetooth padlock, baggage stays secure and locatable. A smartphone app can register the lock and, using GPS capabilities, tell the traveler exactly where their bag is, in case there's a language (or comprehension) barrier with the baggage claim people.

Or if someone walked off with the wrong black bag.

Bluetooth for the win again.