{"id":193680,"date":"2022-11-29T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.www.smartertravel.com\/?p=193680"},"modified":"2022-11-29T13:25:04","modified_gmt":"2022-11-29T18:25:04","slug":"terrible-travel-presents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/terrible-travel-presents\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Terrible Travel Presents, and What to Give Instead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Most frequent travelers have likely gotten a few terrible travel presents from well-intentioned friends or family. I\u2019ve received some I didn\u2019t use at all, and others I felt guilty enough to try out, only to have them take up unnecessary packing space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terrible Travel Presents to Avoid<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thoughtful travel gifts are usually the most useful and touching presents, but there are some basics to avoid. Here are some tricky travel presents I tend to avoid gifting, and other items to consider instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the products featured in this story were hand-selected by our travel editors. Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Avoid: Money Belts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Close
Michael O'Keene | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Maybe at one time these were a high-tech travel accessory, but those sad money belts and pouches that dangle on a shoelace-looking string should become a thing of the past. Instead, consider money-hiding travel presents that look a little bit sleeker.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Give: Hidden Pocket Clothing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Man<\/a>
Bluffworks<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clothes with secret pockets show you put a little bit more thought into your travel gift. For men, this Bluffworks Blazer<\/a> has 10 hidden pockets and is perfect for frequent business travelers. For women, there are plenty of travel dresses with pockets<\/a> to choose from if you know what she likes. Or for something simpler, this handy Infinity Wrap Scarf with a zipper pocket<\/a> can stealthily hold money and a passport or cards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

The 11 Best Stocking Stuffers for Travelers<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Avoid: A Suitcase<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A
Pixel-Shot | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unless you\u2019re very familiar with what kind of luggage your recipient likes, a whole suitcase can be among those travel presents that are hard to nail. It\u2019s usually a purchase that will be heavily used for years to come, and is therefore a pretty big decision to make for someone else.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Give: Multipurpose Bags<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
Amazon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Bags that are multi-purpose, like a versatile backpack, make for better travel presents. The Matein Travel Laptop Backpack<\/a> is a unisex option with plenty of pockets, a laptop compartment, a built-in charger, and a sleek design that makes it perfect for the office, business trips, and your weekend travels.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Related:<\/h3>\n

Oprah\u2019s Favorite Things 2022<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Avoid: Ill-Planned Airfare<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Over-the-shoulder
Przemek Klos | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Booking a surprise trip might seem like a romantic travel present to gift a significant other, but making someone wake up at 5 a.m. for a flight or trek to an inconvenient airport might be a forced commitment you didn\u2019t consider in your excitement. Airfare is usually nonrefundable, after all.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Give: Airline Gift Cards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Southwest<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Consider an airline gift card for a reliable low-cost carrier, like the Southwest Gift Card<\/a>\u2014so your recipient can take care of the finer details before pouncing on a deal, or so you can book later on together.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Related:<\/h3>\n

11 Amazon Holiday Shopping Tips to Save You Time (and Money)<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Avoid: A Passport Cover<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A
ezstudiophoto | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Covers for passports have always perplexed me as an unnecessary accessory that annoys security agents and highlights your most important and at-risk travel document. Passports should be tucked into a secure place, not made bigger and harder-to-stash by a map-printed leather sleeve that says \u201cwanderlust\u201d on it. Most document checks at border patrol will require you to remove it anyway.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Give: Anti-Theft Bag<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Arden<\/a>
Amazon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Arden Cove\u2019s Waterproof Anti-Theft Cross-Body Bags<\/a> will do a lot more to protect your passport from damage or theft. They\u2019re also stylish, yet durable enough to wear on most trips. The bags come in mini<\/a> (6.5 by 4.5 inch) and full<\/a> (8.5 by 6.5 inch) sizes, featuring a light chain strap and plenty of internal pockets. Arden Cove also offers stylish wallets<\/a> that transform into a belt bag: a great option for those who\u2019d appreciate being able to wear their travel organizer on their waist, like an ultra-chic fanny pack.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

The 40 Best Foodie Gifts for Travelers<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n

Avoid: Shoes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Close
Rawpixel.com | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Like suitcases, shoes are a big decision to make for others as travel presents. Unless you know the exact brand, size, and style the person wants, it\u2019s better to leave the trying on and selecting to them. Don\u2019t guilt someone into exploring a new destination with sore feet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Give: A Scarf or Hat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Woman<\/a>
Marina Andrejchenko | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re not close enough to be gifting them shoes, a cozy scarf or hat is a safer bet. Soft Merino wool or cashmere options will get a lot of use, like this unisex option<\/a> from Dalle Piane.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n

Related:<\/h3>\n

The 30 Best Winter Boots and Shoes for Travel<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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\n

Avoid: A Neck Pillow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Blue
Pixel-Shot | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Flimsy neck pillows don\u2019t do much for sleeping on the plane and take up unnecessary bag space if they\u2019re not able to deflate. Even a more high-tech neck pillow can fall flat as a travel present\u2014do you want your giftee to think of you every time they\u2019re uncomfortably trying to get some sleep in a packed plane cabin?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Give: Mini Humidifier Diffuser<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a>
Amazon<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Something versatile and relaxing, like a mini humidifier diffuser, is a more thoughtful option for aiding sleep. The Picni Essential Oil Diffuser<\/a> is an affordable and packable option for travel and works via USB cable that can connect to a power bank, laptop, and more. This diffuser even doubles as a gentle nightlight with seven LED color options, perfect for navigating an unfamiliar hotel room during a midnight bathroom break.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Related:<\/h3>\n

7 Travel Items Celebrities Love<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Avoid: Luggage Tags<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Grey
wittayayut | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The only luggage tags I want on my suitcase are the cheap-yet-durable plastic ones that will no doubt get ruined by bag handlers and airport conveyer belts. That\u2019s not exactly something you should be giving as a gift. Higher-end leather ones are a kitschy lost cause, in my opinion, especially if and when they end up traveling through inclement weather.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Give: A Travel Journal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Close<\/a>
uinmine | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Aim for something that won\u2019t get thrown onto a suitcase and forgotten about. Consider a leather-bound travel journal<\/a> if the recipient enjoys writing or could simply use a nice notebook to jot down some of their favorite travel memories. Journals are also great for keepsakes like tickets and photographs: Your giftee will think of you every time they store some new travel memories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel.\u00a0Follow her on\u00a0<\/em>Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most frequent travelers have likely gotten a few terrible travel presents from well-intentioned friends or family. I’ve received some I didn’t use at all, and others I felt guilty enough to try out, only to have them take up unnecessary packing space. Terrible Travel Presents to Avoid Thoughtful travel gifts are usually the most useful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":438075,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"stpt_category":3742,"stpt_post_tag":2445,"stpt_st_article_types":0,"stpt_st_travel_types":0,"stpt_st_campaign":0,"stpt_st_providers":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2018-11-28T03:13:11Z","apple_news_api_id":"c535edf2-d192-428e-903e-74182b9760f6","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2018-11-28T03:13:12Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAD\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/w==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AxTXt8tGSQo6QPnQYK5dg9g","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"middle","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/ef387a4f-36f7-4c29-8f80-3dad3afa70f7\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/1fc266be-0fea-4c8c-8216-80bf384133c0\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/577e4411-f5ba-4c5f-82ac-aeed1beb06ac\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/eb32c2f8-4af7-41a3-8e76-917f542548ef\",\"https:\\\/\\\/news-api.apple.com\\\/sections\\\/a0de371b-1eb9-4d68-bf83-2826d37f97fc\"]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[3820,3742,2241,3763],"tags":[2445],"smartertravel_exclude_from":[],"st_article_types":[3466],"st_travel_types":[],"st_providers":[],"audience-tags":[185507,185487,185363],"destination":[],"departure":[],"all_publish_dates":["2017-12-11","2020-11-09","2021-11-15","2022-11-29"],"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_226553974-scaled-e1636989760656.jpeg","yoast_head":"\n7 Terrible Travel Presents, and What to Give Instead | SmarterTravel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thoughtful travel gifts are usually the most useful and touching presents, but there are some basics to avoid.\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/terrible-travel-presents\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7 Terrible Travel Presents, and What to Give Instead | SmarterTravel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thoughtful travel gifts are usually the most useful and touching presents, but there are some basics to avoid.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/terrible-travel-presents\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SmarterTravel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/smartertravel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-11-29T18:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-11-29T18:25:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_226553974-scaled-e1636989760656-1200x627.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"627\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@smartertravel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@smartertravel\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"8 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/\",\"name\":\"SmarterTravel\",\"description\":\"The Best Trips Start Here\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/terrible-travel-presents\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/AdobeStock_226553974-scaled-e1636989760656.jpeg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":1318,\"caption\":\"Friends giving gifts to each other while sitting at table. 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Follow her on Twitter @shanmcmahon_ and on Instagram @shanmcmahon. Shannon joined SmarterTravel in 2015. A former news reporter, she's lived in the south of Spain, spotted elephants in Sri Lanka, gone spelunking in the Caribbean, hiked Jordan's Petra Basin, interviewed Sao Paulo's Michelin-Star chefs, and explored China via bullet train. Travel trends, news oddities, and her visits to up-and-coming destinations are some of her favorite things to write about. Her stories have also appeared online on USA Today, The Sun, Huffington Post, Business Insider, blog.TripAdvisor.com, Boston.com, and more. Her educational background is in journalism, art history, gender studies, Spanish, and film. She's been quoted as an expert travel source by CNBC, People.com, MarketWatch, The Washington Post, USA Today, and more. The Handy Item I Always Pack: \\\"Plenty of extra thick hair elastics. They tame my frizzy curls and come in handy in a surprising number of packing and hotel dilemmas.\\\" Ultimate Bucket List Experience: \\\"Climbing (yes, climbing, it's steep!) the Great Wall of China before it's gone.\\\" Travel Motto: \\\"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.\\\" - Mark Twain Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: \\\"Window, of course.\\\" Email Shannon at smcmahon@smartertravel.com.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/muckrack.com\/shannon-mcmahon\",\"@shanmcmahon\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mcmahonshannon\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"SmarterTravel","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com","push-errors":false,"title_newsletter":{"rendered":"The 7 Worst Travel Gifts (and What to Give Instead)"},"excerpt_newsletter":{"rendered":"<p>Thoughtful travel gifts are usually the most useful and touching presents, but there are some basics to avoid.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media_newsletter":193724,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193680"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=193680"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/193680\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/438075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=193680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"smartertravel_exclude_from","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/smartertravel_exclude_from?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"st_article_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_article_types?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"st_travel_types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_travel_types?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"st_providers","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/st_providers?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"audience-tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/audience-tags?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"destination","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/destination?post=193680"},{"taxonomy":"departure","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/departure?post=193680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}