Can you believe it? I am actually done with my Christmas shopping this year.

I am a classic type-A, everything in a very orderly, timely fashion. But Christmas shopping? It is my Achilles heel.

For whatever reason, I am always making a mad dash to the store to finish (erm, start?) my shopping at the very last minute every year.

Not this year. I vowed to have as much as I could done early so that I could spend some time with these two little bugs.

I am happy to report shopping is complete and even mostly wrapped. :-)

Now,  since I am not usually the one so far ahead (and often just beginning to look for ideas right around this time), I thought I would send out a little list of great last minute Christmas gifts for those of you planning a trip this year.

These are my tried and true favorite things for travel. And to prove it to you, you won’t find any stock photos here. This is all our stuff (stained cedar chest the photos were taken on not included ?).

Some of the links below are affiliate links (meaning I get a small commission if you purchase through them, but the cost is exactly the same to you).

As much as I like buying things as local as possible, most of these items are still available to ship before Christmas on Amazon right now.

Nine Ireland Travel Essentials That Make Great Christmas Gifts

1. Travel Journal –One of the best souvenirs you can bring home with you from Ireland is a record of your trip. A place where you can write down what you did as well as what you ate, how much you spent, and special moments you don’t want to forget. This one is compact, not too fancy or precious but has everything I need to record the details of our travels.
2. Packing Cubes–If you want to be organized and be able to see all your things while you live out of a suitcase, then you need packing cubes. They are a life-saver.  But here’s a tip, you don’t *need* to buy packing cubes. You can use gallon or larger zip lock bags or, like me, save those plastic bags with zippers that sheets and curtains, etc. come in. They work pretty well. If you want to get all fancy or be a super thoughtful gift giver, I can 100% recommend the brand Eagle Creek, I like just about everything they make.
3. Travel Pillow–If you sleep well on planes, then go ahead and skip this one. If you don’t, this travel pillow is wonderful. It’s expensive for a pillow, but a little extra shut eye on a long flight is totally worth it to me.
4. Adapter–If you’re traveling to Ireland, then you need to get a “G” adapter, but usually I recommend simply getting a universal adapter so that if you ever plan to go anywhere else in the world, you have an adapter that will work there too (for basically the same cost).
5. Luggage Tags–You definitely want a good solid luggage tag when traveling internationally. I can tell you horror stories about lost luggage. The cheap ones you get from conference freebies–you’ll be lucky if they last a flight or two. Invest in something solid for your peace of mind.
6. Water Bottle–One great travel tip I have learned over the years to combat jet lag is drink water. And lots of it. Flying is really dehydrating and as much as I loathe airplane bathrooms I really try to drink water throughout the flight. Those little cups of water you get from the flight attendants are not going to cut it. I love my Hydro Flask Water Bottle. It’s heavy duty–withstands all sorts of abuse and keeps my liquids cold or hot for a long time (when you’re at the airport ask one of the quick service restaurants to fill it for you before you take off since you can’t take a full water bottle through security). 
7. Guide Books–Yes, yes, a little obvious I know, but depending on where you are at in your planning stage I have different suggestions on which books you should check out. If you’re just beginning I love, the Eye Witness Guides. They are colorful and fun and have just the right amount of information to whet your appetite for Ireland. If you’ve got your route figured out then I’d recommend a walking guide.
8. Travel Scarf—A scarf, a pillow, blanket, a picnic blanket, a head wrap to keep the midges at bay. There are so many reasons to have a good scarf in your bag. I like one that will elevate an outfit as well as something I can cozy up on a cold plane with.
9. Help with your trip–We meticulously craft custom trips to Ireland focused on authenticity and comfort. We are plugged into the places and the people of Ireland that turn a good trip into a trip of a lifetime. I’d love to connect you with the best of local guides, mom-and-pop shops, boutique accommodations and unique experiences. Complete our trip inquiry form and get started today.

Happy Christmas everyone!