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Cocktail party/bridal shower for older bride. Not sure of age but I would guess late 60’s. It is being hosted by a couple of women we volunteer with. I would consider her a friend but not someone I socialize with outside of the organization but one of the people at this organization that I enjoy and gravitate towards. She is marrying another volunteer who I also enjoy. They both lost spouses due to illness. They are also major benefactors of the organization. The wedding is small and we won’t be attending wedding.
The theme is travel. I don’t think she is expecting a lot of gifts. I’m thinking I’d like to spend around $40-60.I can afford to spend more and I might do that. They both love to travel and they have traveled multiple times a year. Any suggestions as to a good gift for travel. I can’t imagine that they don’t have all they need but that is the theme.
Thank you for any suggestions
A nice leather passport holder? Nice luggage tags? (You can get some really inexpensive nice ones online) A small basket of travel-size beauty products such as sunscreen, makeup remover, etc.? A packable sun hat?
Are you an AAA auto club member? They sell a lot of items that can be used for travel.
Eagle Creek packing cubes.
I also thought of leather passport holders as well. Or perhaps a journal to record memories from trips they take together?
Ebags.com is having a sale now. I like this cross-body bag for travel.
http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/piazza-day-bag/94553?productid=1237312
I vote for no “stuff” - they are going to be combinning two houses, and I’m pretty sure they have plenty of stuff.
If you know someplace they are going to be traveling, a GC to a restaurant there would be fun, or an activity. When I got married the second time, one of our favorite presents was an afternoon sail from our honeymoon resort.
I like packing cubes, but my husband doesn’t use his at all.
Has there been any thought to the group pooling the money and sending them somewhere or giving a large travel gift certificate?
It might also be fun to get foreign money to stake them - Euros, pounds, yen, yuan.
Unless you know where they are traveling and how,they pack…don’t get travel “stuff” that is specific.
I work at a charity thrift store, and those Eagle Creek packing things are a frequent donation…in fact, there are a couple there right now for $1 each.
Here is what I would do. I would get them a “staycation gift”. A gift certificate to a place near whether they live for dinner. You can put in the card “use this the night before you leave…or the evening you get back from a great travel adventure”.
https://brooklyncandlestudio.com/collections/gift-sets/products/forest-candle-set
Subscriptions to travel magazines
Some travel themed books like Bill Bryson:
https://www.amazon.com/Best-American-Travel-Writing-2016-ebook/dp/B01912OT7C/ref=la_B000APXTVM_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1490656241&sr=1-11
or Atlas Obscura
https://www.amazon.com/Atlas-Obscura-Explorers-Worlds-Wonders/dp/0761169083/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490656633&sr=8-1&keywords=atlas+obscura
A nice pashima wrap or a nice scarf
You can find nice leather luggage tags or passport holders on etsy.
City map glasses - get them a set of 4 with their favorite cities
http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/city-map-glass?utm_medium=affiliates
If she wears jewelry, a travel jewelry roll.
A Pendleton throw or a picnic basket for car trips.
A book light.
Thanks for all the ideas. I love my packing cubes. I “inherited” them from my H. I bought them for him and he never used them. I think she would use the cubes but I bet she already has them.
In the last year they have gone to Europe three times and heading to the Caribbean soon. I can’t imagine they don’t already have anything they might need.
I’m going to talk to a few who I know are invited and see if they have any brilliant ideas.
You said the theme is travel. They are at a stage in their lives where they have accumulated stuff.
Would a giftset from Penzey’s be appropriate? (spices from around the world that they could use everyday for creating delicious meals.) They sell wedding gift boxes filled with different spices.
We purchased a large scratch map for a family friend who was a similar age and loved to travel. She had it mounted to a large frame and it hangs in her home office – she has scratched off all of the places that she has traveled. A friend gave my dd a large world map and colored push pins for her 16th birthday – same idea. DD hung it in her room and marked places she has been with one color pin and places she would like to go with another. It is a lovely visual of her travels. Since she is young, she also has some postcards arranged around the map with strings leading to the pin and location.
I love the candles @doschicos linked. It just doesn’t seem like much of a gift for $40. The spices @raclut recommended look great. She loves to cook. I also like the idea of a travel journal.
They already combined the two households into a small beach house. I don’t think wall space is readily available. I know they have spent the last year downsizing “stuff”.
If all else fails my fall back will be a scarf.
You can google travel candles and find other options. Perhaps one at a cheaper price combined with something else?
How about a nice donation to the organization in their name? I know it’s not travel related, but it sounds like the couple doesn’t need material stuff.
A travel pillow?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LB7REE6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1
I know it looks ridiculous, but it’s also ridiculously soft and comfortable (ask me how I know 
) Good for airplane, car or bus trips. And it’s washable. You could by two in his and her colors.
How about some leggings? 
The grey Tryl pillow is on lightening sale for $22.95 for the next few hours! I’m going to have H buy us a pair after he wakes. We do a lot of LONG trips from HNL.
https://emmebag.com/collections/emme-international-orders/products/emme-petite-coming-soon
These come in various sizes and are great for traveling. You can hang them on a door when there is not tons of counter space. I think I originally saw them on a travel blog.