A Gift for Every Kind of Traveler

We like to think of Fathom as the place to go for inspiration and practical trip-planning advice. The same thing goes for our collection of holiday gifts — some cater to the pragmatic side of travel, some stoke the imagination, some do both!

Bonkers Floridian Field Guide / Atlas on Steroids

The book Florida! A Hyper-local Guide to the Flora, Fauna, and Fantasy of the Most Far-out State in America is as offbeat and weird as the reputation of Florida itself. Film and TV studio A24 chose this destination to focus on for their first travel guide because it is where many of the company’s best-known films are set. Within its 600 pages you’ll find local recommendations, oddities, fun facts, illustrations, essays, and one-star reviews of the Everglades in a riot of colors, fonts, and photographs. ($50)

Goggles That Say You’re a Better Skier Than You Are

100 Percent Norg Snow Goggles are made with a sleek magnetic design that makes switching lenses as easy as clicking on a Tupperware lid. Of the seven color combos to choose from, we have a soft spot for this Acid Snow/HiPER Lavender number. ($250)

Candles That Will Transform the Tablescape

After a transformative trip to Africa, Lee Litumbe left her corporate life in Atlanta, Georgia, to spotlight destinations on the African continent with hints of high fashion and design. She became an enthusiastic Instagrammer (and Fathom contributor). Her new line of specialty candles, under the name Éluwa (which means “market” in her native Bakweri of Cameroon) are made in a studio in Dakar, Senegal, where Litumbe now lives. The striking, hand-poured wax sculptures are a mixture of geometric shapes, interlocking organic links, and variously shaped female torsos in four color variations. Everything is scented — with warming spices, cocoa butter, rose petals, amber, and musk. ($9-$140)

The Coziest Shearling Slides of the Season

Fitflop’s fuzzy slippers, originally designed to help with cellulite, have three levels of cushioning — medium at the toes, soft in the middle, firm at the heel. They’re so comfy that once you slip into them, you’ll never want to take them off. The Fathom editor who wore them every day as she walked throughout Italy loves them so much she has an indoor and an outdoor pair. Another bonus: They kinda look like fluffy little pets for your feet. ($140)

Because-Fathom-Told-You-So Guidebooks

Plant a seed for an experiential, collaborative vacation when you wrap up a copy of Travel Anywhere (And Avoid Being a Tourist) or Travel North America (And Avoid Being a Tourist), two timeless travel guides for folks who care about discovery, history, culture, great food, and good design. ($15-$18)

A Fisherman Beanie That Goes Beyond the Beach

The ultra-fine African merino wool beanies from super-cool, made-in-Africa surf brand Mami Wata have a 233-year-old history (South Africa was the first country outside of Europe to have Merino sheep) and a classic look. Nomvula Knitters is a black-owned and community-driven company in the Eastern Cape. And, according to MW, “They make damn fine beanies.” In green, black, and gray. ($71)

Massager That Will Make You the Most Popular Person on the Trip

The game-changing Therabody Theragun Mini massage gun packs a powerful punch in a portable product with an easy, ergonomic grip. Whack those thighs after a big, long hike. Get those glutes après ski. Rock those sore calf muscles after a long day of sightseeing. It's compact, lightweight, connects to a wellness app, and gets in all the nooks and crannies to help keep you in tip-top shape as you travel.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen!

We can never get enough sunscreen, the absolute essential that everyone — yes, you and me and us and them — should slather on every single day, always. (Could we hammer the point home any more clearly?) Finding a clean, weightless, invisible, healthy SPF in a stocking is like getting a warm embrace of love and care. Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen feels incredible on the skin. Worth the splurge. ($40)

Neoprene Woven Totes That Go Beyond the Beach

The Naghedi collection of mini bags hit so many notes we like. They’re artisanal (hand-woven by weavers who average one or two bags per day), long-lasting (made from durable AF neoprene in classic, trend-proof styles), and ecofriendly (all packaging is recycled and biodegradable). We especially like the Waste Not bags made from materials left over from other collections. The options include useful pouches in various sizes, but we especially dig these cute St. Barths Mini Totes. ($190)

A Good Reason to Start Sending Snail Mail

Accidentally Wes Anderson Postcards are totally, purposefully unexpected, vibrant, and distinctively colored. You know the aesthetic when you see it. Sign, send, or frame each and every one of these 26 beautiful postcards inspired by the director’s eye. ($17)

A Tote Made From Raincoat Material

One might never have enough tote bags, but Rigger Tote’s happy colors of yellow, purple, red, orange (or, multi, if you prefer) are a refreshing alternative to the usual white-canvas-with-colored-straps style. Even better, these are made with a waterproof fabric that makes cleaning them usually nothing more than a quick sponge wipe. ($50)

Full-Spectrum CBD Bath Time

New York-based Parson Brown’s CBD home and body collection is made from hemp from an American, family-run farm and includes candles, tinctures, body creams, and a relief salve they can’t keep in stock. But we’re stocking up on their citrus-infused bath salts made with healing Himalayan sea salt. (Cold weather = bath time.) ($30)

In-Case-of-Emergency Shopping Spree Catchall

When the hand-made ceramics are too hard to pass up, Paravel’s impossibly storage-friendly fold-up bag zips into a tiny pouch that you can easily store in a carry-on. Made from 100-percent post-consumer plastic bottles, you’ll feel extra certain in your decision to shop, as it holds 3-5 days worth of clothes, or 3-5 shopping ventures. ($70)

Shades for a Throwback Glamorous Look

We first spotted these Dolly sunglasses from New Orleans-based Krewe on our friend’s Instagram feed and loved the classic, glamorous, '60s jetset look. (Paging Slim Aarons.) But we’re giving them extra points for their Second Chances program, wherein they’ll replace the first pair of glasses you break or damage for free. And we’re raising the roof for their Krewe Foundation: In partnership with Louisiana Academic Health they provide hundreds of New Orleans high schoolers with eye exams and prescription glasses free of charge. ($255)

The Hygge-iest Laptop Sleeve

Graf Lantz knows felt. The company turns the fabric into the loveliest coasters, pan handles, storage bins, tissue holders, trivets, and a particularly chic array of totes. This Graf Lantz laptop holder (available in 13” and 15” sizes) comes in handsome shades of gray, charcoal, and turmeric, and has an envelope snap to ensure that your tech stays in place. ($64)

A Book to Travel Back to the Glory Days

Perfect for any recent graduate nostalgic for their glory days and sleepless nights, or those who love the character of America's classic college towns, this book by Graduate — the collection of highly curated boutique hotels nearby universities across America and Europe — reads like a yearbook celebrating the design, art, architecture, and lively characters that make the college chapter in one's life, unforgettable. ($55)

Move the Home Office to the Backyard

Den’s The Pod is 140-square feet of Skandi-esque chill. With floor-to-ceiling windows, a concrete floor, and even a wood-burning stove, only a filled bladder will force you to leave (Den does have Pods with a bathroom). Switch out the desk for a cot and create your own staycation spot or an Airbnb for the single traveler. ($199 for the starter package PDF)

A Fragrance Sampler For the Outdoors Lover

When celebrity makeup artist Dillon Pena launched Leland Francis Skincare, his clean formulas imparted a clarity and divine dewiness to tired, dry complexions. Now he’s taken on scent, with six (also clean) well-thought-out eau de parfums, including the cozy El Santo, the leather and smoky Stoner, and the rose, bergamot, and sage La Reina, inspired by his grandmother. Try all six in this Discovery Set. ($50)

The Softest Pants You’ll Never Want to Take Off

Bleusalt doesn’t know how to make clothing that’s not ridiculously comfortable, and these Unisex Trancas Trousers just beg to be lived in around the house. Fortunately, with three pockets plus a style that’s not too loungy, they’re also perfectly acceptable for when it’s time to venture out. ($133)

Handy Device for the Friend Whose Always Losing His Keys

Keep track of / find misplaced luggage, laptops, and pets with Apple AirTags. The discreet devices are sold as singles or come in a four-pack; you can link them to different people or phones. Setup is easy, and you can ping to track on your phone. A game changer for paranoid travelers or anyone who wants peace of mind when they throw their bag onto the conveyer belt. ($29 each; $99 for four)

A Base Layer That Reveals Your Wild Side

Luxury performance brand Aztech Mountain makes skiwear base layers in understated shades of loden, black, and ecru. But the trippy prints created in partnership with artist Ed Curtis, like Next to Skin top in Blizzard Camo Yellow and Off Piste Blue, are probably the most fun long underwear has ever been, ever. ($250)

Even a Failed Green Thumb Can Grow Mushrooms

Far West Fungi’s Shitake Mushroom Mini Farm Grow Kit delivers what looks like a loaf of bread to your home. All you need to do is open it, poke a few holes in its baggie wrapping, and let it thrive in your basement until it’s time to make more mushroom risotto than you’ll know what to do with. ($25)

The Perpetually Hugging Dog Bed

Best Friends by Sheri’s Donut Bed provides an enclosed nest for Fido to sleep (or just hang). It might be made of polyester and filled with propylene but, to the imaginative, it’s like a life preserver wrapped in a flokati rug. Our Fathom editor can attest to the two she has for her pooch — one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom, and both are constantly occupied. ($22-$179)

Need More Gift Ideas?

Spark Joy at the Dinner Table
12 Perfumes to Inspire Your Next Vacation
The Travel Game I Can't Stop Playing

Everything on Fathom is independently selected by our editors. If you shop through a link on our website, we may earn a commission.