When it comes to travel, there is no shortage of gift ideas. Gifts can be simple, such as a guidebook or a handy gadget to make travel easier, or it can even be the gift of travel itself.
Many travel agencies will offer gift certificates in various amounts that can be applied to a future trip; cruise lines such as Cunard offer them as well. Even airlines are getting into the act. American Trans Air offers ATA Vacation Dollars, which can be purchased in $25 increments and used toward air travel. ATA, which was founded in 1973, serves popular vacation destinations in Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, California and Las Vegas. To order by phone, call (800) 225-2995.Two of the major catalog services that sell travel-related items are TravelSmith (800-950-1600) and Magellan's (800-962-4943); they can even guarantee delivery on orders placed by Dec. 20. TravelSmith appears to offer more clothing items than Magellan's - everything from the "perfect" walking socks for your next safari to money belts.
Magellan's notes that its five most popular gifts this season are, in order, a Fisher Space Pen ($17), which writes just about everywhere and even upside down; a hot beverage maker ($30), which is compact and adaptable to worldwide voltage; a traveler's vest ($69-$89), which has lots of pockets, even three that are hidden; Original Rollaboard Luggage ($59-$259), with lots of handy compartments, even a pullout for your computer; and a Survival Tool ($10), a credit-card-size instrument with 101 uses, which even makes a nice stocking stuffer.
Brookstone, another favorite store, has lots of ideas, ranging from a dual-time watch ($100), which is great for those traveling in different time zones; a clever, especially if it works, Smart Response snore control wrist monitor ($60), which helps to stop your travel companion's snoring; those wonderful Swiss Army knives that contain scissors, tools and more ($52 up); the small versions of the knives, which fit on a key case and make a nice stocking stuffer; and many handy items that will make a car trip all the more pleasant. I especially like the massaging seat with heat ($199). For catalog shopping, call (800) 351-7222.
Another great place for shopping for travelers is Hammacher-Schlemmer (800-543-3366). Among gift ideas are a hand-held steamer ($99.95), which is great to get rid of all those travel wrinkles in your clothes; an international voltage adapter ($29.95) for your world traveler; or a noise-quieting and sound-enhancing headphone that get rid of most airline noises ($79.95) and can even be used to improve the sound of airline movies - but not the quality. Another idea is from the catalog's "best" section - products that Hammacher Schlemmer finds simply the best. The best jog/walker pedometer ($39.95) makes a fun gift and stocking stuffer, letting travelers measure just how far they've walked on vacation.
A very good book for just about anyone on your list is a copy of Entertainment '96. The coupon-filled book is available in editions for cities throughout the country and popular vacation destinations such as Florida. While the guides are best known for the two-for-one dining offers keyed to each city edition (130 altogether), there are also coupons good for discounts on American and Continental airlines, cruises, hotels and resorts and attractions. Many nonprofit groups sell these for around $30 each, or they can be ordered by calling Entertainment at (800) 445-4137.
Luggage gifts can be a bit tricky. I prefer to make my own choices and feel most travelers also would. This is true especially with the wide variety of luggage available. If you do want to give luggage, though, or get some for yourself, look for ones that offer extras. Samsonite has a Wardrobe Piggyback that has lots of packing and organization capabilities. It has wheels and also can carry extra bags. American Tourister has the Paradigm line with snap-in/snap-out capability that lets families create customized, interchangeable luggage by switching luggage accessories between the various bags in the line. And keep in mind that while soft luggage is nice, hard-side luggage has some advantages. Samsonite, which makes the hard-side variety, notes that luggage will probably be tossed, thrown, bounded or dropped anywhere from 9 to 11 times on a trip, and that as many as 100 bags can end up on top of your luggage.
Some gadgets also make fun gifts. Shake Awake is a vibrating alarm clock. Originally designed for the hearing impaired, the makers realized there was a large market for those who are "sleeping impaired" in the morning. The clock is small enough to fit in a purse or briefcase. Place it under a pillow, and it is guaranteed to vibrate enough to wake even the deepest sleeper. It can also be used as a traditional alarm clock. The Shake Awake sells for $29.95 and can be ordered by calling (800) 526-0402.
Another handy on-the-road item is the NiteOwl, a small retractable reading lamp that produces a clean, glare-free white light for reading in bed. The NiteOwl uses either battery or AC power and can be clipped to magazines as well as books. It's available in department stores and bookstores.
Also handy on the road is the Small Wonder ($20) umbrella from Totes. It is only 7 1/2 inches long, so it will fit in a pocket or pocketbook. A second choice is the Briefcase Umbrella ($25), just a half-inch longer and designed to fit in a briefcase. When the umbrella opens, it spans to provide 46 inches of protection. Even smaller is the Small Wonder Purse Tote Bag ($12) that folds to 5 1/2 inches.
If on the road, you find a wonderful item from your stay at, say, Ritz-Carlton, chances are it is available as a gift. Among items in Ritz-Carlton gift shops are teas the hotel specializes in, cosmetics found in the guest rooms, even such items as the famed cobalt blue Ritz water goblets (set of four, $60), which my wife loves. Gifts can be ordered by calling (800) 735-3506).
Calendars make nice gifts, especially ones that offer extras. The '96 New England Weekenders Calendar provides not only the basics - day, date and space to jot notes in - but also beautiful paintings by NewEngland artist Marsha York and, best of all, a listing of great getaways every weekend. A similar calendar is also available for the Mid-Atlantic states. Copies are $12.95 in stores or by mail (add $4) by writing to Kanin Press, PO Box 1174, Portsmouth, NH 03802. For store locations, call (603) 433-4775.
How about a game? Travel Buff ($29.95) looks like Trivial Pursuit but sticks to categories that involve geographical regions, sports, food, art and other travel facts. Games magazine calls it one of the top 100 for this year (if you can't find it, call 800-378-8581).
Books are always welcome gifts. Here are some ideas:
"Ireland, an Encyclopedia for the Bewildered" by K.S. Daly (Ten Speed Press, $7.95) is a stocking-stuffer-size book. It covers Ireland with chuckles from A (Abattoir, the first entry from the Golden Pages of the Dublin telephone book; the entry is from the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland) to Z (Zozimus, the name by which Dublin street poet and balladeer Michael Moran was known).
Some like it hot when it comes to food, and "Trail of Flame" (Ten Speed Press, $11.95) is just what the "hot" traveler needs. It's a guide to spicy restaurants across America.
"Discoveries" is a wonderful new collection of books from Abrams - all colorful, easy to read, easy to pack (just 5 by 7 inches) and packed with discoveries about our life and civilization. Among the volumes: "Renoir - A Sensuous Vision"; "The Irish Famine"; "Human Origins, the Search for Our Beginnings"; and "The Story of Rock, Smash Hits and Super Stars." The books are all high quality not only in content but also in the printing on heavy, coated paper, as are all the offerings from Abrams. See these "Discoveries" on a bookshelf and you'll want to grab a handful to read: All are $12.95.
Another new and fascinating series of books is "Art in Focus" from Bullfinch Press/Little, Brown and Co. (each $12.95). Each of these travel guides focuses on the art and architecture of a city and is packed with illustrations and information. Added pluses are a listing of 20 "star sights" of the individual city, a colorful map and itineraries to organize your visit. Among cities available are Washington, Amsterdam, Florence, London, New York and Paris. More cities are on the way, and all the books are easily packed, almost pocket-size.
One of the joys of travel is to see how others live, and a book that illustrates this in a very graphic way is "Material World: A Global Family Portrait" (Sierra Club Books, $20). The book, by Peter Menzel, tells how people live and about their material possessions. At this very material time of year, the book is a poignant reminder that maybe we really don't need all that we have when we see how little some families have. The photographs are wonderful and add to the reasons to explore distant lands.
"Shot on this Site" by William Gordon (Citadel Press, $14.95) provides a guide to movie and TV sites such as the "Field of Dreams" baseball diamond, the "Cheers" bar and those "Sleepless in Seattle" locations. Some sites will surprise you. For example, "With Honors" has Harvard University and its Widener Library as only momentary stars. The library's exterior was filmed briefly, but the interiors were actually shot at the Boston Athanaeum; most exterior shots were at the University of Minnesota, and the house featured was in Chicago.
"The Dictionary of Ancient Egypt" by Ian Shaw and Paul Nicholson, in association with the British Museum (Abrams, $45) provides everything you ever wanted to know about this ancient civilization. Clear explanations are given of ideas and personalities that shaped 4,000 years of life in the Nile Valley, along with lavish illustrations and a bibliography for those who wish to pursue even more on a given topic.
"More Good Old Maine" by Will Anderson (Anderson & Sons, Portland, $17.95) will certainly please anyone with an interest in Maine. Anderson offers a 140-page tribute to Maine's past and present pop culture delights - many of the places featured are still in buinsess. Fun to read, and hard to put down.
"Jerusalem, An Archaeological Biography" by Hershel Shanks (Random House, $45) brings the history of this 3,000-year-old city alive. Included are more than 200 color photos and illustrations. The book is filled with discoveries and revelations ranging from Solomon's Temple to where the real tomb of Jesus is believed to be located.
CD-ROMs are quickly joining the traveler's list of musts. "Jerusalem: An Interactive Pilgrimage to the Holy City" (Simon & Schuster Interactive, $30) is a perfect gift on this, the 3,000th anniversary of the city. The disc is packed with history from the past to the present, offers photography, videos, sound and even a game, Quest, just for the kids that lets them search for a holy relic. Adding to its the disc's value is a free Macmillan dictionary for children, which includes word pronounciation.
"Nile: Passage to Egypt" ($49.95) can be used to preview a future trip to this fascinating land. The CD-ROM is produced by the Discovery Channel and uses more than 30 minutes of video from its documentary "Nile: River of Gods."
"NYCD-Rom: New York City Cultural Directory" is the first interactive guide to the city's cultural institutions. With this CD, you can travel from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in the Bronx. NYCD is published by Alan Rand Multimedia Group and retails for $29.95. It can be ordered by calling (800) 298-1386.
"Drivin' Route 66 - America's Main Street" is a CD-ROM that captures the nostalgia of the famed Route 66 that linked Chicago to Los Angeles. Besides the fun of "driving" the route, there's some great classic cars featured and car trivia as well. The disc is from Cambridge Digital Media and retails for $19.95.