Glad tidings of comfort and joy! My outdoor, adventure and travel-themed Christmas gift guide is here to help you find the perfect present for the luckiest explorers in your life, including the perfect gifts for swimmers, campers and your Secret Santa. Merry Christmas, you filthy animals – and here’s to an adventurous 2023!
Travel and Outdoors Christmas gift guide 2022
1, Lobster swimsuit, £95 from Usual Objections
Perfect for: wild swimmers
Wondering what to buy for your lobster? If they like wild swimming, treat them to one of Usual Objections bright, beautiful and often rather wacky suits, which are made in the UK and stay put and feel comfortable however deep you dive.
2, Surfyogis Zinc sunscreen, £21.99 from Down the Line
Perfect for: eco-minded mermaids
Protect your skin, local reefs and the planet by plastering this natural sunscreen, handmade in Bali, onto your noggin before you hit the water. The dinky pot is very stocking-friendly, too.
3, Felt Christmas decorations, £5 from Sherpa Adventure Gear
Perfect For: charitable types
These little felt so-and-sos are just the cutest – and for each one purchased, Sherpa donate a day at school to a child in Nepal. A win-win – the only tough bit is deciding which decoration to choose (I love the cuddly Yeti).
4, Bellyboard, from £60 from Dick Pearce & Friends
Perfect for: kids (and big kids)
Catch a wave at any age on a beautiful wooden bellyboard made in Newquay, Cornwall. When you aren’t in the ocean these colourful creations will look great on your wall at home.
5, Dr Bronner Castile soap, £8.79 from Superdrug
Perfect for: festival fans
I became obsessed with Dr Bronner’s while in the States – one genius bottle can be used as washing up liquid, shower gel, to clean clothes, to scrub your dog… the mini bottle is also the perfect portable present for happy campers and festiva fanatics.
6, I F***ing Love it Here socks, £11.75 from Penny Black
Perfect for: happy hikers
You know you’re getting older when socks for Christmas sounds like a proper treat – and I defy any adult not to effing adore this sweary socks that just really like being outdoors. I have them, and they never fail to make me smile.
7, Isvik Mittens, £35 from Hestra
Perfect for: warming the cockles
Cheer up the greyest winter day with these snug, stretchy and sunshine-yellow mittens from Hestra – the fine wool keeps finger snug on crisp winter days.
8, Reversible Changing Cape, £269 from Cape Cove
Perfect for: stylish surfers
Avoid flashing the whole car park on your next surf trip by wrapping up in one of Cape Cove’s sherpa-lined robes to change – I think this khaki number is smart enough to double up as a luxe winter coat.
9, Fair Isle Jumper, £119.99 from Farlows
Perfect for: Christmas Day
It’s not Christmas if you aren’t sporting a festive jumper for your burn-off-the-mince-pies Boxing Day walk. Farlows’ gorgeous Fair Isle jumpers are a lovely option you can still wear come New Year.
10, Stairway to Heaven ski suit, £295 from OOSC
Perfect for: snow sports lovers
When is the perfect ski jacket not a jacket? When it’s a snug all-in-one ski suit. I love the retro vibes of OOSC’s brilliantly bright Stairway to Heaven, which looks fabulously eye-catching on the pistes, is comfortable to wear all day and is made from recycled polyester.
11, Solar Festoon Lights, £24.99 from Lights4fun
Perfect for: van lifers
These warm yellow bulbs cheer up our van on cold winter nights no end, and I love that I just have to stick them outside to recharge them. Ideal for campervans, tent adventures and back gardens.
12, Ring Making Kit, from £115 from The Workbench London
Perfect for: creative types
Fair warning – making your own ring with a Workbench London kit is seriously addictive. Carve a wax ring with your design and the Workbench team will cast it for you in recycled silver, a lovely way to make a travel keepsake.
13, Thermal by Lindsay Bro, £16.99 from Blackwells
Perfect for: travel fans
My current favourite title to grace my coffee table is this globetrotting book that takes you on a tour of saunas, baths and hot springs around the world.
14, Rambler’s Soap, £7 from Etsy
Perfect for: happy campers
Cute little chunks of vegan soap you can pop out to use on camping trips and festival weekends – and you can top up the tin with solid shampoo squares, too.
15, Danner x FP Cloud Cap Snow Boots, £178 from Free People
Perfect for: winter wanders
Simply the best snow boots, the Danner Cloud Caps are insulated, grippy and perfect for ski holidays or icy days. This collab with Free People reimagines them in brighter hues.
16, Feuerhand Hurricane Lantern, £36.95 from The Mountain Factor
Perfect for: stylish homebodies
The perfect present for the outdoors lover who has everything, these delightfully old-fashioned lanterns burn lamp oil and are, as the name suggests, impervious to wind and rain, so they’re perfect for nights in the open as well as warming up your home.
17, QuietOn 3 Sleep earbuds, £199 from QuietOn
Perfect for: the jet set
If you travel as much as I do, pop these earbuds in your pocket – they block out all ambient noise and make falling asleep on planes, trains and automobiles a cinch.
18, Recycled beanie hat, £6.49 from Mountain Warehouse
Perfect for: your Secret Santa
A gorgeous beanie for well under £10? That’s your Secret Santa prezzie sorted. Super soft, stretchy and made from recycled fabrics, this cosy hat will suit everyone.
19, Icelandic Sheepskin rug, £99.95 from Glencroft
Perfect for: glamping fans
Zhush up your bell tent with this sumptuous sheepskin shorn from Icelandic breeds. Each rug is unique, warm and deliciously soft. Let it grace your tent, shepherds hut or just your sofa.
20, The Coffee Advent calendar, £46.95 from The Brew Company
Perfect for: caffeinated wild campers
Arguably even better than getting chocolate in your advent calendar, Coffeebrewers box of goodies serves up a fresh brew from around the world each day. The 25 just-add-water pourable sachets are perfect for taking wild camping. You can also get 10% off with code FESTIVE10.
