It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s holiday gift guide time!
Okay, so it’s been a really hard year or so for many people, but from October through the rest of the year, it’s my favorite time. It starts with the cool October weather and the leaf changes and then goes all the way through with holiday music, baking and finally, for me, Christmas (insert which holiday you celebrate here).
If you’re looking for a gift for your friend or loved one who is a movie and/or tv fan or someone who likes to travel or they are both, here are just a few ideas. Order soon — in case you haven’t heard there are supply chain issues and some things are hard to get or are taking forever to arrive. And by the way, you don’t need to buy something for someone else. You can also treat yourself to a holiday gift!
Reel Travels Merch!
Okay so I started here and yes they are my products and I’ll make money if you buy them, but these stickers are so cute! They make a great stocking stuffer or you can indulge and get a sweatshirt or pillow (left). It’s a great way for you or your loved ones to show the world that you love to travel the world checking out movie and TV locations, museums, and more. Visit Society6 to order — click here.
The Queen’s Gambit
I absolutely loved the Netflix drama miniseries The Queen’s Gambit. The writing was sensational. For fans of this show, why not get them into the game that started it all — chess? Pick them up a chess set like this one from The Chess Store that was inspired by the show or this one from Chessgamon. Or how about the book that inspired the show, written by Walter Tevis?
Peaky Blinders
Speaking of Netflix and books, fans of Peaky Blinders will love this new book that talks about this hit show and provides an in-depth alphabetical guide to the show’s style, houses, jewelry, gypsy traditions, and even political ideas.
Published by Mobius Books, the book is $19.99.
The Great British Baking Show
I love watching baking competitions, but I admit I was late to the party for The Great British Baking Show, but once the pandemic hit, I binged hard. And I love it. For the record, because I know this is a thing — I adore the quirkiness of Noel Fielding. He’s not even a baker. And if you have a fan of the show in your life too, you have to get them The Great British Baking Show’s – A Bake For All Seasons. It’s a little piece of the show that also includes a lot of recipes. Also published by Mobius Books, the book is $30.
Travel Book — Slothee Wants Coffee
In 2017 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and a friend of mine sent me a stuffed sloth to get through the hard times. Around the same time, we lost our cat, so my significant other kinds of ‘adopted’ the sloth to help him since the cat used to sleep with him. They are inseparable. LOL He takes it with us as a joke in the car and we take pictures with it. The funniest part is that my significant other LOVES coffee, so to see this book I had to include it.
Nikki Pezzopane and her 8-year-old wrote Slothee Wants Coffee about a sloth who travels from Costa Rica to Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, and Hawaii in search of the perfect cup of coffee. On the way, he meets new friends and learns about coffee and culture. It is available on www.slotheewantscoffee.com with FREE US shipping on books. Each comes with a sticker and coloring bookmark as well. Watch the Slothee Wants Coffee Children’s Book Preview here: https://youtu.be/ed6szR1IIyQ. It’s not film/tv related, but it’s a fun travel book and your children will adore Slothee.
Protect That Neck
I have tried many travel pillows and gotta say that most don’t impress me, but The Fosmon Memory Foam Travel Pillow did. This was comfy. It comes with an adjustable buckle that allows for a customized fit for any size neck and has mesh side panels to keep you cool without compromising support. It includes a set of ear buds (black) that keeps the outside noise to a minimum. The pillow comes with easily removable cotton and nylon mesh liner. The Fosmon Memory Foam Travel Pillow comes with a limited lifetime warranty, $29.99 — order here.
A Mamma Mia or Percy Jackson Trip!
What about a trip based on your loved one’s favorite movie or book? For example, Katerina Makatouni is the co-founder of Kids Love Greece, a US-based travel agency that organizes exclusive trips to Greece. Depending on the wishes of their clients, they can create an itinerary which includes Skopelos (an island in the Sporades) where the Mamma Mia trip to Greece was filmed. See more here.
They also created the Greece Mythological Tours inspired by Percy Jackson. Using stories from Greek Mythology and the Percy Jackson books and movies, their tour guides bring ancient archaeological sites such as the Acropolis, Knossos (Crete), Delph, Epidaurus (Peloponnese) to life. For more information, visit here.
Coffee in a Tea Bag!
Talk about yummy. Wildland’s Coffee in a Tea Bag is another great stocking stuffer for you RVers or Vanlifers. It steeps a delicious medium roast in minutes. Simply place a teabag filled with fresh ground coffee not instant! in hot water for 5-8 minutes. Wildland Coffee uses ethical beans from Brazil to make its blend of dark chocolate and caramel. The teabags are compostable and wrappers recyclable; pack of 20 for $33.25. For more information, visit here.
Fun Travel Game
Escape Notice Games has Stolen at Sea, a travel-themed escape room game that you can play at home. I had the chance to play this and it was fun! A little bit of a learning curve though. Players are first-class passengers aboard a 1923 steamship sailing from England to Cairo with secret cargo aboard. Work together to sift through maps, books, and photographs to find hidden clues, solve intriguing puzzles and unlock mysterious document bags to rescue a stolen artifact before the ship arrives in port, $44.95.
On Location: A Film & TV Lover’s Travel Book
Okay, full disclosure. This is my book and you’ll be ordering it through my favorite bookstore, Oblong Books in Rhinebeck, New York. Whether you’re a film fanatic or just want to see a bit of Hollywood in your neighborhood, On Location: A Film and TV Lover’s Travel Guide is the quintessential resource for visiting the locations of your favorite films or television series. There are over a hundred profiles about the famous movie and television locations from Star Trek to I Love Lucy. Add this book to your carry-on or toss it into your glove compartment and you’re ready to see some of the iconic settings from the silver screen up close. On Location: A Film and TV Lover’s Travel Guide also makes a perfect gift for road trips or film trivia lovers. To order, visit here.
Think about pairing it with other film and tv location books, such as William Gordon’s book, “The Ultimate Hollywood Tour Book,” which covers movie and TV locations throughout greater Los Angeles.
My Name is Inigo Montoya…
The Princess Bride’s Inigo Montoya Talking Bust is a perfect gift that brings this favorite movie to life. You know how to finish the iconic quote, “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” It’s only $13.95. Order here.
Love The Holiday?
Second full disclosure. The Holiday is my favorite movie ever. I can’t even count how many times I’ve watched this rom-com and I don’t have to wait until the holidays to do it. And when I watch it, I’m always dreaming of doing what Kate Winslet’s and Cameron Diaz’s characters did and that’s going on to HomeExchange.com and booking my own trip. Why not let your loved one or friend who loves this movie — or who just needs a break — do the same?
Let them step into Cameron Diaz or Kate Winslet’s shoes with a HomeExchange membership. Giving a HomeExchange gift card is essentially giving a year’s worth of travel and the opportunity to live out The Holiday IRL, allowing the recipient and their family unlimited vacations and the opportunity to stay in 450,000+ homes across 159 countries. The gift card costs just $150. To order one, visit here.
Movie Posters!
Posters aren’t just for teens. They make a great gift for any movie buff. I have posters on my wall of I Love Lucy as well as one of my other favorite movies Singin’ in the Rain! JustMoviePosters.com has posters for films such as Bridesmaids, Fast & Furious, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Top Gun, Transformers, and more. Available for purchase are theatrical, video/DVD posters, mini-posters, movie poster postcards at Just Movie Posters.Com. Most items range in price from $7.00 to $15.00 (shipping extra).
Dog Paintings
Wait, what? Yeah I didn’t think it was a film or television gift either, until I found out that they paint your dog in movie roles, such as The Step-Siblings, Star Trek, The Sherlock, The Hobbit and more. Fun way of giving your loved one a special and quirky gift. Silly fun and I love it. Visit here for more information.
This holiday gift guide is just a start and I hope it gives you some ideas for that special gift. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
