Give the Gift of Travel!

As you read this article, are you madly trying to run around town looking for the newest video games or tech items to give your family members as a gift for the holidays? Perhaps you are scouring the internet for the most popular items sold that can be shipped to your door for a hassle-free shopping experience.  Well, forget about all those last minute things to spend money on that will be eventually be thrown in a drawer or outdated within the year and search for a gift that will last a lifetime....MEMORIES!
My fondest memories growing up were those spent on trips with my family.  I can only remember several toys or gift items that I received but I will never forget each trip my family took.  Let’s consider the possibilities of the gift of TRAVEL.  Here are some ideas that you could present to your family and loved ones for memories of a lifetime: 
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• Whitewater rafting adventure
• Week at a well-known spa in Arizona
• Disney trip or cruise for the family (and I am not just talking Orlando and California- there are Disney parks all over the world now- including Hawaii, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong!
• Winter or spring ski trip
• Dude Ranch
• Cage diving for Great White sharks in Australia
• Diving trips in Belize
• All-inclusive Caribbean beach vacation
• Ocean or River Cruise
• African safari
• Wine and cooking trips
• New York or Chicago shopping extravaganza
• Overwater bungalow experience in the Maldives or Tahiti
• Island hopping in Hawaii

Last, but not least…. a travel gift certificate for a trip of their choice!
The list goes on forever.  Once you have decided to change your spending habits and go for memories and experiences rather than material objects you can begin to imagine what you can do about the unwrapping process.  Sure, it is fun to have things to unwrap but “think outside of the box” and be creative with objects you can wrap for the family to open pertaining to the trip they are about to take!  Some items to give might be:  Disney movies, stuffed animals for the area (bears for Alaskan cruise, Dolphin for Caribbean, Kangaroo for Australia), travel books related to the area, sleeping bags, travel iron, tree ornaments from the area, travel kit (travel toothbrush and small toiletry items in a pouch), new suitcases and duffle bags, swim trunks, hats and mittens and jackets for a ski trip, headsets and pillows for the flight, a photo album, cork globe to pin areas traveled.
If you are lucky enough to be traveling DURING your holidays, there are special touches you can do to make the holiday even more festive….  build a snowman on the beach, bring along the Menorah, the Christmas stockings or the Kwanzaa candles. You could even place a key under the mat if you don’t have a fireplace to let Santa in!

Get out there and start making memories!