Seriously, if you’ve got a man in your life who loves to travel then please think long and hard before you buy them a birthday gift that you might well regret.
Of course, receiving a gift from a friend or loved one is an amazing thing to be thankful for but, as we all know, sometimes that thanks comes from the heart and sometimes it’s a tiny bit forced through gritted teeth.
So, if you’re looking for a birthday gift for your travelling man then please pay close attention to the awful options below as you never know when you might be the recipient with regards to something equally ill conceived.
He’ll be wearing silk pyjamas – no he won’t!
These might be considered an ok birthday gift in some departments but if your man is off on his travels then the last thing he wants to be revealing in a hostel dorm is a pair of silk pyjamas! Although the thought may come from wanting to keep your chap swaddled in your love the actual gift is more likely to get him A. statically electrocuted on nylon sheeting or B. arrested.
Please don’t buy bulky birthday cushions
If you’ve got plans to treat your man to a birthday gift that’s going to help him rest his weary head on his travels then great however, please think about how much room that pillow or cushion is going to take up when packed into his suitcase. Whether your face is photo printed onto it or not, travel pillows as birthday gifts should start and finish with inflatables and that’s the end of it!
Why maps and compasses are not ideal birthday travel gifts
Seriously, if your travelling man needs these two items stowed in his backpack then he might well be in more trouble than you’d think. Granted, maps and compasses are essential for backwoods territory however, if he’s got plans to explore and hasn’t got himself kitted out before you bought him a birthday gift then you have to wonder what he was going to do in the first place.
Fluffy bunnies are birthday gifts best left at home
Cute, cuddly and something to remind your boyfriend of you when he’s away on his travels. Although a fluffy bunny might seem like the ideal birthday gift just consider how it’s going to look when your man pulls it from his bag like the proverbial magic version from the hat. He’s going away to seek adventures and make new mates, not become a laughing stock around the campfire.
Multi-use travel gadgets are more trouble than they’re worth
Often buying a birthday gift for a man starts and finishes with power tools however, always air on the side of less is more when it comes to travel gadgets. Nine times out of ten, that multi-functional item will be as much use as a chocolate teapot and if you’re really looking to buy him something indispensable then make sure it’s the master of its trade rather than the Jack of none.
Chuck that electric razor gift in the bin before you travel
For sure an electric razor might be the perfect birthday gift for the home loving man but if your happy wanderer is preparing to go on his travels again then perhaps it’s time to think in terms of growth rather than designer stubble. Beards are so in these days so don’t take away your man’s chance to join the ‘it crowd’ by forcing him to keep his chin clear of hairy foliage.
Hide that birthday lap top at home before you travel
Woe betide the gift giver who’s considering buying a birthday travel gift for a man that’s more expensive than the rest of his rucksack put together. Yes, a lap top will give your chap the chance to send home emails and Skype you at irregular hours but it will also add to his stress levels when he’s wondering just how to keep it safe from getting pinched.
Dear diary: why are you not the perfect birthday travel gift?
Travel gifts for men who will be having a birthday whilst on tour probably shouldn’t include too much in the way of work. Diaries, in theory, are a great way to record your travel experiences however, in reality, they’re bulky and heavy pieces of kit that will only serve as reminders of how slack your man is by not even bothering to fill in his contact details.
Does he really need a Bear Grylls survival guide?
First rule of birthday travel gift club is don’t do what Bear Grylls does. By buying your man a copy of this SAS reservists survival guide you will put so many ideas into your wannabe adventurer’s head that he might well not come back. Eating bugs, sleeping in caves and taking on mountain goats, if you want your man to come back safe and sound then air on the side of caution and let the Bear be.
Why you shouldn’t buy your birthday traveller a sports shirt
Although your man may support Chelsea or Newcastle not everyone in the world will appreciate him making a gesture of such support by brandishing his team’s colour whilst on tour. Best advice for birthday gifts if you sports mad man’s about to go travelling is to get him something that will help him to fit in and make friends rather than stand out and alienate himself. Just saying!
What every birthday boy really wants as a travel gift
So after an exhaustive list of things not to get your travel loving man for his birthday how about a few things he actually would like?
It goes without saying that he’s going to need as much space in his suitcase or rucksack as possible which is why purchasing him an activity to do whilst away from home ticks all the right boxes for all the right reasons.
Spiritual adventures, cultural experiences and wet and wild white knuckle rides, whatever you think your man would truly relish as a birthday gift whilst travelling then grab it with both hands just like he’ll do to you when he comes home.
Tinggly operate travel gifts for birthday boys in 50 of the world’s most awesome places to visit and if you’re looking to give the gift of experience this year then you’ll discover hundreds of ideas to enable you to do just that. White water rafting, bungee jumping, zip-wiring, yoga sessions, you name it and Tinggly do it and if you’re hoping to bid your travel mad man a fond farewell then there’s no better gift that truly says ‘have fun and come back safe, ya’ big lug’.
Experience travels in another way. Experience gifts by Tinggly: