christmas – Life on Route

We all know it can be a tough task finding the perfect balance of useful, mobile and space-saving gifts for Christmas. To help you (and me) I've narrowed it down to the best 10 picks that are guaranteed to amp up the campground atmosphere. These 10 handy gifts for the RVer in your life are sure to make them smile while not crowding them out of the small space they love! Note: This article contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase something using a link, we will get a small commission (at no additional cost to you). However, we only recommend products that we would actually use. 1) Gift Cards Often seen as the cop-out gift by the gift giver, I can't think of anyone who actually receives a gift card and doesn't appreciate the opportunity to purchase something for themselves that they actually want. But let me narrow it down some more since you are looking for a good gift specifically for an RVer. Gift cards to gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores are especially useful since we use a lot of gas and always need to eat. We actually received some Esso gift cards as a baby shower gift and found them to be the most useful gift of all. 2) Funky, Functional Keychain Keychains often get a bad rap since they tend to be kitschy and cheesy but there are many functional ones that make great gifts especially when you can't find a screwdriver or bottle opener. Specifically, keychains with multitools (Amazon link) or screwdrivers (Amazon link) can come in handy when you are in a pinch. Flashlight keychains (Amazon link) are also a functional idea which you can find in some fun and funky shapes. 3) Subscriptions Another option is to gift a subscription instead of a material item. These are the perfect gift that you can tailor to the wants or interests of your RV lover. There are many options available such as Amazon Prime (30 days free trial with link) Audible, Kindle Unlimited, as well as a plethora of other useful subscriptions. Does your RV Lover enjoy audiobooks and learning while driving? We sure do! Check out Audible. Is the recipient an avid reader? Try Kindle Unlimited. For Beau's birthday one year I purchased a Slacker Radio (now called Live X Live) subscription for him since we were always using it for music and were very tired of hearing all the ads. With so many options out there you'll be hard-pressed not to find a great subscription for the traveler on your list. 4) Insulated Mug An insulated mug is an extremely useful gift idea especially with a lid to prevent spills. They can be used to keep hot beverages steaming for hours or cold drinks chilled on the hottest days. The needs of your RV lover will vary by their beverage preference and by the climates they visit most. One of the best thermal cups is made by Yeti (Check Price on Amazon) but they are also one of the more expensive. There are many similar knockoffs out there but if you want the brand that keeps your ice icy the longest then Yeti is the one. I received this mug for Christmas last year and use it daily! Keeps my coffee hot while I'm chasing my kid all over the campground. The basic mug is this one found on Amazon but it has an added vinyl decal on the front. You can find these on Etsy with a cute decal or get a custom decal made up by one of the many shops out there. 5) Power Bank Most of us are highly attached to our devices but when the dreaded low power indication pops up in the middle of a beautiful hike it can be a photographer's worst nightmare! That's why a power bank is such an amazingly useful gift! Choosing a power bank though can be a little tricky since you want to balance low weight, small size, high power capacity and all for a decent price. We personally use this one (available at Amazon), offering both a 1A and 2A output, a flashlight and power indicator all in a compact waterproof package. Just don't look at the flashlight when you turn it on! It's super bright. We've used it to charge our speaker, phones, iPad and camera making it a perfect fit your RVers needs as well as your budget. 6) Meal Packages Food is always a handy gift, everyone eats right!? More specifically, pre-made meal packages. It's a snap using these amazing ready to feast meals, basically, add water and some extra vegetables or meat. Miles above Side Kicks or Uncle Bens there are brands out there that are soooooo much better for you healthwise and tastewise. The ones we buy and love are from Untamed Feast which features 100% wild picked mushrooms! Many other places carry similar style foods, just keep an eye on the ingredients as some are high in sodium and filled with preservatives. Another great option is to check out what's available on Thrive Market (get 25% off with link). 7) Aeropress A perfect gift for the coffee-loving RVer is the Aeropress (Link to check the price on Amazon). Now, I have to say we are major coffee lovers, to the point where I've written an article about the best way to make coffee while RVing. Trust me when I say this bad boy makes the best coffee outside of a full-blown espresso maker. The Aeropress is an awesomely gadget that makes amazing coffee, doesn't take up much space, and only needs hot water (no electricity required). This is one of our all-time favorite gifts we have received and it has been very well used. You can purchase a reusable metal filter but we found it wasn't as convenient as the paper ones. 8) Wireless Speaker We are avid music, podcast, and audiobook listeners. We enjoy taking those sounds with us to the beach and around the campfire. That's why a wireless (and ideally waterproof) speaker is the perfect gift. We currently use a Sony speaker (Link for current price on Amazon) and while it's not waterproof it's very compact but still packs a decibel punch. If you already have a speaker that works great but is not bluetooth then you can easily pick up a little dongle (Link for current price on Amazon). I use one in my car and it works great to keep my phone (or other music playing device) cable-free. 9) Rechargeable Waterproof Flashlight A high-quality flashlight is always a useful gift for anyone on the road. Before a recent trip to Roatan, we picked up two flashlights (Link for current price on Amazon) for scuba diving. However, these little flashlights have come in handy in so many non-scuba situations I wouldn't be without it in our RV. It's waterproof (good to 150m just in case you fall in a really big puddle), rechargeable, the battery lasts forever, has multiple brightness settings, emergency flashing setting and is small in size. It's time to chuck all the useless, dim, clunky flashlights you own and give the gift of light. 10) Road Atlas In this day and age, one would think the road atlas had gone the way of the dodo. However, we have run into so many no service situations on the road that I highly recommend a quality road atlas (Link for current price on Amazon) as a useful gift idea for all travelers! While traveling in the US we have this amazing road atlas and have used it to assist in planning our route and to give us a bigger picture. In British Columbia, Canada we've been utilizing the Backroad Mapbooks (link to Amazon) which give you insights into provincial parks and recreation sites as well. Bonus: Fun T-Shirt While clothes are always a practical idea they can be a bit lame. Why not spice things up with a fun camping or RV related slogan. Shirts like "Home is Where You Park It" or "Life Rocks When Your Home Rolls" can be a great way to have some fun. Or if you want one Christmas related, get a National Lampoons Christmas Vacation style tee. Not surprisingly Amazon has a ton of different options these days so you are sure to find one to suit your RV lover. Our families have trouble every year finding gifts for us that are sized and suited for life on the road. I hope this list of gift ideas helps you find the perfect one that balances useful and practical with a little fun and excitement.