12 Hol-i-Gay Gift Ideas
Shopping can be a daunting task especially if you’re trying to stay out of a crowded shopping mall or if you want to avoid countless hours surfing online for the perfect present for an LGBTQ+ traveler. So, we decided to pull together a list of gift ideas – a range of different prices – to help you find the right holiday gift for that friend or relative who enjoys traveling. We also included a few items to support LGBTQ+-owned businesses. All quoted prices are subject to change.
Roverlund Out-of-Office Pet Carrier ($159)
Wired Magazine calls this the “Best Pet Carrier.” With the Out-of-Office Pet Carrier, pet owners don’t have to leave their pets behind when they travel. This soft-sided pet carrier triples as an airline-compliant pet carrier, car seat, and mobile dog or cat bed, and a leash! The LGBTQ+-owned Roverlund brand makes 15 lbs. and 25 lbs. carriers, and they comply with the sizing requirements for most major airlines, including Delta, United, American Airlines, Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaskan. Made with marine and mountaineering grade materials, these carriers are designed to withstand a little wear and tear while transporting your furry friend by land, air, or sea.
KAFTKO Kaftans to Kozy Bears ($68 – $135)
We couldn’t have a holiday gift list without including KAFTKO’s colorful kaftans, including the Kozy Bear collection. The assortment of patterns and prints will tempt you to splurge on gifts not only for the travelers in your life but you’ll probably be one to snag one, too! These are ideal for a summer trip to the beach, a winter ski getaway, or just for lounging around the house. In case you didn’t know, KAFTKO – the creation of Arab American gay designer Oday Shakar, and his two founding partners Dana Quadri and James Adelman – offers these non-gendered, bear-friendly, femme-friendly looks and we’re here for it!
Airplane Pockets ($29.99)
For the frequent flyer, you may want to consider ordering the Airplane Pockets, a set of convenient pockets you can attach to the back of the seat in front of you to store all your travel essentials on or short or long-haul flight. It has four expandable, stretchable pockets to organize and store magazines, earphones, a tablet, a phone charger, and more. You can also use these water-resistant, machine-washable pockets to cover your tray table when you’re ready to eat or do some work on your laptop.
Stuzo Clothing (various prices)
Support Stuzo Clothing and buy genderless apparel for the hip travelers in your life. Fashion designers and married couple Uzo Ejikeme and Stoney Michelli teamed up to build this unique brand to celebrate the “nonconforming and bold at heart.” Made in L.A., the Stuzo has a wide selection of clothes including sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, t-shirts, crop tops, and jackets. Accessories for sale include face masks, candles, and mugs. Kristen Stewart, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Lena Waithe have been seen wearing the distinctly different Stuzo brand. We’d love to travel in a comfy pair of Mola Joggers ($65), Mola Overalls ($175), or “Woman Up” Beanie ($30) to keep our heads warm during the winter. Stuzo Clothing also offers gift cards.
AWAY’s Insider Packing Cubes ($65)
It’s the day before you leave on a trip, and you just can’t pack everything in your carry-on suitcase. We’ve all been there before! So, for the non-stop traveler in your life, you might want to consider gifting AWAY’s packing cubes to help compress and organize everything inside their suitcase, including socks, shirts, and unmentionables. Protect your clothes and other travel essentials in these water-resistant cubes that fit perfectly inside your suitcase and come in a set of four ($45) or six ($65). Regardless of the set size, the packing cubes come in seven different colors including a fabulous pink!
Trixie Cosmetics (various prices)
Bring out your authentic inner beauty when you travel with Trixie Cosmetics, founded by drag superstar Trixie Mattel. Create a fun gift package for your besties who enjoy giving the people their best ‘beat’ lewk, honey! Trixie’s line of pro-level cosmetic products includes bronzers, blushes, brushes, lip balm, lip gloss, lipstick, mirrors, EYEconic palettes, and more. If you’re looking for a gift idea for a traveler who enjoys serving lewks on the road, consider the bronzers, brushes, and balms in the Roadtripper Collection. Girl Talk, Breakup Rebound, Just a Girl, Plant Gay, Bottle Blonde, and Mod About You are a few other Trixie Cosmetics Collections to choose from, too! And keep checking the site… we’re sure there’ll be more special holiday gift offerings during the next couple of months.
Apple AirTags (starts at $29)
It’s happened to some of us before. You’ve just arrived home, but your luggage is enjoying a brief detour in some fun location you’ve never visited before. After the past year of lost luggage issues due to short-staffed airports and or airlines, you need one or more of these trusty gadgets to track your luggage no matter where you are at the moment. Just slip an Apple AirTag into your luggage before you travel, and watch the travel anxiety fade away. You can purchase an Apple Airtag for $29 and $99 for a four-pack. For the luxury or bougie traveler in your life, you may opt to be the high-end AirTag Hermes Bag Charm ($299) or the Key Ring ($349). For that price, his/her/their luggage better be easy to find should ALWAYS be able to find. Not a fan of Apple? Take a look at Good Housekeeping’s product review of the top 5 luggage trackers for more gift-giving inspiration.
Bombas Socks (gift boxes start at $50)
It’s a holiday gift that people seldom feel excited about receiving – socks and underwear! But we appreciate it when you can buy gifts that ultimately give back to the community. So, although it’s not an LGBTQ+-owned company, Bombas sells underwear, t-shirts, socks, and cozy slippers. The cool thing is that with every purchase you make, one item is donated. Take a look at their sock 4-packs (4 purchased = 4 donated) that range in price, like the holiday snowflake ankle sock 4-pack gift box for $66 and the wool calf sock 4-pack gift box for $102 – without tax.
Yeah, it’s pricey, but just remember that more than 75 million items have been donated to a network of more than 3,500 giving partners that support overnight shelters, transitional living facilities, street outreach teams, medical service professionals, and more.
TomboyX Swimwear (various prices)
Swimwear is always important travel attire year-round, especially if you have plans for a winter getaway in warmer weather. Gift givers should consider buying something from the queer-founded TomboyX brand, dedicated to making “beautifully-made products for all bodies and needs, of all sizes and across the gender spectrum.” And since we’re all about travel at Vacationer, we have to give a shout-out to the swimwear at TomboyX, touted as quick-drying, eco-friendly, and made with UPF 50 stretch fabric. Swim tank tops, unisuits, one-piece swimsuits, and board shorts are just a few gift options for everything from swimming to parasailing to relaxing cabana wear by the pool.
Travel Kettle ($59.99)
We know there are some tea and coffee lovers out there. And if have a friend who travels quite often for business or leisure, then this might be a practical gift to give. Let’s be honest, we’re all sometimes a little unsure about how often those coffee pots in a hotel room are cleaned. So, why not consider a travel kettle (approximately $60) as a gift for the frequent traveler in your life? In addition to the foldable electric kettle, it also comes with a collapsible cup, detachable power cord (U.S. plug), travel adaptor, zipper bag, and manual. The best thing about this gift is that you can have a spot of tea or coffee when you want it – and bonus – it’s easy to pack.
Malin+Goetz Best-Sellers Travel Kit ($38)
Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz created their uncomplicated skincare company with products designed for every type, tone, and gender. Now, you can keep your fresh look with this travel kit of their six best-selling hair, body, and face products. The kit comes with a grapefruit face cleanser, Vitamin E face moisturizer, bergamot hand + body wash, Vitamin B5 body moisturizer, peppermint shampoo, and cilantro conditioner. Malin+Goetz’s best-selling vegan products not only come in 100 percent recyclable aluminum tubes (travel size) but also come with/in a biodegradable bag.
Atomic Gold Jewelry (various prices)
It may not be a travel-related gift, but we love to support LGBTQ+ businesses when we can! This queer-owned company makes “radically wearable fine jewelry,” which includes body jewelry, earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, charms, and yes, wedding rings, too! Atomic Gold works with solid gold, platinum, silver, and a variety of gemstones for customized orders. We also love Atomic Gold because it prides itself on using non-photoshopped, size-inclusive, non-cis, and non-white models all year round – not just for awareness months. We’re for it and they’re creative bling.
