It’s that time of year when we play the game…What present should I buy for (fill in the blank)? If your beloved family members are travelers then you’re in luck. This 2012 gift guide for the traveling family will offer some suggestions that you may have not thought of yet. There are some pretty cool gift ideas floating around this year.

Boys

Despite the name, Hickies will make you will go crazy in a good way when you see what these little stretchy things do. Hickies
replace annoying shoe laces by fastening through the eyelets turning a pair of tennis shoes into instant slip-ons. No tying, no tripping, no dirty laces and they look cool. Plus, there’s a wide variety of colors. Throw them in a stocking or put them on a new pair of shoes. Each pack comes with 14 Hickies and two bonus Hickies in a surprise color. My son is already digging them! You can find these at Brookstone ($20).

Girls 

As you may know, American Girl dolls are a pretty big deal with many young girls, including mine. Between the Girl of the Year and Historic Characters it’s a tough decision of picking just one but what makes it even more difficult is the My American Girl dolls option ($100). These darling dolls can be personalized to the little girl in your life by choosing her look, interests and even her personality. Choose from options such as pierced ears, glasses and braces. An 18” doll comes dressed in the True Spirit Outfit: a pink tee with tone-on-tone print, a flared skirt with a double-ribbon belt, pink underwear and tall boots and comes with a charm-keeper necklace to hold her collectible charms (girls get a charm with every My American Girl outfit.) This year the Purple Party Outfit is a cute choice this year. This purple taffeta dress has black piping details, a full skirt trimmed with a velveteen bow, opaque black tights, a satin headband and a “Loyal” rectangle charm for the doll’s charm-keeper necklace. That’s not all…American Girl dolls can happily travel the world in their own Starry Doll Carrier.

Dad

I’ve talked up Triple Aught Design in the past (see below) and this cool brand and is hardly just for women. Knowing that TAD makes such high quality items, it’s easy to recommend this line for the man in your life. Check out the Praetorian Hoodie ($175) for an outer layer or the Ares 270 Half-Zip ($119) for an inner layer. While you’re browsing the website, take the time to read the descriptions of each item. You might find your favorite piece was named for and inspired by mythology.

Mom

Maybe it’s because I’m a mom that I have a long list of 2012 gift guide suggestions for the traveling lady in your life. The first is the Vesper Sweater ($219) by Triple Aught Design – remember how much I loved the  
Artemis? The website says the Vesper was inspired by legendary Bond Girl, WWII British Agent Christine Granville. “Her character exemplifies confidence and agility under pressure.” Love that! It’s certainly a sexy way of saying this sweater will make you feel sleek and intriguing. The heavy rib-knit Merino is ideal for chilly nights and I’ve found that the shoulders and elbows provide the utmost durability. I received this sweater for review and I’ve loss count of how many times I’ve received compliments and questions of, “Nice sweater!” Yes. It’s that great.

One of my favorite things to do when I was a teenager was drive my parent’s white Chrysler Lebaron convertible.  I loved that car. But there was always one thing missing – a scarf or something similar to protect my hair from the wild Dallas wind. Of course, I never attempted to wear one because I was scared it would whip off of my head into the air and be lost forever. It ends up Coiffie, a weather-defying fashion hood, is a perfect option for riding in convertibles or dealing with everyday weather such as rain, snow or wind – no matter where she’s traveling.  She can flip it back and wear it like a scarf or remove it and stash it in her purse once indoors. Mom will enjoy this gift all year long (currently on sale for $54-58).

Just this week I was wearing heels somewhere that wasn’t really a heel-worthy environment and I wondered if there was such a thing as shoe covers for heels. My husband has a  pair of men’s shoe covers to protect his shoes from the snow and ice. The next thing I knew an email about Grace Carter’s Stylish ShoeCover (currently on sale for $59) popped in my inbox. Talk about answering wishes. This innovative water-resistant shoe cover turns heels (or flats) into boots instantly making them ideal for rain, snow and mud. One she gets to her indoor event (hotel, work, wedding, party) the shoe cover easily slips off. And the best part is it has its own small bag that can easily slide into a purse. Talk about a functional gift!

I hope you enjoyed this 2012 Gift Guide for the traveling family. In honor of disclosure I did receive some of these items for review (but not all) and opinions are 100% mine. Happy shopping!