Need a Last Minute Gift Idea? Create a Travel Readiness Kit

This week boasts the longest nights and shortest days of the year. If you’re running out of time and need a last minute gift idea, I might recommend creating a personalized travel readiness kit for friends and family members who will find themselves on the road this holiday season.

Start with a container. A milk crate or bucket could work.  Add a couple of liters of bottled water, a first aid kit, and a waterproof bag with protein bars or other high protein snacks, dried fruit, and small canned items. Also add a pack of unscented baby wipes and a can opener or multi-tool.

Personalize the contents. What is the recipient’s situation? If she or he is a college student, you might add a prepaid credit card for an emergency tank of gas. Does the recipient travel with a baby or child? Add food, diapers, or other necessary items. If your friend travels with a pet, include couple of single serving packs of pet food and a collapsible bowl. These days, adding a battery phone charger is a good idea, as are extra batteries, and an emergency radio to receive news and weather information.

If you’re creating a kit for a young driver, you might include laminated sheets of instructions for what to do (and not do) if you’re stranded. If you go this route, I like these from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, where they save hundreds of lives each year when motorists are stranded due to hazardous winter conditions.

Winter Safety Checklist for Driving and Travel

Winter Survival in Your Car

Exercise a little climate control. In Appalachia, I recommend adding wicking socks, lined gloves, a thermal layer, scarf, and a hat to offer additional warmth and to function as a dry change of clothes if needed.  Fleece blankets and a good sleeping bag are personal favorites for additional warmth inside the car, as they are lightweight, dry quickly, and retain warmth even if they become damp.

Be ready for ice, just in case. Mountain folks know to prepare for the unexpected when traveling at higher elevations, but those of us in the valleys could benefit from that wisdom. Jumper cables, flashlight, tire pressure gauge, flare, distress flag, reflective tape or road markers, a small fire extinguisher, and an ice scraper are all good to have on hand in case of an accident or mechanical problems related to winter weather. Cat litter or rock salt offers instant traction on icy spots, and a folding camp shove digs tires out of drifts.

Be prepared. And what guide would be complete without a couple of tips from the Boy Scouts? A water resistant pouch might contain matches and safe fire starter aids, a loud whistle to signal for help, a simple yet fun travel game to take away fear and pass time, and a reminder of family emergency communication plan details – just in case.

Bring it home. I hope you’ll feel free to adjust these suggestions to your budget: gloves and an inexpensive ice scraper make a fine gift, for example. Along these lines, you can pick and choose one or two items from any category, drop them into a gift bag, and add a personal note. Or wrap a recycled box in an old road map, mark the road once traveled, and write your note on a vintage postcard from yesteryear. It’s a great way to reconnect over shared memories.