21 Nov Gifts for Map Lovers: A Handmade Christmas Gift Guide
Gifts for Map Lovers
I have always loved maps. On road trips as a child, reading our family atlas, I would map out journeys and track our route along the winding roads.
When I founded my business some of my favourite product designs sprung from this love of maps and travel. Helping others to track their journey and tell their story.
And so I have created THE Gifts for Map Lovers LIST. For those who crave paper over technology, who want to trace their journey or commemorate a special place and time in their life. A compilation of gifts from my own collection of designs AND from some of my favourite handmade makers and shakers. I have broken the gift list down into sections, travel inspired gifts for different times in our lives, for different people and map gifts that hold different meanings.
Gifts for Travellers
My first selection are gifts that you could take on an adventure with you. From the practical to the mystic.
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From the always inspirational Bookishly we have a travel journal with the beautiful quote ‘Wherever you go, go with all your heart’ by Confucius. The perfect gift to give someone who is about to set off on their travels.
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The Moonstone Pendant by Irish Jewlerry designer Lulu+Belle. A stunning pendant that can be personalised with your initial. Did you know that Moonstone is the traveller’s stone and is believed to bring protection to wanderers, travellers and adventurers.
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A great pairing with the travel journal is our Personalised Map Pencil. The maps on these pencils are created by from scratch in my studio, hand drawing and illustrating each one. I love pencils (hence why I make so many of them!) because you can rub out, sketch, change your mind and start again.
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Everyone needs a passport to travel these days, so why not add some personality to yours. I love this personalised Passport Case by Betsy and Benn. It also makes it totally unique so no chance of it getting accidentally swapped or misplaced.
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The best Personalised Travel Journal from Sukie Designs
Map Gifts for Dad
For the man if your life. A little collection of some of my favourite map themed gifts for dads. From the whimsical to the practical. And yes two are cufflinks but I just LOVED them both so much.
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MadeInWords is the brainchild Vicky Neil and is based in the wilds of Scotland. I love this Personalised Paper Ship In A Bottle that she makes by hand. And there is always the mystery, How does the ship get in the bottle?
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Is the man in your life a cufflink wearer? These Personalised map location cufflinks from evy-designs can be personalised with your most precious location. Choose where your dad was born, or your family home. They also make an amazing Father of the Bride gift.
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The best thing about buying from a small handmade seller (like me) is the personalised touch. With my map location pens I can literally draw you any location in the whole wide world.The map pens are the best gift for dads who have everything, because everyone needs a pen and nobody will have one like his!
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Compass Cufflinks. I love the elegance and simplicity of these cufflinks, again a great father of the bride gift, but also wonderful Christmas gifts for Dad!. Handmade by Sally Clay Jewelerry
Romantic Gifts for Map Lovers
Places can have very special meanings to couples and giving a gift that helps you tell that story is such a thoughtful way to celebrate a wedding anniversary, an engagement or to celebrate the BIG birthday of your other half.
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Celebrating a Christmas Engagement, or to give as a gift to your new spouse for your first festive season together. Remember the places you celebrated your milestones in with the Met, Engaged, Married Three Heart Map Print
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A his and her map artwork from Little Bird Designs. This Personalised Couple Map Picture is an ideal gift for your husband or wife. Give as an anniversary gift or to celebrate your first year married this Christmas.
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After all the years of making these the Map Keepsake Boxes are still my favourite order to get. Each one is totally unique, I use vintage maps and hand cover timber boxes, creating hidden material hinges and customising both the interior and exterior of the memory box. Customers buy these as Special Birthday gifts, graduation presents, wedding gifts and most poignantly a place to treasure their keepsakes of someone they have lost.
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I think this Coastline Ring would make an amazing wedding or engagement ring! They would certainly be totally unique. Handcrafted by jeweller Hannah Louise Lamb
Wanderlust Artwork
Travel inspired art prints. Show your walls some love. Go on, you know you want to!
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PlacesAndSpacesArtCo has a whole range of vintage inspired travel artwork. I love the feel of old films and road trips that these give me. The San Fransisco Print
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“When a man is tired of London he is tired of life” – Was Samuel Johnson right? IAMNAT has created this lovely London Artwork inspired by this quote
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For the Architects out there. I love the range of art prints from EyeforLondonPrints. Especially Gaudi’s Casa Batllo. They have a fantastic range of art prints inspired by famous buildings and styles of architecture.
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And finally from Irish design studio Me&Him&You they have a brilliant range of city landmark screen prints, LOVE this Sydney print.
Map Lover City Gifts
You home city or the city you have made your home. The place that will never leave your heart no matter how many miles are between you and it. Gifts to remember your home sweet home.
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Have your favourite place made into a Custom City paper cut from MissBespokePaperCuts The detail is wonderful in these pieces. Aimee is one very patient paper artist!
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Created for my own home city Dublin, this map city pen can be personalised with your own locations within the map. Once a Dubliner always a Dubliner! A great gift for those far from home this Christmas.
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Annah from Girl and Bird creates these lovely custom location map cushions. Great gifts for new homes, housewarmings or leaving gifts.
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London’s fair city has been hand illustrated in this Map of London by Jen Roffe Design. I love the use of typography in this artwork, a great representation of one of the world’s most famous cities.
Travel Gifts for Kids
Not to be leaving the young ones out of the loop here is my selection of some gifts for younger map enthusiasts. From wall decor to subscription gifts, a little something for all ages.
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This Personalised Grid Reference Compass Keyring by Seahorse would make a great gift for teenagers interested in hiking or orienteering. Help them start exploring.
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The Adventure Print from InkPaintPaperUK, perfect if you are looking for some wall art for your child’s room. Feed their adventurous spirit.
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Our geography pencils, each one covered in a vintage map come in a personalised gift box. A great gift for geography nerds or teachers!
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Possibly the best subscription gift idea for little ones. Geo Journeys Great Travel exploration subscription box starts with an initial gift and then each month they get something new in the post.
Travel Memory Gifts
Have you gone on an epic holiday recently? A mega road trip, the best family skiing holiday or your honeymoon perhaps? Here are a range of gifts to help you remember your travels and keep your memories safe.
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Holiday Destination Photo Hangers from NotAJewelleryBox
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Wherever you are in the world you can keep your favourite place close at hear with our Map in a Bottle Pendant
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HelloRuth has the best photo collage gifts. Here she will create a collage of your holiday photos in a map of where you were. How cool is that?! Check out the Personalised Travel Photograph Map here
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We’ll always have Paris. Oh Bogart, you ol’ romantic. I have a range of map confetti from different cities. Pop it in with a card or present to remind someone of home, or as a clue for an upcoming holiday. See if they can guess the city from the map hearts.
Long Distance Love
A world apart but stronger for it. Celebrate your long distance love with this range of personalised, thoughtful gifts.
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Plan your next adventure together with this Adventure Journal from All Things Brighton Beautiful
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Mother and daughter team, Tracy and Kathy Marshall, from Thread Squirrel create the most amazing embroidered and stitched designs. I love this Embroidered Travel Map Cushion. Two hearts, a world apart but still together.
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Longitude And Latitude Coordinates Necklace from J&S Jewellery. Long distance friendships need some love too. I really like the idea of giving one of these to my best friend. Although we may live half a world away from each other we are still besties!
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And finally, but most definitely not least my Map Hearts Print. One of my personal favourites, celebrate two hearts becoming one. The perfect gift for long distance relationships, each map heart showing where they are from, the stitching representing their love linking them together.
Travel inspired Christmas Decorations
Looking to add some wanderlust to your festive decorations this year? This collection of travel inspired Christmas decorations is for you.
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Laura from Loobie Design creates the most amazing personalised globes. I just love the idea of having her world globes with my own messages on my Christmas tree.
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From The Crafty Traveller we have this set of 3 timber baubles, each with a map of the world and Christmas greeting on them. A lovely secret Santa gift to give or receive!
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From Irish designer Jenny Walsh I give you Maps of Dublin. I think would make such nice gifts for any Dubliner far from home this Christmas.
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From Girl and Bird a map keepsake for those celebrating a special Christmas, remember where you were in 2017, a lovely first Christmas gift for baby.
The Extra’s
Gift Wrap
For all of our map gifts, the pens, pencils and pendants I offer gift wrap in an atlas page. And I have to say my customers love it. We will try and pick a map that relates to your gift. And we finish it off with a little gift tag. Because it really is the small things in life that make all the difference.
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