It’s that time of the year! We have many favorite items since we moved into our RV, and we think a lot of these ideas would be good for ANYONE, but of course, we’re posting these first and foremost as RVers. We’d love to know what you think, and if you have any “must have” items in your rig, gift ideas, or favorite gifts.
Homemade Gifts
When we chose to downsize, we developed an even greater appreciation for homemade items, because they’re that much more special when they’re among our few possessions. We love afghans, hats and scarves (although those of you who chase the 72-degree weather may not have a need for those!), tea towels, table cloths, pillow cases…. Really, there’s no end to the charm of homemade gifts. Do note, however, if your loved ones have food allergies or food-related illnesses, make sure to find out if your edible gift is safe. It’s better to spoil a surprise than to send something they cannot enjoy.
Pink Flamingos
No joke, these little pink flamingos crack us up every time we see them. We put them out at every park. We even planned to name them, but every time we talk about them, we make up random names on the fly. When we’re packing up: “did you put Bert and Ernie in the car?” When we’re unpacking: “did you put out Enid and Eunice yet?” They might be the best $20 we ever spent on decorative items.
Garmin 770 RV GPS
I was given our Garmin 770 RV GPS by my parents for my birthday last year, and it’s been our favorite gadget. We programmed the height, width, length, and weight of our RV into the device, and we can easily switch between RV and car modes for use around town or on the highways. We’ve planned all kinds of trips with it, and love the ability to track where we’ve been. The screen is enormous for a GPS device, and very easy to see. It even syncs with my phone, and I paid $5 for a Garmin traffic app that feeds live traffic updates via Bluetooth to the GPS, which has been very helpful before getting to accidents or construction.
Keep Cup Reusable Coffee Cups
Keep Cups are barista-approved reusable coffee cups, and they feel just like using a disposable cup from your favorite coffee shop. And your baristas will love you if you bring these to your local coffee shop, because they’re more of a standard size like paper cups. These are NOT spill-proof, and they are not insulated, but they are splash-proof with a little sliding cover for the drinking spout. They’re dishwasher safe, microwavable (without the lid), and super easy to hand wash for those of us without dishwashers. They also come in glass and plastic, although we prefer the (BPA-free) plastic version, because if something can shatter and cause injury, David and I will definitely shatter it and get injured. You can buy Keep Cups on Amazon, or shop at KeepCup.com for options like our black Keep Cups that also benefit Sea Shepherd.
Amazon Prime or Amazon Gift Cards
Amazon Prime is super convenient even if your home doesn’t have wheels. Prime gets you free shipping with no minimum order, along with access to on-demand video and music streaming. We can officially say we’ve used our Prime membership all over the country, and it’s been really helpful for everything from RV parts to hard-to-find gluten-free goodies. Gifting an Amazon Prime membership is an awesome gift that lasts a whole year, and Amazon Gift Cards are great with or without a Prime membership.
Target Gift Cards
Target Gift Cards are good at any Target store, and online! When we were still in Arizona, we discovered the wonders of Target, particularly the locations with grocery stores. They had some of the freshest, most affordable produce around, and with Shipt, we had free grocery delivery within an hour or two. And now we’re so excited to learn that Target is carrying Siete tortilla chips! They’re gluten-free and grain-free, and Siete Lime Chips are our favorite for vegan nachos.
Really, Gift Cards Are Great
We live small, and we enjoy new experiences more than new things nowadays. Buying a gift card or gift membership is a cool way to support an RVer’s adventures. Some suggestions:
- Send a movie date
- Top up their Netflix membership (this is especially nice for disabled and chronically ill friends who rely on Netflix for entertainment on tough days).
- A favorite restaurant, if they have one, or encourage them to try something fun and new at a local Whole Foods.
- If you know what kind of phone they use, treat them to some new apps via Apple iTunes or Google Play.
Spend time with them!
Offer an open-ended invitation for a friend to park in your driveway or at a nearby RV park so you can spend an evening (or more) catching up and having fun together. Spending time with friends and family is what the holidays are all about, right?