Soooo, it’s basically Christmas and you still haven’t got all your presents? We’re not judging. Maybe you had the horror-inducing moment of realising you’d missed someone off your well planned list. Or perhaps you accidentally melted (read: ate) a box of chocolates meant for a significant other. It happens. But with it being well past the last postage date for reasonably arriving before Christmas, we’re going to have to think outside the box a little.
Never fear though, we’ve rounded up some last second Christmas gift ideas with an adventurous twist that can be bought in a flash. No postage required. Here we go.
- The best gifts for hikers: your essential guide to buying the right presents this Christmas
- The best camping gifts for the outdoors enthusiast in your life
1. Product Gift Cards
Not quite the same as choosing and wrapping a gift yourself, but certainly just as effective. A huge number of outdoor and adventure brands are offering gift cards this year. Especially given how much online shopping has been done in 2020! You could go for clothing and equipment (loads of brand ideas on this site) or think a little sideways. How about adventure specific food like Nutristrength or Expedition Foods. In fact most of your favourite brands – or independent shops – probably do gift cards. Well worth checking out.
2. E-books
There will always be a special place in my heart for a real, tangible book with a musty smell and smooth hardbound cover. But many people own e-book readers nowadays and buying a digital book could be the perfect gift solution. There are plenty of adventurous books out there to fit all tastes, from kayak to camping.
3. Experience Gift Cards
Perhaps you’d like to give the gift of adventure itself? Companies like Much Better Adventures offer gift cards on all their guided trips – whether it’s a weekend coasteering in Cornwall or 100km jungle expedition. Plus with a 5 year expiry date, there’s plenty of time to use it. Or maybe a self-guided adventure gift card like LandyCampers, who rent out fully-equipped Land Rover Defenders with a roof-top tent and everything you need to get off-grid and explore the UK.
4. Virtual Events
One of the perks of 2020 (I know, scraping the barrel) is that many events have gone online. You can buy tickets for adventure film festivals across the globe and watch from the comfort of your living room. Kendal Mountain Festival’s all access passes are still available, allowing access to a huge selection of films and festival events online. Banff Mountain Film Festival is also running virtual events throughout January and February. A £10 gift pass allows the recipient to choose whichever show they want to watch. There are also a load of virtual running, rowing, cycling, swimming – you name it – races and events you could buy a gift ticket for.
5. Subscriptions
Still scratching your head? Okay, how about subscriptions. You’re probably thinking magazines and yes, there are lots of great outdoor reads in circulation. You could try The Great Outdoors, Trail or Sidetracked for starters. But there are also subscriptions like Adventurous Ink, who post you and adventure book each month, or Cairn who send a package of outdoor related goodies. Even more practical, a year’s subscription to mapping app Viewranger is only £24.99 and Hostelling Scotland is celebrating its 90th birthday by offering lifetime subscriptions for £90.
We hope that gave you just enough ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Good luck with your Christmas shopping!
