The cold weather lately has me dreaming vacation dreams. Warm sun on my skin and topical breezes seem a million miles away in 5 degree temperatures. It also has me thinking about vacation shopping. Always a fun activity, right? Some destinations lend themselves to shopping for certain things: like cork in Portugal and wine in Nappa. One thing that can be fun when traveling is to always look for something you collect. And I’m not just talking about t-shirts here, but something small and fun that reminds you of each trip and works together as a collection. So here’s some ideas on how to go about it.
First Decide What To Collect on Vacation
All my adult life, and half of my childhood too, I have collected Christmas ornaments. Thanks to my dear friend Joyce, who started the tradition with a group exchange the Christmas we were all in the 4th grade. We went caroling around the neighborhood and then swapped ornaments over hot chocolate and laughter. So collecting ornaments on vacation was a natural for me. I have ornaments on my tree from places everywhere. And when I take them out, the memories of those trips come flooding back.
But what if you don’t celebrate Christmas? Or you have enough ornaments for 5 trees already? Decide on what to collect on vacation based on what I call “the rules.” You are looking for something that:
- Moves you or makes your heart happy
- Is relatively small
- Isn’t terribly inexpensive
- And can be protected from breakage in your suitcase with just a little wrapping.
Ideas For What To Collect on Vacation
Another thing that I have started collecting more recently are salt cellars. These are small dishes used to dispense salt. They definitely fall within “the rules,” as most of them are quite small and the ones I collect are metal and more decorative than useful (see the picture above). My daughter collects vintage cameras and old post cards, two great things to collect on vacation. And she can display them all throughout the year, which is more than I can say for my ornaments. You can collect…
- Local Art — whether it’s a small, framed oil or matted watercolor in a sleeve, it doesn’t matter if you love it. And it doesn’t need to be expensive at all. I have framed several different note cards that I’ve purchased on vacation because they were prints by local artists.
- Textiles – Some fabric is so beautiful that it really is a form of art. You can treat this collectible as such, and frame it when you get home. Or consider creating a vacation crazy quilt or pillow covers from around the world. And what’s also great about collecting textiles on vacation is that there’s little to no chance of breaking it on the way home.
- Charms – Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the charm bracelet is back and more popular than ever. And charms for these bracelets are a great thing to collect on vacation. Wear a record of your travels around your wrist.
- Books – Here’s another category of collectible that will probably survive the flight back. And whether you’re looking to collect vintage books or stories that represent the place you’re visiting, books are a wonderful thing to collect on vacation
A Few Tips When Collecting on Vacation
My mother-in-law, Carol, swears by using tissue paper when packing for a trip. This comes in doubly handy when you’re collecting on your travels. Tissue paper means no wrinkles going and (almost) no breakage on the way back. Alternatively, you can fill your shoes with a little bubble wrap and use it later to cushion your treasures from the baggage handler bumps.
It’s also a good idea to generally understand the value of your collected items beforehand. This helps you make smart decisions when converting currencies and avoids heat-of-the-moment decisions. In my salt cellar example, I have never paid more that $25 U.S. Dollars for a cellar, so I’m not going to shell out any more than $21 Euros for one. Unless, of course, it’s absolutely fantastic. LOL
Don’t forget to check out local thrift and consignment shops, like Consignments Ltd., when on vacation. They are a great resource for all things collectible.
Most of all, my friends, have fun with this collecting. After all, you’re on vacation! And I’m jealous.
And Now For A Little Music Before We Go…
For more travel topics, check out my previous blogs like: Be Good to The Environment When You Travel and Best Thrift Travel Items.
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