31 Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Digital Nomads
With Christmas just around the corner, gift-giving is in full swing. But there’s one type of person that’s harder to buy for than the rest: digital nomads.
As digital nomads, in fact, every item we own is carefully considered.
Chocolate, cheese, and booze are the easy way out, so what do you buy the person who intentionally has nothing? And what thoughtful gift could you give them that will add something to their everyday? Not to worry, we have prepared for you a list of our own top Christmas gift ideas for digital nomads.
- An eSIM with unlimited data
- A Laptop Stand
- A Wireless Keyboard
- A Wireless Mouse
- A Laptop Sleeve
- A Portable External Hard Drive
- A Power Bank
- A Portable Laptop Monitor
- A VPN Subscription
- An eReader
- A Universal Travel Adapter
- A Webcam
- Packing Cubes
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Carabiner
- Passport Holder
- Reusable Earplugs
- Travel Wash Bag
- Apple Air Tags
- A Notebook
- A Pen
- Earbuds
- A Travel-Friendly Down Jacket
- A Quick-Dry and Packable Towel
- An Electronics Organizer
- A Sleep Mask
- A One Bag Travel Pack
- A Daypack
- A Travel Sling
- An Online Magazine Subscription
- A Pair of Gloves
1. An eSIM with unlimited data
Connectivity is king for remote workers, an eSIM with unlimited data is the ultimate gift for digital nomads this year.
Our top pick? Holafly -perfect for heavy-data users traveling the world. With coverage in over 210 destinations, plus regional and global unlimited data plans, it’s a seamless solution for staying connected anywhere.
There’s no physical product to worry about, they can simply install it on their favorite nomads’ smartphones and be online within minutes. It’s truly the perfect travel gift.
2. A Laptop Stand
Know a nomad who’s constantly complaining about neck and back pain? A portable laptop stand could very well be the solution to their troubles.
The Roost V3 is our number one laptop stand for digital nomads, but there’s a wide range on the market to choose from.
3. A Wireless Keyboard
Speaking of an ergonomic setup, a wireless keyboard is another great addition to the portable office of a nomad.
There’s a plethora on the market - but the Logitech MX Keys Mini or the Apple Magic Keyboard are our picks for the best on the market.
4. A Wireless Mouse
Next up, a wireless mouse to complete the holy trinity of the remote working setup. The Logitech MX Anywhere 3S and the Apple Magic Mouse are our favorite mice for digital nomads.
5. A Laptop Sleeve
Have a clumsy nomad that’s always damaging their tech? Help protect their investments with a lightweight laptop sleeve.
The TomToc 360° Protective Laptop Sleeve is our protector of choice, available between 11 and 16 inches to cover the vast majority of models.
6. A Portable External Hard Drive
And if you know a nomad who’s constantly sharing photos of their latest trip, treat them to extra storage with a portable external hard drive this Christmas.
The lightweight, powerful Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD is our top pick for digital nomads, available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB sizes.
7. A Power Bank
We can’t count the number of times a portable power bank has saved our bacon when traveling the world because that’s what they are: lifesavers.
Know a nomad that’s always running on 5%? Gift them an Anker 10,000mAh portable power bank to keep them powered for the next year.
8. A Portable Laptop Monitor
The forced single-screen set-up is one of the biggest challenges for digital nomads, especially those who come from an office environment.
A portable laptop monitor could be the perfect gift to remedy those single-screen blues. There are a handful of great options, but the Asus ProArt Display PA148CTV1 is our favorite.
9. A VPN Subscription
Digital nomads are always browsing on their laptops and a VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is a great way for them to stay safe and secure when doing so on public WiFi connections.
NordVPN is a great choice but there are many other great VPN options in the market. Just double-check that your remote working friend doesn’t already pay for the service!
10. An eReader
It’s hard work being a globetrotting bookworm because it’s not like you can carry around a library in your rucksack. That’s why an eReader is another great gift.
Among the choices in the market, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is our top eReader for digital nomads thanks to their continued dominance of the market.
11. A Universal Travel Adapter
Connecting to foreign power outlets is a problem of the past with the MOGICS Super Bagel.
This travel adapter boasts a range of top features including a self-repairing fuse, retractable cable storage, and support for all necessary outlet types. It’s the bagel-shaped king of the travel adapters so don’t think twice if you want to gift it to a digital nomad.
12. A Webcam
Most laptops come with a handy built-in webcam these days. But where the quality isn’t the best a traditional external cam is a worthwhile addition.
Perfect for Zoom calls, the Logitech Brio is one of the best 4K webcams on the market and a wonderful gift for digital nomads.
13. Packing Cubes
How anyone survives as a digital nomad without packing cubes, I will never know.
These handy fabric pouches make packing super organized and they also happen to be the perfect gift for those who haven’t already experienced the magic yet. Don’t know which ones to pick? Go with the Peak Design Packing Cubes and you won’t regret it.
14. Reusable Water Bottle
A quality reusable water bottle is another great gift and an essential for any digital nomad.
We love the Eddy range from CamelBak, but there are plenty of great options out there. Look for BPA-free plastic and there are bonus points for an included water filter.
15. Carabiner
If you’ve never found joy in using a carabiner then you’ve never lived.
From attaching the aforementioned water bottle to your pack to hanging your pack from doors, desks, and just about everything else. They’re super compact, lightweight, and enormously practical. A great gift for this year’s holidays.
16. Passport Holder
Available in a huge range of materials, styles, and price points, a passport holder could be another wonderful gift for the frequent traveler.
Look for those that speak to their personality, or opt for a quality staple such as the Bellroy Passport Holder.
17. Reusable Earplugs
A good night’s rest isn’t always easy when traveling between digital nomad accommodations.
No matter where you lay your head, the Loop Switch earbuds can block out the noise and guarantee a great 40-wink.
18. Travel Wash Bag
A wash bag is often something digital nomads neglect when perfecting their setup. Help with the final piece to the backpack-shaped puzzle with the cleverly designed Peak Design Wash Pouch.
19. Apple Air Tags
How did we ever live without Air Tags? Perfect for life as a digital nomad, these handy Apple-produced tracking devices are wonderful for travel.
Your nomad friend will never wonder if their bags made the connecting flight ever again.
20. A Notebook
No matter how light you’re planning on packing, a notebook is a must for any OG traveler.
We love the Field Notes notebooks, available in packs of three, for a true pocket notebook that can be taken anywhere.
21. A Pen
And if you’re going to get a notebook, you might as well pair it with a pen, a classic gift for any professional, including remote workers. Pens come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and, if you’re not careful, it’s a world that can quite quickly consume you. From the humble Bic Ballpoint to the fancy Mont Blanc Fountain, choose your writing weapon carefully. It is, after all, mightier than the sword.
22. Earbuds
A sleek and stylish pair of reliable earbuds are also perfect for life as a digital nomad. The Apple Air Pods are a staple for remote workers everywhere, it’s just the price that can be a little steep. But if you are a group of friends, you might as well consider such an essential remote work item!
23. A Travel-Friendly Down Jacket
Digital nomads are seemingly allergic to the cold, regularly choosing warmer climates in favor of chilly alternatives.
When the colder weather does creep in, we’re often unprepared. The Patagonia Nano Puff® Hoody (Men's and Women's) is the cure for cold weather and one of our must-have items for digital nomads.
24. A Quick-Dry and Packable Towel
Know a nomad who loves experiencing the hostel life? Make sure they never forget to bring their towel again with the Sea to Summit Pocket Towel.
A lightweight, quick-drying towel is available in a range of colors and sizes and it’s perfect for travel and everything that you can throw at it.
25. An Electronics Organizer
Organizing your electronics on the road is never an easy task. Backpacks are constantly a muddle of unknown cables, battery packs, and thumb drives. With the Peak Design Tech Pouch, nomads can take back control of their pack organization.
26. A Sleep Mask
Nomads with a habit of booking red-eye flights are tired, we know this from experience. But there’s one simple trick that guarantees at least a little shut-eye: a sleep mask.
There’s a huge amount on offer, so our advice is to look for personalization, quality materials, and clever design.
27. A One Bag Travel Pack
Know a nomad with luggage that’s looking a little worse for wear? Upgrade their kit with a rucksack designed with remote work in mind. The Nomatic Travel Bag (40L) is one of the very best digital nomad backpacks on the market. It’s the perfect solution for one-bag travel.
28. A Daypack
For day trips, cowork-commuting, and day-to-day life, a simple daypack is another great addition for digital nomads. Again, we’re recommending a Nomatic product, specifically the Nomatic Backpack (20L) as a wonderful daypack solution.
29. A Travel Sling
Something smaller than a daypack I hear you say? How about a travel sling for those lightweight day-to-day adventures? The Bellroy Venture Ready Sling 2.5L is a favorite among digital nomads but the larger Patagonia Atom Sling is our personal pick.
30. An Online Magazine Subscription
Know an avid reader who can’t get the latest copies of their favorite magazines delivered to their ever-changing door? Check out online magazine subscriptions, such as Readly that can be accessed digitally from anywhere in the world.
31. A Pair of Gloves
With the winter weather closing in, the hands are always the first to feel the cold. Help fight off those winter chills with a pair of lightweight gloves.
The Arc’Teryx Rho Gloves are a fantastic, versatile pair of gloves that are perfect for digital nomads. They can be used as a standalone glove or, for extra-cold weather adventures, as a liner under a thicker pair.
Ready to Buy a Nomad a Truly Useful Christmas Gift?
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