2013 holiday gift guide for travelers

It was love at first sight for me and Cirrus, SleepPhones’ super-cute aid for people who have trouble sleeping when they’re away from home. Although the plush sheep is a storage accessory for the company’s comfy headphones, the soothing power of a soft, cuddly toy is not to be underestimated, even for grown-ups. The SleepPhones headband is home to two felt-covered speakers that deliver a warm sound for their size. Bluetooth pairing is a breeze, and the headphones are a dream to sleep with. The volume can be turned up high enough for air travel, but don’t expect it to drown out that pesky chatterbox in the row behind you or silence snoring roomies. Be sure to order the correct size for the most comfortable fit.

Info: $99.95, http://www.sleepphones.com

— A.A.

Ready to tune into “Song for a Winter’s Night”? British speaker manufacturer KEF enters the headphone market with the M500 over-the-ear headphones, so warm and comfortable you could use them for earmuffs. Even better, the soundscape ranges from deep and warm to high and clear. The handsome headphones offer sweat-resistant and breathable memory foam ear pads that rotate easily to adapt to different-sized heads. They fold up into a stylish carrying case, ideal for travel. High fidelity, low fuss. Works with most computers, smartphones and other mobile devices.

Info: $299, http://www.kef.com

— C.E.

You have a fine set of earbuds or headphones that you love, but now you need a mike (for Skype or other VOIP uses or gaming). The MoovMic by Headset Buddy can step into the breach. This lightweight boom mike can attach to a spot on your buds or phones using a small adhesive-backed plate. Then plug the mike part into the appropriate receptacle on your PC and Skype away. The sound on my test call was crisp and clear, superior to the sound on my smartphone earbuds.

Info: $24.95, http://www.headsetbuddy.com

— C.H.

It’s small, it’s smartly designed and it makes life easier. What’s not to love about an item like that, which is what Keyprop is. It’s a smartphone stand shaped like a key that you attach to your key ring. Why do you need a stand? If you’re watching a movie on an airplane tray tabletop or you’re shooting a selfie or you’re doing video Skype. One prong of the Keyprop fits in the earphone jack, which means it works in non-iPhone products. Another prong fits into the lightning connector on an iPhone5 and above, which means it can work two ways on the Apple of your eye. It will not work if your phone’s case is big and bulky. On an Otterbox-encased phone, it worked only with the earphone plug. Your world won’t end if you don’t have a Keyprop, but it may revolve a little more smoothly if you do.

Info: About $13, http://www.lat.ms/1brAh6h

— C.H.

Ward off the unseen enemy with these protective passport sleeves, one of the most-interesting — and telling — stocking-stuffers of the season. These lightweight radio frequency-blocking sleeves purport to keep your information safe from cyber pickpockets. The simple cover, known as an RFID-blocking sleeve, looks just like another paper envelope, yet it’s water-resistant and tough to tear. And something special for those with a James Bond complex.

Info: $5, credit card; $6, passport; http://www.pacsafe.com

— C.E.

To call Trabeca’s sash a fanny pack is a bit of a cheap shot. It’s a more fashionable alternative to the accessory that has room for everything but your dignity. With three styles to choose from, the sash is ideal for those who don’t like to carry a purse. A zippered pocket at the small of the back holds a smartphone, and a front pocket with a Velcro closure has room for cash, cards or a key. Travelers no longer have to fumble with money belts that tuck under clothes; this sash keeps everything close at hand yet hidden from prying eyes.

Info: $46-$68, http://www.trabeca.com

— A.A.

If you need to make every centimeter of suitcase space count, consider the One Piece Camp Slipper Shoe, which lies flat in your luggage and weighs about 3 ounces. This slipper is what you want if you’re staying in a dive hotel with a grimy shower floor or anywhere you don’t want your tootsies to touch the ground (or anywhere where the owner of said ground doesn’t want your feet scuffing up their lovely parquet, for example). To slip them on, you stick your foot through and flip them over. You don’t have to worry about width if your dogs are wider than usual; there’s enough neoprene to keep them covered. If you need arch support, these slippers aren’t for you; if that’s not an issue, these may be minimalist nirvana. In black, green, blue and red.

Info: $11.95, http://www.lat.ms/1h1fqhq

— C.H.

This cheery polka-dot poncho by Reisenthel could brighten even the rainiest day in London. Made of tough, lightweight polyester, it has a drawstring hood and a zipper at the neckline, making it easy to pull on and off. Snap closures on the sleeves keep out the wet weather. And when the sun does shine, the poncho folds into its own pouch. Also in black-and-white houndstooth.

Info: $25, http://www.containerstore.com

— A.H.

Is it a wrap? Or is it a blanket? Either way, it means you have one less item to pack. The multipurpose Wrapper Blanket by Chilly Jilly can be worn as a sarong-like beach coverup or as a wrap in a drafty opera house. Impromptu picnic? It’s a ground cover too. But I like it best as a blanket to ward off the arctic chill of a long-distance plane trip. The brushed microfiber and spandex fabric is warm, lightweight and washable. In brown, slate and navy.

Info: $40, http://www.chillyjilly.com

— A.H.

There’s no excuse for a droopy hemline or spinach in your teeth with this teeny-tiny (3-by-2-by-2-inch) tool bag. The Transportation Security Administration-compliant Minimergency Survival Kit is packed with 17 items — double-sided tape, dental floss, stain remover, mending kit and more — to help you cope with fashion, beauty or personal predicaments while away from home. The zip-touch pouch comes in glittery pewter or fuchsia, making it easy to find in your carry-on or tote bag.

Info: $15, http://www.containerstore.com

— A.H.

Nothing better than feeling like a kid again, especially during the holidays. The 3-D “America’s National Parks — A Pop-Up Book” evokes that feeling when you turn a page and up pops the Grand Canyon in all in its blazing-red-hued glory. Five other parks (yes, Yosemite is one of them) are given the pop-up treatment, and a dozen other parks are highlighted as well. The National Parks Conservation Assn. receives $8 from the sale of each book. From the signed, numbered, limited deluxe edition, $80 goes to the organization.

Info: $34.95, $105 for the deluxe edition; http://www.nationalparkspopup.com

— C.H.

“Earth’s crammed with heaven,” poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote in “Aurora Leigh,” her poem/novel published in 1856. Those who have been to Yosemite know that’s true; those who pick up “Yosemite Meditations for Women” can see it in the photographs that illustrate the quotes (of which Browning’s is one) and vice versa. This small book with photos by Michael Frye and edited by Claudia Welsh is short and sweet. My only quibble: It’s suitable for men too. Don’t believe it? Look for the Mae West quote. Yes, Mae West in the same book as Mother Teresa and Edna St. Vincent Millay. If that doesn’t make a smile pass your lips, you need Scrooge therapy.

Info: $9.95, http://www.yosemiteconservancy.org

— C.H.

For some, stamp collecting is about as exciting as watching paint dry, so you might be tempted to skip “A History of Britain in Thirty-Six Postage Stamps,” by Chris West. Don’t do it. West uses stamps as a way to explain societal and economic (and, of course, postal) changes in the United Kingdom. It’s an unusual portal that, for instance, explains why the stamp commemorating King Edward VII, issued two days before his death in 1910, was so somber (coincidence because, as he notes, the king was anything but). The author uses the Diana commemorative stamp, issued in 1998, to say that the stiff-upper-lipped British let down their guard when she died, noting that the outpouring of love and grief represented “the tears of people who had spent their lives being told to bury their emotions and were now suddenly allowed to let them out. It was a substantial shift in national sensibility.” A million times more interesting than watching robin’s egg blue adhere to the walls.

Info: $28, http://www.lat.ms/1a2pEd0

— C.H.

“Ireland is a prism between the sun and the Irish Sea.” With these telling words, photographer Jay Ben Adlersberg begins a book full of stunning images and lyric salutes to the Emerald Isle. Think you’ve already seen every kind of Irish steeple and saloon? Perhaps. But Adlersberg’s eye for texture and detail brings familiar subjects alive in new ways. “Ireland: In Word and Image” is as wide and long as a dinner tray, making the 160 photos even more stunning. Passages by wordsmiths such as Thackeray and Yeats also grace the pages.

Info: $60, http://www.welcomebooks.com/ireland

— C.E.

If “Four Seasons of Travel” doesn’t give you wanderlust, see a doctor immediately; you’re probably half dead. National Geographic’s look at destinations worldwide is a symphony in four parts: winter, spring, summer and fall. Christmas in London is fairly obvious. But how about a sleigh ride across Russia’s icy Lake Baikal or the northern lights over Norway? Even the most experienced travelers will find fresh travel ideas in this vivid exploration of the best destinations on the planet.

Info: $40, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/books

— C.E.

Opera lovers and world travelers will want to treat themselves to the just published “The Most Beautiful Opera Houses of the World,” with 200 color photographs by Guillaume de Laubier, text by Antoine Pecqueur and foreword by James Levine, musical director of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. This armchair tour of more than 30 of the world’s most distinguished opera houses is filled with discussions of their history and architectural, design and acoustical features. Hundreds of photographs showcase the facades and often opulent auditoriums of these landmarks and take the reader behind the scenes for a look at dressing rooms, rehearsal halls and workshops.

Info: $60, http://www.abramsbooks.com

— A.H.

“Art & Place: Site Specific Art of the Americas” celebrates art created for a specific space, whether it be an urban environment, a far-flung island or a distant mountain peak. The handsome volume, edited by Amanda Renshaw, is illustrated with 800 color photos arranged geographically from Canada to Argentina, a road trip of sorts through 15 countries and some 60 cities to visit more than 500 artworks. Artists range from members of ancient civilizations such as the Anasazi and Inca to modern artists such as Claes Oldenburg and Anish Kapoor. “Art & Place” also includes a section on works no longer with us — either lost, destroyed or ephemeral.

Info: $79.95, http://www.phaidon.com

— A.H.