I’m a fan of Air Tags for travel. If you can figure out a way to incorporate your gift with those it would be cool. There are so many ‘new and improved‘ travel accessories these days…portable chargers, in-seat wifi connection gizmos come to mind.

Oh yes, we just got air tags earlier this year and they're great. Oops, but he doesn't have an iPhone. He has some other brand.

If only you could attach air tags to the bills😂😂😂

I’m of the opinion that when one gives money as a holiday gift, then they let go of how it’s spent. If he wants you to help him save for a trip, then I would open a joint savings account so he can watch it grow.

Adding that I would include it with a travel book to one of the places he’s thinking about visiting.

Yes, beyond writing For your trip on the check, Id just let it go. Once you give money to someone, its theirs and they can spend it any way they please. Just dont subsidize the trip later!

Or you could give him a home made voucher for a certain amount to be used later for the trip and pay his expense directly, like buy his airline tickets.

Love your description of your son. He sounds like fun.

Isn't there a travel agent that you occasionally use? Maybe they can print a gift certificate for your son and the two of them could work together to plan the trip. Then you would know the money couldn't be frittered away on doordash.

Does he know how he will be traveling? plane? drive? You can give him a plane or car, or a ”hotel room” or bed, via a nice model, a toy, a picture, a postcard, whatever suits him, wrapped, with a homemade gift certificate that you will pay $X directly towards the ticket, or accommodation, or whatever. My mother used to do that, give for example a piece of dollhouse furniture repesenting a purchase. (She usually borrowed one of my dollhouse pieces for it!)

Ya I'm not a fan of a gift that tells other's what it should be i.e. gift cards. If he spends it earlier--maybe it's because he can't truly afford the expense. Cash with a note about your hope for the money is fine but FORCING the issue--not so much. A travel kit with all the proper sized toiletries for air travel seems like a nice gesture.

Ohh toy plane — good idea, he still enjoys Legos at age 30. I will wrap a certificate with a Lego airplane set. I always struggle with the guys' stockings so I can use his stocking for things like travel-size toiletries, luggage tag, etc.

Thanks all.

If anyone has ideas for number 2 DS… he doesn't like to ask for things. I am getting a Shaker & Spoon subscription and an Airbb gift card for him and his wife. But I need to find something good for just him. He does not need clothes, he doesn't have obvious hobbies like golf or fishing. He does like reading but I got him bookstore gift cards for his bday. He lives in New Orleans. Any great ideas for a 28 yo guy? I am doing a spa weekend with his wife (and DD) so am looking for an equivalent…DH doesn't seem inclined to do a spa weekend with DS…

I don't consider it "forcing" when Sue's son requested the gift.

I was in a similar position last year when a niece and her DH wanted to go to a broadway show -- but they didn't know which one. I gave them a visa gift card along with some broadway trinkets and a gas card. They did not end up going to a broadway show and I am not sure they could say how they spent the money. Of course it is up to them how to spend the money but I feel like they missed out. I imagine they are disappointed also.

You can purchase airline vouchers or gift certs (at least you used to be able to? I have purchased them for my parents) ... but without the details worked out, it is hard to nail down an airline.

I like Mtn's idea of wrapping a custom homemade gift cert with a toy airplane or a toiletry bag. I have given all the men in my life (brothers, nephews, BILs) toiletry bags -- they all seem to let them go too long without replacing lol.

Oh boy, the older boys (yes, I know they are men lol) are tough for me. I am still waiting for ideas from one... he is getting a David Yurman necklace for an early graduation/birthday gift but that's way out of budget of my Christmas gifts. One of the others asked for a tactical military wallet and a Timbuk2 messenger bag.

I love the idea of shared experiences! My sister's family often does trips around sporting events-- basketball, football, baseball-- as gifts. They were on a mission to go to every MLB baseball stadium and they often go to see their fav college basketball team. Is there anything like similar that would be of interest to your DH/DS?

Are they bourbon drinkers? What about a roadtrip on the Bourbon trail.. or the Blues Trail?

Is he into photography also? There are so many great destinations for photography -- workshops or solo. I'd love to do one of the Night Sky trips in the National Park system.

If you want to attach strings to your gift, I was going to suggest an airline voucher or gift certificate too.

My parents have on occasion offered to pay for trips for me with skymiles. You could gift him the flight but just have him give you the details and you book it (with miles or money).

DH is going to try to come up with a weekend trip idea for him and DD1 and 2. Not the easiest because our two sons are about as different as two brothers can be, but the one thing all 3 of them are into is music, so he’s looking into maybe a concert they can travel to, or just a ”musical” city they can visit. I’m going to leave it up to him.

Funky, not really bourbon drinkers and only one DS is into sports. And of course everyone has jobs so it would have to be limited to a weekend, possibly a 3 day weekend. I was thinking maybe NYC but for us, the fun of NYC is walking, and older DS has a knee injury…the ”guys weekend” is far more complicated than our ladies’ spa weekend, LOL.

Sueb, how about a swamp airboat tour for your DH and DS? Sister and DBIL were in NOLA several years ago and decided to take a swamp tour. They’ve been to NO many times but had never done a swamp tour. They loved it!! If that interests you, let me know and I’ll see if they remember which tour company they used.

If your son has an Android phone, look at getting him a Tile tracking device. Sold at AMZ, of course.

I think a music weekend sounds great -- they'll have a blast! You'll have to let us know what they decide on!

Some good ideas here! @Sueb20 you are going all out for the kids. 😊

bb yes, swampboat tour sounds fun if they end up going to NOLA. I did one with DS when I went down to help with their house a couple years ago, but DH and other DS weren’t there. The only issue with a NOLA weekend is that DS2 would be the ”host” so less of a gift for him even tho DH would be paying for entertainment, etc…

Another way I like to gift money is to customize a gift card with an appropriate image. It can be used for anything, though.

For example, my nephew collects sneakers, so I found a (common use) photo of multiple pairs of sneakers, and put the image and his name on a Visa card. I did the same thing for teachers, where I took a photo of the (charming) school in winter, and put that on a gift card.

As far as Legos, just an aside. I used to think it was a little odd that my son (now in grad school) still wanted Legos, but AFOLs (adult fans of legos) are totally legit. Even the Lego company use to eschew them, but now they totally embrace them and "Lego claims its adult market has at least quadrupled over the past decade." My BFF's DH goes to Lego conventions; who knew?

I don’t know when in the Christmas season you are planning to be in NOLA, if you are planning to be there at all. But if you go, keep in mind that the Sugar Bowl is January 1 and it is a CFP Semifinal game. That place will be more crowded and loonier than it usually is!

We have two ginormous storage bins (maybe 3) filled with Legos at our cottage. My kids say we could sell them for a small fortune but I know on a rainy day said kids will hunker down and get building.

Bb thanks for the tip! We are going before Christmas! We will have a ”mini Christmas” with them because they’re going to DDIL’s mom’s house for the holiday. We are going to do the garden district holiday home tour, and brunch at the Roosevelt too because it looks so festive.