One thing's as certain as death and taxes – right now, millions of fatigued shoppers are complaining how commercial Christmas has become.
A gift given with thoughtfulness is always a good thing and it doesn't have to be something you find in a shop with a price tag on it. This year, I've brought back frankincense and myrrh from Oman, which is going under a few Christmas trees.
Often the best Christmas present is one that you know took the giver some effort beyond walking around the shopping malls, such as the person who can't cook attempting gingerbread people.
Christmas is also a good opportunity to support your local retailers, small boutiques, bookstores, galleries or salons who need a bit of goodwill themselves.
Allow me to suggest a few gifts the globetrotter might like, from the traveller setting out on their first adventure to the luxe nomad who has been everywhere.
For the novice traveller, I often bundle up a collection of useful essentials I won't travel without, such as Betadine gargle, tea tree oil, fizzy vitamins like Emergen-C, nasal spray, travel-sized moisturiser, wet wipes and a really good blackout eyemask.
I package them in a toiletries bag with mess sides or wrap them in a sarong, which is another essential, useful for just about anything from making a simple knot-tie sling to placing on a dirty seat as protection. Or I thread them through the elastic on one of those handy grid organisers.
You cannot fail if you give a traveller a really beautiful shawl or pashmina that can double as a blanket on the plane and a glamorous way of dressing up a simple outfit. Cashmere is always worth the expense, but less expensive silk/cashmere combos also work well. Let's not be sexist, shawls are useful for men too and I've seen some very stylish male travellers keep snug with them on flights.
What about a pair of foldable slippers or ballet slippers for the flight? Airline socks are not warm enough and slippers keep your feet cosy and protected from nasty bathroom floors.
Noise-cancelling earphones are another essential for someone travelling in the back of the plane. They'll never have to endure Screaming Child Syndrome again. Similarly, functional gifts are charging stations that handle all your devices in one unit. They may be a touch boring as a gift but the globetrotter will thank you when the hotel room only has one power point and it's on the floor.
A pair of really snazzy luggage tags help make luggage stand out on the carousel and a good-looking portfolio wallet for tickets and passport makes check-in all that more elegant. Electronic luggage locaters like Lug Loc are good stocking-stuffers. I'd steer clear of buying actual luggage, though – each traveller has a very particular view of the kind they like.
However, I do think a strong, fold-up nylon carry bag, in the style of one of the Longchamps totes, is a great gift, as it works as a shopper or beach bag and can be checked in if the traveller runs out of suitcase space.
I'm always looking for travel-sized perfumes, in bottles less than 50 ml. Luckily, my favourite, Fracas, now comes in a little roller. See if you can find your friend's signature fragrance in a smaller size.
If the globetrotter is off to a city of high culture like London or New York, why not buy them an annual membership to a museum like the V&A or Metropolitan? If there's a blockbuster show on, the member doesn't have to pay and avoids the long lines.
Or why not spoil them with one night in a fabulous hotel from an online booking service such as Mr & Mrs Smith? E-vouchers are available on line at the last minute.
More thoughtful than a travel guide is fiction about a destination by a local author, such as Orhan Pamuk's The Museum of Innocence for Istanbul. (You can visit the actual museum as well.) Research where your friend is going or dreams of going and find the right book.
If you're concerned about the environment, buy your friend the carbon offset for their flight via Qantas and other airlines offering this program. And help them tread lightly on the planet by setting up a subscription to a micro-lending site like Kiva, which supports small businesses in many emerging countries popular with tourists.
And remember, the gift you're really giving is thoughtfulness.
