Since 2015 I’ve collated Christmas gift guides for geocachers, with an exhaustive list of ideas included in my 2017 guide. The gift suggestions are still relevant now so it remains a good idea repository if you’re struggling to come up with something special for the geocacher in your life. So I thought to myself, what can I add to the posts I’ve already written, that would be useful? DIY Christmas gifts for geocachers, of course! There’s something extra special about a homemade gift and when I put my thinking cap on, I came up with 8 ideas for you to create your own gifts this year!
1. A Ready-to-Hide Geocache
The perfect gift for a wannabe or a prolific cache owner: a ready-to-hide geocache! You can keep it old school and load up an ammo can or Tupperware with a logbook, pencil and some cool swag, or you can get crafty and make your own sneaky cache. You’ll find lots of ideas on Pinterest and it could be as simple as finding a log in the forest and using a drill, a centrifuge tube and some strong glue to turn it in to an evil hide. For an extra special flair, you could use Google Sheets to create some personalised log sheets!
2. Personalised SWAG
Pinterest is also a goldmine of ideas for DIY signature items and homemade swag. You could buy a big bag of alphabet beads and make some geocaching themed key rings, like the ones pictured below. The only limit is your imagination and the tools you have to hand (or are willing to go and purchase!).
I’ve made a personalised calendar for my mum for the last almost 10 years now, showcasing photos of all her grandchildren from the past year. For a geocacher, a calendar full of memorable caches or caching adventures will make a great gift. You can add reminders for important dates, like their geo-anniversary, dates they need to fill in their calendar and planned future geocaching trips. I order my calendars from Vistaprint or Photobox – whichever website offers the best deal!
4. Geocaching memory book
You can order beautiful photo books online and fill the pages with geocaching memories, or you could get out the glue stick and a scrapbook and revisit your school days putting together a very personal memory book. You can make it extra special by purchasing a travel bug and including the code on the cover. That way, the recipient has a good excuse to bring the memory book to events to show it off.
5. Geocacher’s Survival Kit
For the geocacher who hits the trails, whether it’s mountain or power trail, a ready-made survival kit will be a much appreciated gift. Some ideas to include in the kit are:
A head torch
First aid kit
Disposable rain poncho
Water bottle
Thermos
Replacement log books
The great thing about this gift is that you can personalise it for the recipient. For example, if they love long hikes while caching, you could include items like a space blanket and water treatment tablets. If they prefer cache and dash power trails, things like a travel coffee mug and mints might be good additions.
6. Paracord bracelet
Paracord can be used in a variety of survival situations, including using it as a tourniquet or utilising the inner threads for mending fabric. There are countless paracord bracelet tutorials on YouTube with lots of different designs to choose from.
7. Something to keep them warm
If you’re handy at knitting or crochet, a handmade hat, scarf or fingerless gloves would no doubt be a much appreciated gift for a geocacher hitting the trails this winter. Another great way to keep a cacher warm is with handwarmers and there are some great how-to videos on YouTube. I have already bought some fabric to try this out myself!
8. Maintenance Kit
A great gift for a busy cache owner is a maintenance kit. You can buy a craft storage box, or a toolbox, for relatively little money, then load it up with logbooks, replacement caches, camo tape, pencils and anything you can think of that might help on a maintenance run.
I hope I’ve given you some ideas if you’re looking for something personal for the geocacher in your life this year. If you haven’t found anything here, check out my ultimate gift guide from last year.
