Are you the sort of person who worries about what to get your friend or family member for their birthday?

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Whether you sit at your laptop for hours pondering over Amazon orders or you’ve been out to the shops to look for inspiration, some people are just really hard to buy for.

But have you considered buying them a custom map poster? It’s a great gift that they can remember you by, and it might prove useful to them.

Here’s everything you need to know about buying a personalized map of the world.

1. Avoid Using Google

Google is great for many things, particularly if you download internet explorer for Mac and use it on that browser. You can check your email and surf the web, navigating to each page in seconds.

You can even use Google Maps. But the problem with looking at a Google Map is that it has its limitations. You can’t, for example, color code it or add your own custom notes to it. And to look at Google Maps, you have to open up your computer screen and stare at that.

Computer screens emit blue light, which is known to cause headaches and engage your brain before you go to bed. This can cause you to stay awake at night or to have a rough night’s sleep.

A personalized map of the world will allow your friends to see the world in all it’s the glory from the foot of their bed or the comfort of their sofa, without having to turn on their computer.

2. Memorize All the Countries in the World

If you want to memorize the names of all the countries in the world, you can’t go wrong with studying a physical map of the world every day. If you see the names every time you get out of bed or go to make a cup of tea, then in no time you will start to learn them.

This can be more effective than just staring at a computer screen. You can easily get distracted by all the other wonders of the internet, from cat videos to reviews of the latest MacBook.

Memorizing all the names and locations of all countries in the world is a great skill to have that can see you able to follow your dreams and one day get to visit them.

If you are ever called to take part in a quiz show, then this skill can come in handy. It’s also great revision for a lockdown quiz, if this is how you are keeping yourself entertained during the pandemic. Your family and friends will wonder how you became so knowledgeable overnight.

You will soon find that your general knowledge in other areas takes off as a result of knowing where each individual country is.

3. Keep Track of Which Countries You’ve Visited

With a personalized map, your family member or friend can see which countries they have already visited and which ones they still need to visit. It’s one of the best gifts for travelers. It’s also a great memento of their life so far, and when they are bored or at work, they can remind themselves of what they have achieved and where they have traveled.

You could always tell them that they can have the map amended or added to as they tick off more countries around the world; a lasting tressure that they can take with them wherever they go in their life.

If you want, you could even get matching maps with your friend or loved one, ticking off individual countries as you travel around the world and always reminding each other of the other’s journeys.

4. Dream of Traveling After the Pandemic

This pandemic has brought despair to a great many people. For the first time in living memory, most international borders are closed or restricted, and traveling is off-limits. With many people losing their jobs and having to take out debts to continue living, being able to afford to travel again, even when it becomes safe again, might seem like a long way off.

A personalized map can help to stave off some of those doubts. It can make traveling after the pandemic seem like a viable option and keep the flame of hope alive.

Being able to dream is the most important thing. A reminder that your friend or family member is going to see every day can help them imagine where they would like to go and why they would like to visit there.

It can also give them the motivation to get out of their predicament and save some money. Since the map can be customized, you could also add other elements to it. You could, for example, encourage your friend or family member to count down the number of days until their next trip.

A Custom Map Poster Can Be an Amazing Gift

There are so many gifts available for your friends and family now that it can be hard to know what to choose from. You could go for videogames or consumables like chocolates, or even an experience like driving a go-kart.

But one gift that is timeless and will show that you have thought carefully about your loved one is a personalized map. It’s a great way for your friends to dream of traveling after the pandemic and for them to record their travels so far.

If you are interested in learning more about the world around you, be sure to check out the rest of our site.