7 Flat Things to Include in a Greeting Card for Your Outdoorsy Friend

August 13, 2025

Welcome to another post in my series of small gift ideas to send with a letter or card to a friend. This time around we’re talking about flat things to include in a card for your outdoorsy friend. Think thoughtful surprises that fit inside an envelope and spark wanderlust!

Camping and Adventure Inspired Greeting Cards

If you’re searching for the perfect card for your outdoorsy friend, I have a range of options inspired by camping and outdoor adventures. My Camping Heart card is a personal favourite. It’s blank inside, making it suitable for any occasion, or to send ‘just because’.

Whether your friend is off on a solo trek, working overseas for a while, planning a campervan road trip, or just dreaming of hills while stuck at their desk, a thoughtfully packaged card is a great way to let them know you’re thinking of them. Greeting cards are already meaningful but adding a few flat treasures can make your note feel like a mini care package, all for the price of a stamp. Just make sure your letter doesn’t exceed 5mm in thickness.

7 Flat Things to Include in a Card for your Outdoorsy Friend

1. Adventure-Themed Vinyl Stickers

Since I designed them with this exact purpose in mind, let’s start with something from my own shop. I have a collection of durable, weatherproof vinyl adventure stickers that are perfect for water bottles, flasks, journals or even the back of a campervan window. Choose from adventure quotes, mountain scenes, and fun outdoorsy illustrations. They’re lightweight, lay perfectly flat, and remind your friend that collecting memories creates the best kind of collection. They're 3 for the price of 2, so why not add a few?

2. Local Recommendations for their Next Trip

If you know where they’re heading next, why not include a little list of local recommendations? You could handwrite your suggestions or print out a mini itinerary.

Don’t forget to include addresses (where relevant), directions or a link to a website.
You could make it even more personal by adding your own hints and tips for their trip. For example, ‘This is my favourite campsite. Order croissants the night before for a fresh, tasty and warm breakfast, and keep an eye out for hedgehogs – we saw loads!'

Your list could include:

Cafés for a post-hike flat white.
Campsites, bothies or a charming Airbnb you’ve had a great experience at.
Pubs with open fires for a warming meal.
Independent shops, honesty huts, farmshops, or scenic spots to find on their walking route.

3. Pressed Flowers or Leaves

Give a meaningful nod to their love of nature by tucking a pressed bloom into the card. Pressed flowers are beautiful and tactile. I love how soft the petals become. Alternatively, you could use a mix of petals and leaves to make them a little bookmark. To create a memento of your friendship as well as something that brings nature into their home, you could use flowers previously collected together on a hike. Just make sure they’re totally dry. This usually takes at least 2 weeks.

4. A Pocket-Sized Map or Trail Snippet

I love Ordnance Survey maps! Cut out or print a portion of a map that features a special place, maybe somewhere you camped together, a peak they love, or where they’re planning to visit next.

You could also send a map with a route marked out on it. For example, if you live far apart, how about drawing the journey between your two homes? Add a heart or a simple ‘you are here’ to make it personal and something they’ll want to keep. You can even turn it into a DIY bookmark – laminating it will keep it pristine!

5. A Newspaper or Magazine Clipping

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know my favourite magazine is The Simple Things. There are always lovely articles featuring places to visit, as well as recipes using local ingredients or foraged foods. Cutting an article like this out and including it in a card for someone about to travel there would be such a thoughtful and meaningful thing to do. The weekend supplements in certain newspapers also tend to feature great travel recommendations, as does the Easyjet in-flight magazine!

6. Coffee, Tea or Hot Chocolate

You can find flat, individually wrapped tea bags, coffee sachets, and hot chocolate packets that should slide into a card and keep the total thickness below the 5mm maximum. If it’s tight, use a large letter stamp instead, just to be safe. Choose something comforting for a chilly night in a tent. My favourites are the Twinnings special green teas, especially cherry bakewell and salted caramel. Include a message like, ‘drink this when you reach the top of Ben Nevis.’

7. A Miniature Piece of Art

Make the recipient of your card smile with a hand-illustrated picture of them on their travels or a small sketch of a relevant destination. If you’re sending it while they’re away, you could also draw items related to their current location. I loved receiving post when I was at Camp America. While this was a different sort of adventure, it felt so new and exciting.

A Bonus Idea – Envelope Art

While you’re feeling creative, envelope art can make a simple greeting card feel extra special. Why not draw a mountain range or a hiking boot to make the envelope even more exciting to open? This post on the Archer & Olive blog contains some great tips and inspiration, plus a blank envelope template you can download and print at home.