Emma

I am going to be visiting friends and relatives on my next trip to Europe and am wondering what to bring from the USA as a gift to my hosts. Any favorites?

Danna

It depends on what's local. As I'm an Indian and live in Minnesota I bring wild rice, a recipe and maple sugar cakes. Paul Bunyan (BIG) pencils for kids are good from here to. What's special about where you live? Take alittle view of home. Have Fun!

the turnip

Also being from Minnesota we brought along a sweatshirt from the Mall of America that said "Shut up and SHOP". Our host loved it!

wendy

I live in DC and I usually take wine from local wineries in Virginia and a photography book of the area....

Terry

Wendy,
How do you pack bottles of wine? I give you credit for carrying them. I usually pack very small items that I can just hand out to people I meet.

lisa

i second the photography book idea..those i have shared these books with always seem to enjoy them...
and they are easy to pack.

wendy

Dear Terry:

I understand your question! I don't carry bottles of wine to hand out so to speak...I usually know in advance who theya re going to.

I have many friends in France and South Africa who are in the food/wine business adn they are always curious!

I usually hand carry 4 bottles and on the return... don't laugh when I tell you for 12 years I have been 'rolling' my wine bottles in clothes in my valise.
NOT one has EVER been broken.

Wendy

Lydia

I am going to visit my son's host parents in Koblenz, Germany in March and am also planning on taking 2 bottles of wime from the Lake Erie region (where I am from). I got a nice wine rack that holds 2 bottles of wine from Sam's Club for $5.00. I will wrap the wine in my carry on clothes also

Sarabeth

Well, depending on where I'm going I have brought See's Candy (a So. Cal. specialty or wine. I, too, have rolled wine up in clothes and it has never broken. If the friends are into baking I would bring chocolate chips to make cookies. While visiting us, a French friend bought about 5 packages to take home.

Elsa

I'd advise against rolling up wine in your clothes. An Australian friend of our daughter's did so when he came to visit us. Needless to say, wouldn't you know, it was the red bottle of wine that broke. I ended up doing his laundry and trying to get the stains out. You don't want your "host" friends/family doing that for you --- especially if everything is wet/stained and you have to wear some of their clothes while yours are laundered.

topper

topper

Emma

These are all great suggestions. I am planning to be carrying a backpack, so I am a bit unsure on the wine, but love the other suggestions. Any ideas for little items? Also, what do you think of bringing some old family photos to relatives in Europe? -- The kind that would show the connection?
Thanks.

topper

To the top.

Basselope

You aren't going to believe it, but I brought Pop-Tarts to some friends in Norway who followed Bloom County but didn't believe there was such a food as "Pop-Tarts." They expected them to pop when cooked, I guess like Rice Krispies snap, crackle, and.....

More seriously, regional candies (See's, Harbor Sweets, Prangos?) or maple products are often welcome. I'm told pecans are considered a rarity in some areas (somebody tell me where?). You might also try regional magazines (Southern Living, for example). I used to take a bunch of Kennedy half-dollars, but they're no longer considered all that special and no one remembers Kennedy, anyway. Arrow-heads? Shark's teeth?

For lightweight and easily packable, you can't beat ties and scarves, so depending on your hosts' tasted, you could consider either novelty or quality items along that line.

Randy

I have a number of friends in France and I try to take them things they don't have in France and also small enough to transport. Some things I have taken are, T-Shirts or Sweatshirts from where I live, dried canrberries (they have never seen them), gormet jelly beans in the many different flavors, Maple Surrup, can of Pumpkin Pie filling (they have never heard of pumpkin Pie ---- They gave me some pumpkin jam) and some photographic calendars of the USA or the area where you live. I would not recommend taking chocolate, the chocolate in France is far better than anything we have in the US.

Linda

If there are children: jerseys from pro or college teams, peanut butter (although they have started selling it there), something not breakable or bulky from your region of the country. For adults: my best received gift is an electonic organizer--cheap here, not there.

Melissa

Since I am from Hawaii, I often tote chocolate covered macadamia nuts. If I am seeing people in the UK, I make sure I bring Kona coffee, too. I like the coffee in the UK, but the locals hate it and love a bag of really good coffee.

elvira

Local art: prints or originals of your area by local artists; crafts (small wood carvings, little straw baskets, apple people, candles, woven placemats, etc.)
Address books, journals or calendars with local scenes or "American" scenes (Grand Canyon, 4th of July fireworks, etc.)
T-shirts or baseball caps with team insignias - college or professional
Key chains, pens, etc. Every town seems to have souvenirs with team insignias, local landmarks, etc.
Dried cranberries (with recipes!)

I live in an area where Indians of many different tribes live, so we have an abundance of jewelry, fetishes, pottery, etc. from which to choose, and they are much appreciated by the recipients (I try to buy them from the craftspeople directly, either at fairs or at our local museum).

I've successfully transported wines to and from Europe wrapped in my clothes, with no mishaps - both in my carry-ons and checked luggage. Many wineries produce 1/2 litres, which are easier to pack and carry.

Picky

It's "syrup," pronounced sear-up -- not spelled or pronounced surrup.

americanism

Picky,
Pronounced sear-up? Not according to my dictionary.