German imput please - what would you like for a house gift
 

We're going to Germany - and we'll be staying one night at an work associate's home. We sponosred their son for 3 weeks in US, and my son stayed w/ them the next year.<BR><BR>Anyway, I don't know them, but I want to take a nice housewarming gift. Any ideas?<BR><BR>

I am interested in this reply also. My daughter suggested speciality coffee beans, but I'm waiting for someone to say, "Why would Germans want that?" (Sometimes this site makes me paranoid - like there are folks deciding what's a stupid question and what "they" think is appproriate to ask.) I'm merely seeking suggestions for a small hostess gift. Thanks.

I lived in Germany for a time, and I would say that you should bring them a good bottle of California wine (most Germans love wine). It might also be a good idea to get the wife some flowers at the airport before you meet them, if possible (German women love to get flowers). You may want to get some small candies or something for the kids.

When we went to Europe (from Canada) we brought ice wine that we had made inexpensively, and maple syrup as gifts and they went over very well.

Typical hostess gifts are wine, liquor, liqeuer, chocolates or candy and flowers. Bring something special for the kids for extra points.

My German friends love the Maple Syrup (from Vermont, if you can find it), believe it or not they love the French's Mustard, Orville R.'s popcorn, spices for BBQ meats, Starbucks coffee. A calendar from your town/city/state, etc...

I agree with the last poster.... when I go over to visit my friends over there they are always asking me for local specialties. Maple Syrup (the REAL stuff, not imitation), Key Lime candies (I"m from FL), peanut butter (if they can get it, it is very expensive) etc. Personally I don't think that I would take wine or coffee - German wine and coffees are so good it would be redundant for me, but I'm sure that they would still appreciate the thought. Then, if they have kids, I take things that are from FL but that I find. My sharks teeth (I have a HUGE one that is a necklace and the Germans will stop me on the street to comment on it) are a huge success, and I"m sure that anyone can think of a "trinket" that you may have or can find that is unusal for the Germans.... Oh, and German ladies DO LOVE to receive flowers, and bouquets are realtively cheap (or were before the Euro).

Flowers are always nice, but it is a faux pas in Germany to give a wrapped bouquet - take off the cellophane! Also, red roses are for lovers only.

Anon:<BR><BR>When we visit the relatives in Austria we always pick up a house plant! Flowers are always appropriate! The posts about 'local' USA products, Maple Syrup, Peanut butter is excellent.<BR>JOHN

Flowers and wine are the typical presents. You can't make a mistake with them. If you bring something special from your region, it's also okay. Coffee or peanut butter sound odd to me and I think that some people might misunderstand it.

Hi,<BR><BR>I want to second Hans opinion. Being German I would be slightly irritated about Starbuck`s coffee or peanut butter. Reminds me a bit of the post-war care parcels. Anyway a local speciality from your region might be a good idea. Do not bring wine from California. After a visit in Napa Valley I found out that I can buy the same Californian wine for nearly half the price in Germany. The kids might love sport T-Shirts and baseball caps.<BR><BR>Miriam

We have relatives in Germany and Switzerland and we usually bring as gifts a small but high quality crafts item from the States. For example, we gave relatives in Appenzell a small handblown item made from Mount St. Helen's glass. We gave relatives in Bochum a coffee table photo book on the Pacific NW. Most of our German friends(either from the Bochum area or Franconia) like quality things (not kitsch) from the West, particularly the Mountain States or the Pacific NW. Small wooden Shaker boxes are pretty chic right now--I've seen them in German and Belgian interior design magazines.<BR>

Great suggestions -- keep 'em coming!

I usually bring a good, not too heavy, coffee-table book about the area I live in in the USA (in my case, the DC area -I realize this doesn't work if you're coming from Podunk, South Dakota, but the idea is relevant). It's a good present for a variety of reasons: it interests them in where you come from, it's fun to browse through, it helps with the language (if they're interested in English, and usually they are), and it's inextricably tied to your visit with them. And in quite a few cases, in my experience, it encourages them to come visit you, which is great!

<BR><BR>I have taken Pacific salmon (freeze-dried and no refrigeration needed)which seemed to be greatly appreciated.

<BR><BR>I should have specified smoked salmon.

Hallo,<BR>you've got already many interesting suggestions, of which I would prefer Miriam's idea with the T-Shirts for the kids (baseball team or something like this) and a speciality for the adults as BTilke wrote. Something typical from your aerea would be fine. Don't bring flowers unless you are invited suddenly by somebody, of whom you didn't think before. Although flowers are given very often, it would look as if you didn't want to spend the time at home for thinking of something nice.<BR>Sabine

I take a couple of bronze Statues of Liberty-one bigger than the other,6-10 inches.Always well received<BR>

Your world famous California wines!

Guten Tag! My husband & I have been to Germany 6 times. We are trying to make it there every other year. We have dear friends in Aachen who have a 15yr son who comes here every year (this yr he's staying 2 months!) Anyways....when we go I ALWAYS get Birgitt (wife) flowers (and whenever we visited her friends/family SHE ALWAYS brought THEM flowers). If they have kids, ask if they have a sony playstation and bring a new game or current CD (ultra expensive there). They always ask us to bring: Peanut Butter, pistachio's and marshmellows (expensive there) I also bring American sports stuff (tee's, caps) and something local from my state (minnesota)they also like calendars. Have a ball in DEUTSCHLAND!!! Laurie PS...if you have alot to send and a huge box, check into shipping it directly to them. I did this because Germany was our last stop and I didnt want to haul all this junk around Europe for a month.