Gfts for European Hosts
 

We will be visiting and staying with relations in England and Ireland. Your ideas on appropriate host/hostess gifts. We'd like to bring something that is "Made in the USA"; will be light, small and not highly breakable (for travel purposes); and enjoyed by the receiver. We will be staying 1) with a middle aged couple with two children; 2) with an elderly couple with many grown children; and 3) with an elderly single woman. Also we will be visiting in homes with small children (many!) -- ideas for something small and inexpensive that we can bring to give the children? Any protocol on how and when we should present gifts?

Brigid: We too visited relatives in Holland- we faxed a few letters back and forth and I asked them the bands and music that there teens like. Then my daughter bought them tapes and CD's. They went over very well. They were fighting over them and I had to send more when I got home. Now everyone is happy with their American CD's. I also learned that Europeans adore American Indian lore and crafts. I live in So. Calif and so have access to many Indian stores. I found a small "dream catcher" made by a Cheyenne Indian and send that for ones birthday. They love it. The woman at the store said Irish and Scottish especially buy stuff by the cartloads. As for the younger children stick with Disney stuff. How American is that? You can't go wrong. All of the young children there have Disney Videos, etc. I was amazed. Perhaps t-shirts, coloring books etc. Do your local malls have the Disney stores? As for the protocal to give the gifts, I just hauled mine out at the first luncheon we had together. They however had planned a tea for 4:00 in the afternoon and that's when I received their presents. Well I may not have followed protocol but it sure broke the ice and had them all smiling! Oh, I gave my 1/2 brother an American silver dollar embedded in a sterling silver belt buckle- he was speechless! In return my children got specially minted coins that showed the friendshp between "Marshall" (an american congressman)and the Netherlands. It was in encased in a hard plastic case and then that sat in a little velvet case. Those were very nice. When in New York we got my neice and nephew a Statue of LIberty coin in a velvet case. Nice for display. Start jotting down ideas and you will be amazed!

Mine English relative are very fond of American Sour Mash whiskey - Jack Daniels, Makers Mark - ect. You may also want to consider a fine California wine. I took mine some California Sherry which they very much enjoyed

My English relative are very fond of American Sour Mash whiskey - Jack Daniels, Makers Mark - ect. You may also want to consider a fine California wine. I took mine some California Sherry which they very much enjoyed

Brigid- Mikes reply reminded me- we did take 3 bottles of Calif white wine for them- but when going thru airlines I never declared them- we just walked thru the "nothing to declare line", otherwise it would be a pain.