Gift for German hosts
Oct 25th, 2006, 03:15 PM
#22
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Forgot to mention in my previous posting that our German exchange student really liked Pop Tarts while he was here. Guess they can't get them over there. So I brought him a couples boxes of his favorite--the cinnamon ones with frosting.
Oct 25th, 2006, 10:13 PM
#24
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I just found a discussion on Kellogs Pop-Tarts in German, sh**. Looks like they're available everywhere, just that I'm not up to date and don't buy them... Think you'd have to ask the "kiddies".
Oct 25th, 2006, 10:39 PM
#25
Morning Logos!
It sounds like you can get a lot more US products in Germany than in Switzerland. I can't find ANY white marshmallows here. We just have the super sugary flavored ones.
-Pop tarts? No
-Marshmallow creme? No
-Oreos? Yes! But no one knows them.
-Graham crackers? No
-Quilts? No
-Maple Syrup? Yes. But very expensive.
(Only people who have travelled abroad know what maple syrup and pancakes are.)
-Jello? No. But don't bring it. -Haven't seen a Swiss eat my Jello yet.
-Maple Bars? No (my favourite) Too bad they don't transport well.
-Chocolate chips? Not in the stores. I buy mine at the Felchlin chocolate factory store in Ibach.
-Pecans? No
-Almond Roca? No
-Toffee bars? No
-Liquid vanilla flavoring? No
Angel Food Cake? No, however when I bring over my angel food cake mix from the States and make it, the Swiss quite like it.
An expensive gift that might be welcomed is a computer translator. Many of my students have these. You type in the German word and you'll get an English translation plus a pronunciation. Very handy.
It sounds like you can get a lot more US products in Germany than in Switzerland. I can't find ANY white marshmallows here. We just have the super sugary flavored ones.
-Pop tarts? No
-Marshmallow creme? No
-Oreos? Yes! But no one knows them.
-Graham crackers? No
-Quilts? No
-Maple Syrup? Yes. But very expensive.
(Only people who have travelled abroad know what maple syrup and pancakes are.)
-Jello? No. But don't bring it. -Haven't seen a Swiss eat my Jello yet.
-Maple Bars? No (my favourite) Too bad they don't transport well.
-Chocolate chips? Not in the stores. I buy mine at the Felchlin chocolate factory store in Ibach.
-Pecans? No
-Almond Roca? No
-Toffee bars? No
-Liquid vanilla flavoring? No
Angel Food Cake? No, however when I bring over my angel food cake mix from the States and make it, the Swiss quite like it.
An expensive gift that might be welcomed is a computer translator. Many of my students have these. You type in the German word and you'll get an English translation plus a pronunciation. Very handy.
Oct 25th, 2006, 10:44 PM
#26
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When I made chocolate chip cookies for my English friends they were surprised the cookies were not crunchy. Apparently they thought Chips Ahoy was the standard.
When we hosted a German student, he was fascinated by anything Western and Native American culture. Not sure if this was a general interest, or just his.
Don't worry about it too much though. It's the thought.
When we hosted a German student, he was fascinated by anything Western and Native American culture. Not sure if this was a general interest, or just his.
Don't worry about it too much though. It's the thought.
Oct 25th, 2006, 11:12 PM
#27
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Randy-
Can you really freeze bacon and bring it with you to a European country? What about customs? Have you ever done this?
I am asking because I am an American in London and while you can find Oscar Meyer bacon, there are plenty of things you can't find - such as American textured breakfast sausage (among many more). Every trip back here from the States I bring lots and lots of food but it never occurred to me that I could bring fresh meat. . .
Can you really freeze bacon and bring it with you to a European country? What about customs? Have you ever done this?
I am asking because I am an American in London and while you can find Oscar Meyer bacon, there are plenty of things you can't find - such as American textured breakfast sausage (among many more). Every trip back here from the States I bring lots and lots of food but it never occurred to me that I could bring fresh meat. . .
Oct 25th, 2006, 11:48 PM
#28
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Some suggestions:
"dressed" beeswax Moravian candles and Moravian Christmas cookies. These are American traditional Christmas items that can trace their roots back to a small town in Germany (Herrnhut, not that far from Dresden).
http://shop.moravianbookshop.com/browse.cfm/2,8.html
Shaker boxes
Dripless cooking spoons, handmade in American cherry, www.woodspoons.com, shown on page 126 of the September issue of O (Oprah's magazine).
A Boundary Waters calendar if you one might be or interest. Look on Amazon.de and see if you can find some of John Sanford's Prey novels translated into German as they take place in Minnesota (and they're fun to read, if they like crime novels)
Jon Stewart's America the Book. I gave copies to German friends, they loved it.
And, weird as it sounds, our German friends and relatives are fascinated by raccoons, they don't have anything like them in Germany. Not suggesting you give them a coonskin cap, but a small handcarved raccoon might be of interest.
"dressed" beeswax Moravian candles and Moravian Christmas cookies. These are American traditional Christmas items that can trace their roots back to a small town in Germany (Herrnhut, not that far from Dresden).
http://shop.moravianbookshop.com/browse.cfm/2,8.html
Shaker boxes
Dripless cooking spoons, handmade in American cherry, www.woodspoons.com, shown on page 126 of the September issue of O (Oprah's magazine).
A Boundary Waters calendar if you one might be or interest. Look on Amazon.de and see if you can find some of John Sanford's Prey novels translated into German as they take place in Minnesota (and they're fun to read, if they like crime novels)
Jon Stewart's America the Book. I gave copies to German friends, they loved it.
And, weird as it sounds, our German friends and relatives are fascinated by raccoons, they don't have anything like them in Germany. Not suggesting you give them a coonskin cap, but a small handcarved raccoon might be of interest.
Oct 26th, 2006, 01:30 AM
#31
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I'd nix the food ideas. Unless it is something they really want and are unable to find I think that it's a waste of time. Actually, if someone came to visit me and presented me with something like a bloody pancake mix or cake mix I'd be deeply insulted.
The quilt was a great idea but I understand they are expensive. Otherwise something practical but not too reliant on personal taste that could reflect the USA - a set of mugs or something.
Other than that, just get something cheap, cheesy and cheerful in the knowledge that whatever you bring is probably going to end up at the bottom of a cupboard as soon as you leave. ;-)
The quilt was a great idea but I understand they are expensive. Otherwise something practical but not too reliant on personal taste that could reflect the USA - a set of mugs or something.
Other than that, just get something cheap, cheesy and cheerful in the knowledge that whatever you bring is probably going to end up at the bottom of a cupboard as soon as you leave. ;-)
Oct 26th, 2006, 04:01 AM
#33
Maple syrup and other local interesting products would go down well but obviously steer away from illegal/unacceptable stuff like meats, plants etc which might get the dog at the airport upset.
American packet food from a large conglomerate would seem frankly bizarre so I have no idea where Fodor gets pancake mix from. So if your state has nothing of a food to talk about (no potatoe comments here) fall back on Red Wine after all there is very little red wine grown in germany and what there is is <12% so a good Mondavi is alway welcome
American packet food from a large conglomerate would seem frankly bizarre so I have no idea where Fodor gets pancake mix from. So if your state has nothing of a food to talk about (no potatoe comments here) fall back on Red Wine after all there is very little red wine grown in germany and what there is is <12% so a good Mondavi is alway welcome
Oct 26th, 2006, 08:28 PM
#34
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melnq8: Thanks for the cookbook idea. Our hosts sent us a Schwabian Christmas cookbook last year and I was very happy to receive it.
bilboburgler: I was thinking of a nice California red and do esp. like Mondavi; I wondered if our hosts drink red? I prefer it!
Thanks for all of your ideas, FF!
I had no idea pancakes were so political.
tee hee
bilboburgler: I was thinking of a nice California red and do esp. like Mondavi; I wondered if our hosts drink red? I prefer it!
Thanks for all of your ideas, FF!
I had no idea pancakes were so political.
tee hee
Oct 26th, 2006, 09:25 PM
#35
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Well, I never thought of bring food, I guess I love the German food to much. Since most grocery stores do not automatically give you paper/plastic bags for carrying groceries home, I bought my neighbor (while living there) a straw hand crafted bag. She seemed to enjoy it and carried it everywhere even on vacations, picnics.
Clea
Clea
Oct 30th, 2006, 06:47 AM
#36
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I did mean oreo not orea! Well I brought my houseguest (German exchange student-18 y.o. in high school) a black and white cookie the other day. She loved it and wants to bring some of those home too. She also wants to buy a Chuck Berry boxed set (DVDs) for some friends (this was at her friends' request).
Oct 30th, 2006, 07:16 AM
#37
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Hi A,
I went through a similar dilemma; I have German relatives that we visited for the first time last December. I wanted to buy gifts for all of them because we were staying with them and it was the Christmas season. Thank God I went overboard with gifts because their hospitality was so gracious and so unlike anything we've ever experienced!!!
I had to buy for 3 generations, from 2 years old up to 70 years old. This is just a sampling of what I brought with me (had to bring an extra suitcase which I in turn filled with my purchases in Germany & France): Nike sneakers, Ralph Lauren Polo jeans & shirts, Polo toddler boy clothing, Barbie clothing for my 7 year old cousin, Gap & Old Navy clothing for my 26 & 46 year old female cousins and here's the funniest thing - at K-Mart, I picked up a dancing stuffed reindeer that sang "Jingle Bell Rock" as a joke for my darling 70 year old cousin Gerhart, he was so hard to shop for... and guess what, he LOVED it. So did his little grandchildren... it was adorable watching them play with their Opa and this silly reindeer, smiling and laughing... Worth every minute I worried that suitcase laden with gifts was going to get seized in customs in case that darn reindeer started singing!
I personally wouldn't bother with food products as the Germans have such great cookies, pastries and bread, not a biased opinion, of course
Some things are really expensive to buy there, like the Polo clothes - but your choice in gifts will depend largely on the age of the recipients.
Enjoy your trip!
I went through a similar dilemma; I have German relatives that we visited for the first time last December. I wanted to buy gifts for all of them because we were staying with them and it was the Christmas season. Thank God I went overboard with gifts because their hospitality was so gracious and so unlike anything we've ever experienced!!!
I had to buy for 3 generations, from 2 years old up to 70 years old. This is just a sampling of what I brought with me (had to bring an extra suitcase which I in turn filled with my purchases in Germany & France): Nike sneakers, Ralph Lauren Polo jeans & shirts, Polo toddler boy clothing, Barbie clothing for my 7 year old cousin, Gap & Old Navy clothing for my 26 & 46 year old female cousins and here's the funniest thing - at K-Mart, I picked up a dancing stuffed reindeer that sang "Jingle Bell Rock" as a joke for my darling 70 year old cousin Gerhart, he was so hard to shop for... and guess what, he LOVED it. So did his little grandchildren... it was adorable watching them play with their Opa and this silly reindeer, smiling and laughing... Worth every minute I worried that suitcase laden with gifts was going to get seized in customs in case that darn reindeer started singing!
I personally wouldn't bother with food products as the Germans have such great cookies, pastries and bread, not a biased opinion, of course
Some things are really expensive to buy there, like the Polo clothes - but your choice in gifts will depend largely on the age of the recipients.
Enjoy your trip!
Oct 30th, 2006, 10:40 AM
#39
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>>>Polo clothes
Good idea! These things are either extremely expensive or of low quality here in Germany<<
Expensive - yes. But the brand with the big "P" certainly is of the same quality around here as in the US(long gone are the days when a polo shirt was just a polo shirt and not a Polo shirt ).
Good idea! These things are either extremely expensive or of low quality here in Germany<<
Expensive - yes. But the brand with the big "P" certainly is of the same quality around here as in the US(long gone are the days when a polo shirt was just a polo shirt and not a Polo shirt
).
Oct 30th, 2006, 11:38 AM
#40
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Just got back from visiting my sons girlfriend in Germany. She was a foreign exchange student at his high school last year. I took a 6 pack of Blue Diamond Almonds as they are locally grown in California and come in a variety of flavors in a nice gift pack. For her siblings I took a box of See's candy lollypops. Both were a big hit. I also took the family out for a nice meal and we had a great time. Barb
