Eloise

Gwenjo, I'm happy to see the number of co-workers has already been established. Some years ago, I decided to bring back small gifts for my female co-workers and miscalculated -- I was far, far away from the office -- by one.
Talk about embarrassment! You might want to make a note of the number of friends as well...

gwenjo

I totally agree about spending too much time on a supposedly simple idea. That is one of the reasons I am asking ahead of time, to have a plan , buy it, and call it good!

OaktownTraveler

Gwenjo:

You sound very-very nice, hence, you would think about your friends and co-wokers who are probably not the evil-doer friends and co-workers that many Fodor folks reportedly have to stomach.

I say post cards...the high end ones or host a very small soiree at your home or after work hours in the work hang-out spot to share your photos, samples of snacks/foods that the airlines do not confiscate...sip some wines from Italy and just share, share and then share some more. Put together a slide show or work your magic on those large poster boards! You probably like to work with colorful stickers and do a little scrapbooking too...nice people scrap where I live.

Again, you seem nice and sounds like your friends and 13 co-workers are lucky to have you as their friend and co-worker.

These friends and co-workers are probably not moochie,cheap, snarky or jealous of you even going to Italy...that's great!
They probably helped you plan your trip and are even going to cover your desk while you are out...nice...

See here on the Fodors boards we/I rarely read about friends and co-workers who do not deserve a good old fashion thrashing!

Thanks...what country do you hail from?

gwenjo

US-Minnesota

BTilke

Gwenjo, a lovely Italian souvenir are L'Erbolario soaps. The packaging is beautiful, they're not expensive (about 3 euros a bar) but hard to find outside of Italy and easy on the skin.
Go into any nice little grocery store and you will see wonderfully packaged little items--small bottles of olive oil or boxed cookies, candies, etc.
Also, if you can find inexpensive espresso cups, they also make nice souvenirs (but check the bottom to make sure they're not made in Asia!)

FainaAgain

As my co-workers range in age from 20s to 60s, both genders, I find the best gifts are non-alcoholic edibles like chocolates or other local foods. And I make sure to buy a lot to have plenty left over for myself

Mincepie

Gwenjo, I think your ideas of bringing home gifts for your co workers is a great one. Don't let it consume you though. I usually buy bags of very good chocolate for my dauhgters to put out in bowls at work. Soap is also a good idea...or little pottery soap dishes which can be really cheap.
Have a great time!!

diddl_maus

I found some really cute little Pinocchios on a string in the market in Florence. They were about two inches tall, easy to pack, light and unbreakable. I gave them to people to use as Christmas tree otnaments. I think they cost less than one euro.

chepar

I live in Hawaii, where it is a local custom to bring back something for family and friends when you travel - it's called omiyage.

In my opinion, it actually can get a little out of hand - we used to spend so much time and money finding the perfect little "something" for various family members, not to mention coworkers. Nowadays, for family, unless there is a direct favor involved having to do with the trip - i.e. dropping/picking up from the airport, watching our pet, etc. we have made an understanding that we're to bring nothing back. Actually, there's an understanding to bring nothing back at all, but we do it anyway as a gesture of appreciation. But for Aunt Darla who I see only 3 times a year - nope, not anymore.

For coworkers, it's a little trickier - everyone still does it, so you look stingy if you don't. So for work I'll buy some local sweets or cookies to put out for everyone to try.

flygirl

I know you are not going to Paris, but, one thing I thought would make a cute little gift for a desk was a small metallic Eiffel Tower - usually around 5-7E each. I wonder if you can find something similar in Rome, such as a small Colisseum for instance.

it occurred to me, if you are really interested in saving TIME, instead of asking what to buy, and thus go on a wild goose trip, maybe better to ask for specific outdoor markets and the like, where you can find a lot of nifty little items all close by, and get it all done in one fell swoop! i.e. Florence did have a really nifty outdoor market but I couldn't give you directions to it - I just wandered into it. I am sure Rome has a lot of the same.

think shop areas versus stuff to look for - I am certain plenty of cool things will fall your way when you get there!

Kayb95

Unless you're particularly close to anyone in the office, I'd keep it very simple. A box of cookies or chocolates to leave on the counter in the lunchroom is always appreciated.

I have purchased small items for the person covering for me while I'm gone (local food item, etc...) And for food gifts, check out the grocery stores - much cheaper than gift shops.

Don't spend all your time shopping for others - enjoy your trip! We recently traveled with a couple who spent half their vacation seeking out the Harley Davidson shops and Hard Rock Cafes for t-shirts for their friends.

TravelerGina

I usually buy a bag of individually wrapped local chocolates for the office - at the airport while waiting for my flight home. Co-workers enjoy them and I don't spend precious vacation time shopping for others.

Wildfire

I bought a small box of marzipan candy for a few of my coworkers but i have learned to never promise to bring anything back for anyone...ended up wasting too much time and effort.

suze

I agree don't bother to seach out specific items you have mind. But my more helpful tip is buy it when you first see it! Don't plan to go back later. Thus the dozen pair of wooden shoe frig magnets I brought home from Amsterdam.

Byrd

I've brought tote bags (usually canvas) to several people, and they seem to like them and use them. You can find some attractive ones decorated with Italian scenes or landmarks, etc.

One woman uses hers to hold her needlework, another uses hers as a beach bag.

Byrd

jsmith

I worked in an office of about 30 and nobody ever thought of bringing back gifts for co-workers. One postcard for the office sufficed which got posted in the break room.

One individual collected elephants and displayed them in his office. I bought a couple for him in museum shops as gifts for his display. A raised trunk on an elephant is a sign of good luck.

AGM_Cape_Cod

I brought back chocolates from France for my co-workers and the group I have Sunday brunch with. The co-workers were ready to take up a collection to send me back for chocolate covered raspberries with liquor. My Sunday brunch group is small and each week we would open the box and take a chocolate. Then I got custody (I was the only who could resist eating the remainder) of the box until the next week. It lasted almost a month between our partaking and the ones we added to the waitresses' tip.

nibblette

Usually got some chocolate or cookies/biscuits to share. For good friends, would buy some edibles that were typical of the place I visited (regional pastas, pastries, wine, etc) and invite them over for a travel-themed dinner using the things I brought home.

isabel

In Florence at the San Lorenzo Street Market you can get small silk scarves for €5 (and of course you can pay more for nicer ones, but the €5 ones are not bad). They would be easy to carry home too. If you don't see them at first keep looking, at first all I could find were scarves for €10 but eventually I found several places that had the same ones for only €5.

Elizabeth

I don't know the Rome airport but as a general thing - you can usually get boxes of local sweets of some kind in an airport on your way home, which saves you carrying them around throughout your trip.

On the other hand - sometimes I love having the "task" of finding little presents, it makes it more fun to go thru markets or museum shops or grocery stores.