kfusto

I am leaving for Italy in 3 days and need some help on choosing a small gift for some friends there.

There are two sons in the family and one is 28 and the other 32. I need something small and very easy to pack. I have known the family for 11 years and always bring a small gift for each of them but I am having a hard time this year.

Any input - especially from anyone in this age group living in Italy - is much appreciated. I am running out of time and am totally out of ideas.

Both are hard working men who work in the family business, a trattoria.

Thanks and all ideas are appreciated!

ileen

Tee shirts from your city. Or how about IPod Shuffle, small and now around $50.

kfusto

I thought about the ipod shuffle but would there not be a voltage issue?

capxxx

All iPod AC adapters work for international voltages. You would just have to get the inexpensive plug adapter.

kfusto

Thanks.

Any other thoughts?

kelliebellie

How about an iTunes gift card instead? You can get them at Target and are very easy to pack. Then they could just download music to their own computers.

How about a sweatshirt from a college near you?

Or maybe a football jersey? NFL.com has nice stuff.

Oh, I know. Our friends in Germany love the Leatherman stuff. You know, like swiss army knives but with pliers and such:

http://www.leatherman.com/

They would be easy to pack too!

kfusto

I love the Leatherman stuff as well but we travel carry on only and they will confiscate those items.

I did think about NFL logo items but was concerned that might be pretty taste specific if they don't care for American football. We have three pro teams in my state and two have great logos so that is an easy option.

TravelandNature

I would try to bring something "American" that they might not see in Florence. Even guys like to eat - maybe honey from your area ? Yes, you can check it. Europeans, even the young guys, seem to appreciate the food arts - jam from your area ? Otherwise, the iTune card is a good idea.

kfusto

We carry on so will not be checking anything, leaving out most food items.

I will check out the i-tunes gift card idea. Thanks.

Keep 'em coming!

wannagetaway

Do you have a Nike store? If so, how about a Nike tee that has the your city written on it?

kelliebellie

There is a knife-less Leatherman that you might be able to get on a plane. No guarantees though:

http://www.leatherman.com/multi-tool...less-fuse.aspx


How about a really cool flashlight?

http://www.streamlight.com/product-selector.aspx

http://www.metaefficient.com/flashli...ws-update.html


This watch is cool:

http://www.armynavysales.com/p-666-s...ner-watch.aspx

Lawchick

I would not bring a swiss army type knife or a nike tee shirt for an Italian man.

A book perhaps. Some local wine if you have some??

kfusto

I cannot bring a knife as we cannot carry it on, same for wine. And I have never seen either one of them wear a logo t shirt or sports team shirt.

As for a book, I would not know where to start to choose one.

This is more difficult than I anticipated...I would love to hear from a man in that age group who lives in Italy.

Maybe I'll just pick up some of the top selling Billboard CDs and bring them along.

Lawchick

You can buy wine at the airport. CDs are difficult as the European taste tends to be quite different to American.

Cufflinks? Tie.

My Italian male friends love ties.

Jackie_in_Italy

i think t-shirts make a great gift. whenever i come back to italy from the states, I always bring t-shirts for people. also, reese's cups are pretty popular, but you probably want a more substantial gift . i always get chocolate covered pretzels for people, too .

for the t-shirts, you could just get something specific to a university or sports team in your area. at steve and barry's they have a great selection of shirts.

notbob

Do they by any chance golf?

We always stay a family run hotel in the Veneto and the son who is in that age group golfs. He was telling us that golf stuff is fairly pricy in Italy compared to the US. He made us promise to let him know well in advance the next time we come so we can "courier" a club or two to him.

lvk

If you think it will help, I'll ask my 16-year-old Florentine exchange student when she gets home.

We have lots of friends and relatives in Europe and most of the young men enjoy Harley Davidson T-Shirts from the Harley shop in your town, USA. Honestly, the last Swiss guy we gave one of these to was so excited, he asked if he could also keep the bag in came in (with Harley-Davidson logos). I'm not sure if your host family sons would be into motorcycles, but it's a thought.

tuscanlifeedit

If they both work in the trattoria, I would think an American book about food would be interesting to them.

I have taken books and US team hats (stocking caps or rain hats) to friends in Europe, and a male friend in Italy. If one of your local teams has been in a championship recently, that might be fun. I've taken stocking caps from university alma mater.

kybourbon

There are Nike stores in Italy (a good sized one in Termini) so I wouldn't buy anything Nike. The IPod Shuffles are charged through the computer USB ports. They don't come with wall plug-ins/chargers.

How about a key chain that represents something from the US or your area?

Lawchick

Look - I really have to break it to you gently - those caps and tee shirts and sweatshirts and things depicting Universities or sports teams never see the light of day on anyone over 12.

The back of my closets are full of them and every so often I bring them to Oxfam.

Bring a bottle of wine or some chocolates.