Barb

We are taking a business trip to Munich and Stuttgart and wish to take along some sort of gift for a few of our business friends.<BR>One guy is an avid golfer, so we are taking him some of the newest golf balls from USA. For the others, we are stumped... We are trying to figure out somthing in the $20 - $30 range. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

G

Having lived in germany for a couple years, I've found that they are baffled by our patriotism. I cannot help much with ideas for business friends, but I would stay away from anything too nationalistic. Food is always a great gift to my german friends- candies, I brought chocoalte covered popcorn...

Dr. Evil

In "The Sum of All Fears" the evil doer had a watch with a swastika on its back--that to me would be an ideal gift for any German businessman, especially one from Bavaria.

Hans H

You can never go wrong with alcohol. As long as you don't know that the other one is abstinent, it's always a good gift. Either take wine or maybe a good bottle of bourbon. Things like chocolate covered popcorn might be appreciated by a lot of people but others might consider it odd.

gar

hi there,<BR>if the businessman is working in the management dont give any alcohol, thats not pc if You donkt know him very well. Alc is just somehing for the people working in the factorys. <BR>Something special from the states that will be fine is for ex<BR>- a typical US number plate<BR>- a original baseball cap<BR>- something typical from Your state: dinosaur bones, indian arrow heads, petrified wood ...<BR>

jenviolin

I don't agree about alcohol; a very nice bottle of bourbon is a good idea. Or safer: how about a beautiful coffee-table type book with stunning photography, maybe about the American National Parks?

mh

I find that a coffee cup with your company logo on goes far....I don't know why but maybe the europeans don't have corporate coffee cups. My sister is a CEO of a major medical center in the midwest and she told me that giving alcohol is not a good idea ever, nor is drinking with your collegues, etc...so hence I don't drink around co workers or business associaites but it is always amusing to be the fly on wall...<BR>around folks who have been drinking.

?

I have never seen a more baffling or asinine list of gifts (except, maybe, that watch). What the hell would anyone want with an old plate? Or, what's so wrong with bourbon. Don't be surprised, Germans do drink.

Greg

Barb,<BR><BR>I've done this one before and the small gift that has always been a crowd pleaser are coins. Things that would be unusual for someone outside the US. I bring the new US dollars and/or quarters. The dollars are the best of the two because of the gold color and the American Indian theme. This would also be a good gift for a golfer. Good luck and have a good trip.<BR><BR>Greg<BR>

David

I was visiting friends in Leipzig for two weeks each spring in '98, '99 & '00. We traveled the former East, Bavaria and up to Berlin. <BR><BR>I'm a big whiskey drinker and the thing that struck me oddly was the whiskey available. In many, many places my whiskey choices were Jack Daniels or Jim Beam. (Therefore I drank vodka and tonic.) It cracked me up that these were the two mostly widely available brands.<BR><BR>I'd recommend a nice, smooth, blended Canadian whiskey as a gift. Crown Royal, Seagrams VO or Canadian Club. It's what I drink at home and not very common in much of Europe that I've visited. Even though it's not much of a USA gift it might be unusual for them. Besides, you gotta support your neighbors to the north a bit, eh?

mark

A bottle of American perfume for the wife of your business associate would be a tremendous gift.<BR><BR>Germans love their cars, why not a model Corvette or a car that only America makes<BR><BR>How about a nice big comfortable sweatshirt with something American on it<BR><BR>The book idea with something like our national parks always seems to be a solid thought<BR><BR>

x

yea, I bet Fritz and Claus will love recieving loose pocket change.

Gar

to ? and others,<BR>if I got it right, the gift is for a businessman not for a construction worker. And for this, if YOu dont know him very well, alc is a "NO!". Yes, for shure, the Germans do trink. But thats the way it works.

Hans H

I disagree with Gar on that one. Wine and flowers are the typical gifts brought by guests in Germany and I wouldn't hesitate to bring it to a buisiness associate. Stronger drinks are somewhat unusual but I think that most people would understand that a good bourbon isn't brought with the intention of "hey, let's party" but as a typically American thing.<BR><BR>On the other hand, if you brought me two quarters, a sweatshirt and a modell car, I would think that you confused me with a ten-year old.<BR><BR>

Paige

I agree with the last poster. Where I work in Munich (and I'm not a construction worker) gifts of alcohol are often given between employees and employer.

xxx

Disagree with the perfume idea. Why would someone buy "American" perfume when France is just over the border??<BR>Alcohol also not always appreciated.<BR>An original gift from your state, (something they could have on display so not tacky!) and fresh flowers for the hostess, would be welcome.

Ursula

Barb: In general, no perfume, unless you know what the person uses. And then, you don't really give perfume to business friends. Leave that to the wifes or girl friends.

anon

If you don't want to take alcohol, how about a food basket (or box) with gourmet (or just really good) food? <BR>Unless you know these people pretty well, giving a lot of the things mentioned above might make you look silly (sweatshirts, coins, baseball caps, license plates, etc). I think giving perfume is a bad idea, too. I think it would be weird if you gave perfume to a man to give his wife!

Ursula

anon: I meant is the wifes' or GFs' business to get them perfumes, because they know best what to buy and usually they buy what they like as well. <BR>BTW: here, a lot of men buy their perfume themselves.<BR><BR>I think some Californian wine would be suitable too, although you can get it over here.

European

I just hastily read these suggestions. My suggestions (and picks from previous suggestions) are 1) bottle of good bourbon 2) bottle of BEST Californian wine 3) flowers 4) food basket with FANCY and original things from US 5) coffee table book of American National parks<BR><BR>Those are the ones I would like to get as a gift.