First time to London in the fall. What are considered nice, "packable" gifts to bring home for family and friends? Something considered very English! Any and all ideas are welcome. Post here or email. Thanks!

Tea, biscuits (cookies), jam, lemon curd. Harrod's has large-granuled pink sugar. <BR>honey servers, sugar spoons, jam pots. <BR>Paddington Bear, miniature red doubledecker buses and phone booths. <BR>Tower of London gift shop has reasonably-priced jewelry that takes its design from the Crown Jewels. <BR>Hard Rock Cafe has the usual shirts, pins, hats. <BR>address books, calendars. <BR>

We brought back teas and pates from Fortnum & Masons. They made great souvenirs, and it was so much fun to shop there. We preferred it to Harrods, but we're not shoppers by any stretch of the imagination.

Both Fortnum & Mason's and Harrods have websites, so if you wanted to get an idea of goodies and/or prices, you can log-in & preview. Or even order online & avoid having to drag the stuff back in your suitcase, but that defeats the purpose of 'shopping there'. Anyhow, their website addresses are: <BR>'www.fortnumandmason.com' and 'www.harrods.com'. <BR>

THe little dolls of the scottish and british guards are all over the place in london - and only 3 pounds if you're going for cheap. If you reallly want to show someone u love them....get them ANYTHING (even a plastic bag!), out of Harrods

THe little dolls of the scottish and british guards are all over the place in london - and only 3 pounds if you're going for cheap. If you reallly want to show someone u love them....get them ANYTHING (even a plastic bag!), out of Harrods

Tea towels! Distinctly British, easy to pack, inexpensive and useful back home. Several years ago, I bought ones with the Tube map on it - unique mementos (I know they have these particular tea towels at the Museum of Transport's gift shop, which is a nifty spot for other gifts.)

The gift shop at the Victoria and Albert museum has a wide selection, everything from fine jewelery to pretty paper napkins for entertaining <BR>I second the motions for teas and jams from Harrods and Fortnums. <BR>

<BR>How about treacle sponge and custard? You can buy the sponges in a tin from any supermarket for less than £1 for a large one, and custard can be bought in cartons and tins. I recommend Marks and Spencer custard and Heinz for the sponges! The custard should last for at least a day out of a fridge, and the tins for much longer! You could take back Marmite too, that dark, gooey, yeast extract you either love or loathe. It's very cheap, full of B vitamins, and is extremely British. Or what about Vimto cordial, or Ribena? They are diluted with water and are delicious, and again very British products. <BR>Tea towels are a great idea too, especially the gingham checked ones that you can buy from B H S, M and S, Habitat etc.

The ground floor of Liberty is full of beautiful things in the famous Liberty prints: scarves, teddy bears, frames, toilet kits, etc. Much better than Harrod's, IMO. Football (read: soccer) jerseys of local teams could also be a unique gift for the sports fan.

If you want to buy toiletries or cosmetics that aren't sold in the US, check out Boots Pharmacy (huge one at Kensington High Street tube station). At Harrods, check out the 1st floor (basement) for great gift ideas. They have tons of stuff with the Harrods emblem on it, like bags, aprons, shaving cases, and pens. And you just can't go wrong with some tea from Fortnum & Mason. Buy some tea leaves, not just tea bags. Try their Lemon Tea...it's the best!

I've discovered a wonderful way to bring back Ginger Jam from Harrod's (it's addictive)! If you're leaving from Heathrow, the Harrod's duty-free store a the Airport carries it....so I buy 10-12 jars there, and only have to carry them onto the plane, rather than throughout my trip. They also carry a fabulous Orange Marmalade. <BR>

I think we discovered on an earlier thread that Elvira, Cheryl and I (among others) always bring home edible gifts. So just let me remind you not to EAT the marmelade and shortbread before you give them away! <BR> <BR>I love the brandied marmelade and interesting chutneys from Fortnum and Mason myself. Also plum pudding in a tin.

My teenage daughter and her friends all got a kick out of the "Mind the Gap" merchandise at the London Transport Museum.

When I go to France I always take tea and shortbread biscuits, they love them. <BR> <BR>For the tea I always go to somewhere like Whittard's (a chain, should be able to find it in many shopping centres, high streets). They sell loose leaf tea in a mindboggling array of flavours, my friends always ask me for Peach, or Cinammon or mixed fruit flavours. These are not like those teabgas which smell of the fruit but dont taste of either fruit or tea. These are tea with a hint of whichever flavour. <BR> <BR>A great thing to go with it would be the little tea holder ball things. As that isnt a good description let me just elaborate!! They are small metal containers with a hinge into which you place some loose leaf tea, then you close the little catch. They are on chains with a hook at the end and you hang them in teh tea mug and pour in the water... Anyway Whittards sell them in different shapes, like a little english house or one in shape of an owl. They alsohave tiny silver trays you sit them on when you take them out of the mug. They are about 4 or 5 pounds... <BR>

Bryan?