Karenmc

We will be visiting our son's girlfriend's family in Norway at Christmas and would like suggestions as to some gifts we might take them. We live in Wisconsin and I've considered cheese but other suggestions would be welcome. We've never met them and his girlfriend is rather shy about any ideas. Thanks.

abram

Other foods, such as local honey or craisins.
A 2009 calendar with pictures of Wisconsin.

Graziella5b

May local liquers or whiskies ?
Also American chocolates and bomboms

bratsandbeer

They do not have cranberries in Norway (that I know of) so craisins would be something nice. How about the dried cheeries from Door County. They do have a lot of cheese but, perhaps if allowed, to take it into Norway,a good Wisconsin summer sausage would be good.

I live in WI and have been in Norway twice and visited relatives. I did take Lang products as they were made in WI but now I am not sure if they are made in China.

When my relative stayed with us for 3 months from Finland she had never had pumpkin pie - she said they don't have it there. I sent her home with Libbys pumpkin and canned milk to make pie for her family. She even took a set of measuring cups and spoons to use with American recipes.

LoveItaly

Hello Karenmc, this may not appeal to you but more than once I have purchased a sterling letter opener as a hostess gift. I always buy the Wallace Grand Broque which is my sterling pattern. This has been for friends in Italy and although they may have had a letter opener they have all been quite pleased with my hostess gift. Small, easy to pack and something that they can use and pass on to the next generation.

grapes

"They do not have cranberries in Norway." If I am not mistaken, Norway does have cranberries; and they are called Lingonberries. Have you considered a Coffee table book or something from a local artist?

travelerjan

Cranberrries are NOT lingonberries. Lingonberries smaller, and distinctive taste.

"Grapes" must not be Scandinavian. Same thing about Scandinavian/swedish Brown Beans. THey are not the same as American baked beans. Little differences DO matter.

hetismij

I expect that cranberries are available in the shops in Norway, just as they are in the Uk and here in the Netherlands. ocean Spray export huge quantities around the world.
I tend to buy our local cranberries for Terschelling. I believe that is the only place outside N America where they grow, but I could be wrong.

I would suggest a calender or a nice book on Wisconsin, or maybe something by a local artist. Be careful about taking food or booze.

Gordon_R

Given the very high tax on alcohol in Norway, in my experience a welcome gift for most people (especially at Christmas) would be a nice bottle of spirits or liquers. Maybe you could find out what their favourite is.

elina

I think they have cranberries in Norway. At least there are cranberries (and lingonberries) in Sweden and Finland, so I donīt see how it would be possible that they donīt grow in Norway.

Something Native American. I once got a little Navajo rug (very little), and I like it. Once I got wooden candle holders made by a local artesan. Those are my favourite candle holders.

flanneruk

In my experience, most Scandinavians expect, almost as a matter of course, foreign visitors to bring the maximum amount of hard liquor it's practical to get on a plane and bring through Customs without having to pay their horrendous booze tax (usually, one litre per travelling adult).

This normally means buying at the duty free place at the last airport you use before your final destination.

Not that Scandinavians are mercenary (far, far from it), but this is over and above any personal gift you buy. Booze being so absurdly costly, the assumption is no-one in their right mind would arrive in Scandinavia without as much booze as possible.

Apres_Londee

10 responses so far and nary a whisper of brownie cake mix?

flanneruk

Going back to hetismij's comment.

It's wise to be careful about bringing food into Norway, since its rules on this may not be the same as the EU's (though actually, I think they're more tolerant of non-European food than the EU is). As almost everywhere these days, there are kinds of food you simply can't bring into Norway.

But the rules on booze are similar to the EU. 1 litre of hooch per travelling adult plus 1.5 litres of wine, or 3 litres of wine with no hooch, unless you've bought them duty-paid in the EU/EEA, in which case the limits are way above what you can carry (worth knowing if you're changing planes in a lowish-duty EU/EEA country like Holland, Germany or Switzerland). Any more, and you pay Norwegian duty.

Don't know about hooch that's illegal in some countries (like anis): but all that happens with most booze - unlike food - is you pay usurious import duty if you bring in more than your limit.

Start off at www.toll.no, or your nearest Norwegian consulate, for the rules.

grapes

I feel a strange need to stand my ground on the issue of Cranberries vs Lingonberries. Make note of the words "high north" and "synonyms"

According the Webster's on Line Dictionary: Lingonberry
Noun
1. Low evergreen shrub of high north temperate regions of Europe and Asia and America bearing red edible berries.

2. Tart red berries similar to American cranberries but smaller.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

Synonyms: Lingonberry
Synonyms: cowberry (n), foxberry (n), lingberry (n), lingenberry (n), Low Bush Cranberry(n), mountain cranberry (n). (additional references).

People familiar with Alaska know lingonberries are Low Bush Cranberries.

Underhill

Here's the brownie mix reference: we take it because our French friends ASK for it.

elina

Well, I live where both lingonberries and cranberries grow, and they are certainly two different berries. The only thing in common they have is the red colour. Except cranberries are darker red than lingonberries. Cranberries grow in wet marsh land, lingonberries in dry pine forest. Cranberries taste good eaten straigh from the ground, lingonberries taste not so good, but are used for jam and juice (needs sugar).

elina

Lingonberry = vaccinium vitis-idaea

Cranberry = vaccinium oxycoccos

bilboburgler

booze is the answer.

suze

Find out if they drink, and what is their favorite. A bottle of liquor or a few bottles of wine are always a good idea.

You could add a few food items that are specialties of your area like nuts, chocolate, cheese, jam, whatever in addition.

That is the perfect amount, a nice gift, without too big a fuss. If the wine or liquor isn't right for them, they can re-gift to other friends.

Karenmc

Thank you all for your help. I have more ideas now than I have space for in my suitcase! Local gifts are a nice idea. My son thought my home made hot chocolate mix(which is very rich and creamy) would be good too, but I think he was mostly thinking about himself!