Help! Need suggestions for gifts for children of host families
 

Hello everyone, <BR> We will be traveling to Denmark in June. Part of our time will be spent staying with relatives. We like to take gifts for our host family's children and have run out of ideas. On past trips we have taken T-shirts, (calculating sizes is a real challenge) baseball caps, and MagLite mini-mag flashlights. <BR> To add to the challenge we prefer to give all the children the same thing. There are four boys, ages 8, 12, 14 and 17, and two girls ages 9 and 15. <BR> If anyone has any ideas or suggestions we would really appreciate the help. <BR> Thank you much. <BR>Iowa_Al

CDs. Find out the kind of music they like. US groups are usually pretty popular there. CDs are way more expensive in Europe compared to here.

Thank you Diane, good idea. <BR> Anyone else care to contribute? <BR>Iowa_Al

Disney stuff is always a hit. Likewise, some of the Warner Brothers Daffy Duck or Bugs (Bunny, not Seigel). All over the world, people love Hollywood, so any of that stuff is a good gift.

Thanks for the suggestions, Dave. <BR>Appreciate the help. <BR>Iowa_Al

You local post office has some nicely packaged stamps, sometimes using a theme that would be of interest to children, if there are any stamp collectors among them. <BR> <BR>I understand that the PO also has a stack of Fodor pins somewhere, but that's another thread :-)

Thank you for the suggestion Betsy. <BR>Appreciate it. <BR>Iowa_Al

Hi Iowa Al, what do you think of videotapes of movies for each age? Differant movies for each age group, but the same general idea... I would check around for the latest favorites....Just an idea, <BR>Judy ;-)

Can't use USA videos in Europe unless they are in PAL. How about Beanie <BR>Babies, the ones from US... they are sometimes hard to get in Europe...we have taken Shel Silverstein's books and they LOVE them...Where The Sidewalk Ends, etc.

novelty candy. we brought some and the kids loved it. Also, stained glass with local dried flowers pressed in clear glass, found at art fairs. For something a little more expensive, a portable CD player for the kids with NOW CD's. Calendars from your part of the country. Native American silver jewelry

Something that is unique from your part of the world is always special. That also is true for gifts you bring back. Sometimes it is something that we consider everyday that others find special and will make them think of you every time they see of use it. <BR>I'm from Texas and that's easy for me. But forget the obvious, once I took a cotton plant as a gift because the city raised child I was visiting did not know that cotton grew. <BR>The first time I went overseas I brought home an egg timer that was in a piece of 2000 year old slate. It was definately tourist "junk", but it was the one thing that everyone wanted me to give them. It's decades later, and I still have that piece of "junk" by my stove. <BR>There is bound to be something that would help the children know you, what you do, or where you live better. I think such a personal gift would be cherished.

Hi <BR> My brother, sister and I used to have a similar situation, our 'auntie' would visit us from London every 6 months and would always bring us books. It's something I appreciate to this day and still have loads of brilliant books that bring back childhood memories. There are great children's books and hardbacks of classics are also excellent. <BR>l