Man's Thank You Gift
 

We have some distant relatives in Switzerland and Liechtenstein that are showing us around when we visit. All three are widowers. What would be a good gift to bring from the states or would it be best to buy something there for them and, if so, what? Thanks. Betty

This is a hard question to answer even when you know the man you are buying a gift for.

My suggestion is that you bring something simple that represents your home town or your home state. For example, I am from South Dakota so I would bring some postcards of the Badlands and Black Hills and maybe a Mt. Rushmore snow globe. (Don't laugh too hard yet - I'll explain later.)

I would also present the hosts with a small album of my favorite photographs of the things they showed me and of me/my family posing with the hosts. Obviously, the photo album would have to be mailed to them since you may not have time to get photos processed while you are visiting.

I realize that the Mt. Rushmore snow globe sounds cheesy but here's my thinking:

When I saw your question I asked, "What would I want?" The answer is that I would want something for my knick knack shelf that would remind me of my guests and their country every time I looked at it. I don't have any snow globes - I generally think they are dumb. But if an acquaintance came from Rome and brought me a Colosseum snow globe as a gift, it would instantly become one of my favorite things.

I thought it would also be nice to have a few photographs of my hometown/state seen through their eyes.

Do they drink alcohol? A nice liquer or wine sounds good to me. Most men really don't have knick-knack shelves, I don't think, and a lot of women really don't want knick-knacks, either (I personally detest them). So I would never bring stuff like that, but I'm sure they would appreciate any tasteful gift, even if modest.

Not sure of your budget, but what about sweatshirts or fleeces embossed with the name of a university near you? Or a baseball cap for each..something they can use, not something to gather dust on the shelf. Or something they can eat or drink...if all else fails, a good bottle of scotch for each one, purchased at the duty free.

I second the thought of a duty free purchase!! Nothing worse than arriving with what was planned to be a thoughtful gift, which broke in transit.

My dad used to always send me to Europe with a good Kentucky bourbon. Not easy to get there, and an American drink, for sure.

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If I had to choose, I would want booze. (I'd keep the label or cork as a souvenir.)

Hi Beth,

Good ideas here too! Switzerland is not a land of Bourbon drinkers though. We've got our own great booze. I really think that bottle would land on a shelf in a cupboard and never leave it again.

When people get to a certain age they usually don't want to collect any more knick knacks. I would think buying them a nice (or some nice) dinners would be a nice thank you. Or if you learn while you are there some of their interests you could get a better idea and get them something there.

I do not know of any male who has a knick knach collectiom. :)

Okay, so I am a man and I agree with rogerdodger. Unless the man in question is <i>really</i> in touch with their feminine side, no grownup male I know wants a snow globe or a photo album.

ek's idea of a fleece or a sweatshirt is a good one. A bottle of expensive booze (you pick) is always good or something to drink it with (a friend has a small, exquisite container that he brings to the golf course with fantastic scotch in it, and I know I would love to have something similar). Or something related to sports (e.g., someone recently gave me a digital distance finder for golf that I frequently use and really appreciate). A bottle of good cologne is always welcome but only from my wife. These are all generic recommendations with no &quot;made in USA&quot; to it but you can find things that have that label.

When people have reached a certain age they probably won't want to run around wearing university T-Shirts.

Please, don't buy knick-knacks!!! I refuse to buy people knick-knacks. I wish people wouldn't buy me knick-knacks!!!

You never know what appeals to a person, they may not evoke the same memories for the giftee as the giver (or any memories at all), may not fit in with the giftees sense of aesthetic etc.

I have a number of items given to me by family and friends that I absolutely loathe, but was given to me so I feel obligated to keep and display them. In most cases they're not bad items, but they are not my style and have no meaning for me. Many of these items get &quot;lost&quot; or &quot;broken&quot;.

I try to notice what the person I'd like to get a gift for expresses interest in when we're together and buy them that or something similar. Or I ask in advance if there's anything that I can bring that they'd appreciate.

Sorry sshephard, if I got a snow-globe, it would soon find itself in the &quot;lost&quot; category.

I still don't know what to do. I'm from Minnesota. How about a bag of wild rice for each man with a recipe. Think they would ever use it? Maybe I'll buy a good bottle of wine in Switzerland. I kind of like the idea of Scotch from the Duty Free Shop. Problem is I have to carry it a few days from Paris to Liechtenstein. Doable, though. Maybe we could just take two of them out to dinner. I'm still open on ideas. Thanks for your thoughts. Betty

betharwein, If you can get Scotch, that is great (I was referring to a made in the USA liquor flask). The wild rice idea is an unusual one for sure, but who knows.... For the right person --I am a guy-- I am happy just to see them smile. At the end of the day, it depends on who the carrier is than what is carried. Right?

I suggest food and drinks, too. You can give them some good wines made in California or other liquor typical of Amrica. I gave some people boxed chocolate with macadamia nuts from Hawaii and my impression was that they liked it. A sweatshirt is a really good idea, too, and it's something very useful, too.

Shellidawn: You wouldn't want a Mt. Rushmore snow globe? My feelings are hurt. But they are bogus anyway - it never really snows in South Dakota.

Now that I've thought about this, I wouldn't take anything. I'd take them out to their most special restaurant.

I think that carrying wine or spirits around in your luggage is a little impractical. I travel with a 20&quot; rolling bag and that's it. There's not a lot of room for bottles in my bag.

I am a photographer so I would take a matted signed photo of something especially scenic in my state (Mt. Rushmore? The giant jackalope at Wall Drug?), wrap it in gift wrap and present that. It's flat and would pack well. And it is personal.

The snow globe? Admittedly a very bad idea. My wife affirms this.

How about buying a bottle of Californian wine for your relatives when you get to Switzerland? You can get them in the stores here but Californian wine is not a household product since we have lots of other wines to choose from as well.

Just don't go to Migros to buy your wine. They don't sell alcohol.

Alcohol - trouble is not everyone drinks it (strange but true!)

college sweatshirts/baseball caps - absolutely not. Even our students don't wear them, let alone adults. They might wear it to do the gardening in, possibly, but otherwise it'll be on its way to the charity shop.

Knick-nacks - not good for reasons already stated.

So that leaves some stateside-food? I'd take them some jerky, it's not unavailable in Europe but it's not common either, and everyone I've seen trying it has loved it. It's also very 'USA'.

I'd also take them out for a nice dinner though.

A direct approach: Inquire if there is something they would like that is not available to them. Often postage costs are too high to allow mail purchases. Try over-the-counter medicines. Baker's chocolate is always welcome to a cook.

Do they have any special interests? For example, if they fish, then I'd get them a good coffee table book on flyfishing (or surf fishing, or what have you) in the U.S. and copies of the latest field and stream magazines.
Are they working in the high tech, then you could perhaps buy them a few months' subscription to the Safari online technical library (you read the books online, rather than having them sent to your house, plus it has the advantage that you can read only the parts that interest you). My husband uses it almost every day.
http://safari.awprofessional.com/

Do they like working with wood? Perhaps a coffee table book on Shaker furniture and woodworking.

Are they cooks or gardeners? Again, there are plenty of books that might interest them. But try to find one that has recipes in metric measurements and not just imperial.

Are they golfers or skiers? A world of gift ideas there. For example, a golf shirt--but only from Cutter and Buck (www.cutterbuck.com).

ssh - I'll take your snow globe but as for yer bourbon - ferget it

What would I like - take me out to dinner. Tell me that is your plan when you arrive so it doesn't seem like a last minute decision.
Other than that - find out enough about me that you can make a good choice.
California wine? Might as well bring me a Hershey bar.

Not only have your suggestions been helpful but most delightful. I think I'm heading towards wine for one and dinners for the other two nad maybe some wild rice thrown in. It's tough. I don't know a thing about them except they are far distant, helpful people.

Betty

I have moved from NY to the south and quite often stay with old friends. For gifts I like to bring food items such as hushpuppy mix or something similar from the south. This goes over real big. Calendars or small picture books of our area, local artwork or signed books from local authors are all well received. I would assume friends from Europe would appreciate these types of items as well.