mclaurie

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but don't discount the souvenirs sold at your departure airport as a good source for "token" gifts. Yes, it may be pricier than buying them closer to home, but for those who can't come up with an idea, a coffee mug from your state, city, local university, a tea towel etc. --these are usually things people can actually use. Also, if you know music taste, a CD can be a good idea.

zootsi

How about locally made items such as jewelry, Christmas ornaments, wooden ware, etc. Here in New Hampshire we have several 'League of New Hampshire Craftsmen' stores - I suspect most states have something similar.

RufusTFirefly

Kate--I meant real Europeans, not Brits.

mullemeyer

My friend who lives in Cozensa, Italy wanted me to bring him a couple specific US items - a jar of Welch's Grape Jelly and a coffee mug from Dunkin' Doughnuts!!

Go figure.....

amp322

Someone else already posted this, and it sounds strange, but Europeans really do like to have maps, atlases, pictures, etc of America. My Czech Philharmonic friends were on a US tour last month, and one asked me if I wanted to hang out for a day, because they were in NY. I had to decline, because I live in Princeton, NJ, and they were up somewhere near Syracuse! Since America is so big, it helps them to see the relationships between different states, and get an idea of where mountains are vs. beaches, etc.

So, a small atlas could be one gift.

Another could be sports caps with team logos, T-shirts, etc. Since I live in Princeton, I go to the bookstore & get trinkets with the PU logo. (Teenagers love to have things with college logos from different places).

I have a friend who is into cars. I brought him literature on Hummers, and he LOVED it! I also gave him an instructional tape & book on how to learn English.

Also, a print of an American scene - Wash. DC, NY, etc. makes a nice gift. You can pack it flat, and it will make a classy gift.

SeaUrchin

Well, I wracked my poor little brain trying to think of an unusual gift to take my friend in Italy.

I came up with the idea of wood native to USA which I think is maple. I found a nice maple corkscrew at a mailorder supply in San Diego. He loved it and we opened wine with it right on the spot!

I found it at:

http://www.beveragefactory.com/wine/openers/wood.shtml

dianee

My German daughter-in-law sends "Care Packages" of Crest toothpaste & Skittles candies to her friends in Germany. Items they love but can't find over there. After a visit with them in Germany, I sent back a box of Mexican food items as a "Thank You" gift. They had mentioned during our visit that they had heard so much about Mexican Food & wanted to know more about it. It cost me a fortune but caused a big uproar when they prepared their first "Huevos Rancheros."

Budman

A U.S. Naval Officer on an exchange assignment to Breast, France, told me that his French counterparts kept bugging him when he went to the U.S. Embassy in Paris to bring back some California wines.

You won't have any problem passing through Customs, especially if they know you are American.

m_kingdom2

Buy something from Asprey, 5th Ave. NYNY.

Whilst you could do the same in London, people always appreciate little gifts from Asprey - superbly packaged, and extravagantly luxurious.

twoutahneals

For my Austrian and german relatives I've given handcrafted native American jewelry, native semi precious jewels in raw mineral form, unique treats from Utah (where I live) like Salt water taffy, huckleberry jam, redmonds salt etc...

This time, next month, I'm bring Willow Tree figurines for the women. This will take quite a bit of room in my luggage but I figure more room for me to bring things home!

We taught our relatives to make chocolate chip cookies, so tragic that they don't sell chocolate chips or brown sugar or baking soda in europe, so I'm also bring those supplies, because they LOVE them!

Just a few extra ideas.

nukesafe

Wow, somebody unearthed a post that is almost 10 years old! It does, however, show that this is still an area of interest for travelers. Our solution is to bring something that we have made ourselves; easy to say, since my wife is a glass artist and can make personalized items to suit the recipient. None the less, if you have the ability and time an item that you made yourself has a much better chance of making a hit than a refrigerator magnet probably made in China.

amy_torres_sd

We've booked a tour with Paris Greeter, a volunteer organization. Any suggestions about what to bring from Los Angeles as a thank you to our tour guide, Jean-Nicholas? Below is his proposed walk:

I propose to you a nice visit in Paris' historical center : quartier latin, saint germain des prés, luxembourg garden, banks of the Seine... A walk in small streets and around gardens and markets. We can accomodate the visit according to your wishes for there are many things to see and to do. A morning visit is preferable on for there are less cars in the steet and light is fine. Looking forward to seeing you

nytraveler

Do NOT bring a gift - for someone you have never met. I would invite them to a nice lunch if they have the time.

amy_torres_sd

Thank you nytraveler, that is a sensible suggestion and one that will benefit us as well!

hollypop

a few more ideas, not 100% positive if these are available in europe or not though?:
smartwool socks, burts bees products, reeces peanut butter cups /pieces, luna bars, abercrombie&fitch clothing

PatrickLondon

It's a kind thought, but I think nytraveler has it right. Physical gifts like that aren't expected and might be misinterpreted, however well-meant.

Frances

Whilst it is correct that we can buy maple syrup in Britain, I had never (and still haven't) seen maple butter. I bought one in Jasper and after my Dad devoured it managed to get another in New York City. It was expensive.

Micheline

"British men over the age of 20 do not wear baseball caps. Full stop".
Tell that to my London lawyer son in law. He loves them.
My daughter always asks for Maple Syrup. Sure you can buy it there but at three times the price and ours is produced just three miles away.
Love the suggestion to include pancake mix.

centraleurope

When my US friends come to visit, all I really want them to bring is themselves! ( a dinner or lunch is appreciated).

I am embarrassed to admit how many hostess gifts I have placed out for the homeless near our building. We have a very small apartment with very little room for crap.

Some over priced, over wrapped gift from Anystore, NYC would go in the garbage the day after your visit.

Please, save the money. Your willingness to visit is all the gift I need.

Cowboy1968

Sometime you don't find stuff here in Europe because no one likes it. Or only very few like it.
Just because some items are not available here, it would be false to assume that they are wanted, needed, or liked. On the contrary, usually. Think peanut butter or items with it. Some love it to death, but by numbers these aficionados will be just a fraction of what you are used to at home. Most hate it or find it seriously odd to eat peanuts any other way than salted and roasted.

Unless you know that the recipients of your presents seriously love navajo rugs or pancake mixes or ask for it, do not bother. As PP said, it is really not the norm in many countries here to bring real hostess gifts. It's just too much.

And yes, you can buy here:
chocolate chips
brown/ cane sugar
baking soda
Dr Pepper
Abercrombie & Fitch is just a few minutes downtown - but if you insist, I will not throw a new hoodie in your face

What might really amaze your guests would be a bottle of nice wine if you come from a wine-making state - almost everybody here knows nothing but the 5.99 bottles from Gallo. But bottles are such a PITA to travel with (unless you get them at duty free and won't have to change planes in Europe).

When in doubt, take centraleurope's advice: Save the money. Your willingness to visit is all the gift I need.