UKers, what present would u like from Australia?
 

We are Australians who will be visiting England in January 2009. We would like to have presents to give to some of our favourite people when we see them in England.

I need presents for the following people:

1. Three grandparents
2. A woman in her early 50's who travels all over the world as part of her job and picks up gorgeous things along her way (so it's very hard to find something she hasn't already got - AAAAAAGH!!!!)
3. A man in his 60's who is the partner of the woman who travels all over the world
4. A man and woman in their mid 40's
5. Two girls aged 9 and 11

I am thinking of buying each grandparent a digital photo frame and loading it with lots of photos of their children and grandchildren.

I am really stumped as to what to buy for everyone else. Now that just about anything can be bought anywhere in the world, do you have any suggestions as to what they might like, based on what you, or people you know, might like and can't get in England? I suppose my budget for the people listed in points 2 to 5 would be about 50 Euros each.

The gifts could be Australiana-type items, or we will be in Europe (Austria, Czech Rep, Germany, Italy, and France) for the 4 weeks before we get to England, so I could buy gifts there if anyone has any suggestions.

One more thing - the gifts need to be small and light because I am trying to keep the size and weight of the suitcases down. Our 3 children will each be responsible for managing their own suitcase, and neither of the adults want a slipped disc as a souvenir of our holiday!

Cake Mix - Everyone can have a go at making them, from kids to Granny

There was a recent thread similar to this and that was the overwhelming view of what to give as a gift, the recipients were reported to be bowled over with it

Geordie ;)

The great thing about this question is that we can answer it honestly without upsetting people. Unlike the similar question from nationals of a similar-sized New World English-speaking country whose citizens don't travel quite as much as you do.

No doubt some of your neighbours still haven't quite recovered from discovering how difficult it was to get Vegemite when they were doing their OE in Earls Court, and keep taking pallets of the stuff to their chums in England. They dimly suspect the gunk goes straight on the compost heap and the bottles into the recycling - but can't bring themselves to believe even Poms can be so misguided as not appreciate Vegemite.

But there's a sad truth. Aussie expatriates may lie awake in Surbiton dreaming of an Arnott's Chocolate Scotch Finger, and there are doubtless Britons who fell in love with Bundaberg Ginger Beer on their gap year. But, these days, it's pretty good rule of thumb that is Tesco or M&S don't sell it (and many Tesco breanches do indeed sell Vegemite these days), it's because few Britons want it. And most of us have houses crammed to the gunwalls with photo albums of bits of the US, Canada and Australia.

Unless there's something Australian you KNOW FOR ABSOLUTE CERTAIN your friends want, forget about the fact you're from Down Under and they're Up Over.

As for buying something from Austria or Germany: would a Sydneysider really appreciate something a Pom bought in Darwin on the flight down? Where do you think we spend our spare time? No-one here bother buying Italianate gewgaws after a few days skiing in the Val d'Aosta or a dirty weekend in Venice.

Only you know the answer to your question. If these people lived in Australia and you were going to spend a weekend with them, what would you buy? Doubtless an artwork, trinket, book or whatever that reflected their tastes.

So too with your English chums. You know them, and we don't. The right present for them comes from what you share - not the trivial fact that you live 10,000 miles away

Thanks flanneruk - you're quite right. I actually know that the thing my friends would like the most(excluding the 2 girls) is wine or spirits, but I really don't want to drag Australian bottles around Europe with me before I get to England. Our last stop before England is Berlin. Do you have any advice for me as to whether I should buy German wine / spirits for them, or I could get it when we arrive in England I suppose. We are landing at Luton.

Please excuse the big mistake above - I don't actually mean that my friends would like the 2 girls - meant to say "the thing my friends (excluding the 2 girls) would like the most is....

I'm no expert on the top end of German food retailing. But the Food Hall at Berlin's KaDeWe has most things you might want.

Subject to the complications of getting booze onto planes (it has to be in checked baggage unless you buy it at the airport), ALL booze is a lot cheaper - even at KaDeWe prices - in Germany than in Britain

Even imported Australian wine is a lot cheaper in Germany than in Australia. If you're not looking for some specialties from a small winery that would be an option.

Hmmm. I think, that in a slightly less preposterously phrased way, I totally agree with Flanner.

Why don't you organise for a couple of seriously good bottles of not readily available wine to be collected here. I'm think Penfold's Grange; Tahbilk's pre- phylloxera stuff; Laura is always popular too, and impossible to get here.

I got some nice presents from Australia recently.

I got coasters (you know for under glasses) in really unusual shapes made out of some strange wood - but environmentally sound. I got an apron that I really like with a big koala on it - kitschy - but cute. I would never buy it for me but I was really happy to receive it as a gift. I also got little koala soft toys for the baby - some some cute koala trinkets for the two girls might go down well.

Well I think the photo frames idea is a great one, and you can easily keep them updated too.
Also Lawchick's suggestions seem good to me, certainly the girls will love koala type presents, and really for the others I would maybe buy something cheap and kitschy but very Australian for them all and maybe top it off with a bottle of good wine. Or maybe a couple of Czech crystal glasses to drink the wine from?
If you are a photographer how about framing a photo you have taken of somewhere lovely near you?

Great ideas everyone. Thanks so much! All the recipients of gifts are English, so the idea of organising some Aussie wine, a photo from my neck of the woods, coasters and koala-type trinkets are very helpful. Also, the suggestion of glasses from the Czech Rep are is smart because I don't think any of the people in question - except the one who travels all over the world - have been there.

Is Aboriginal art readily available in England these days? I think it is very beautiful and unusual, so perhaps I could even find something in that line....

Oh, if you should happen to get a case of Grange hermitage, and have a couple of spare bottles, email me.

The girls (and maybe even the adults) might appreciate the fact that Australians have sweets under - to us - exotic names, even if the reality is more or less the same as some of our brands - I'm thinking Violet Crumble. That's if you can get them here without their melting or disintegrating in transit.

They might enjoy finding out about Tim Tam Slams as well (though only you know whether their parents would approve)....

Eigasuki, I've actually got a quite a few bottles of Grange here at home - and I don't drink (for health reasons, not moral ones) which makes my DH very happy because he doesn't have to share!

Some Australia DVDs that may not be available over there - Chris Lilley's We Could Be Heroes or Summer Heights High, The Underbelly Series, Changi, Marking Time, Two Men In A Tinnie

Hi

I recently took some koalas (not real ones!) to Italy. I bought them in Cairns, they were made of sheepskin, and were FLAT, if you can picture that. They're very light, don't take up much room. The recipients loved them. I have one of my own who travels with me, and has had his picture taken with all sorts of interesting people, in interesting places.

PatrickLondon, what a great idea! I hadn't thought of sweets. We have all sorts of different sweets here and the girls are bound to be intrigued. As we'll be travelling in mid-winter they shouldn't melt.

The DVD idea is very smart Sarvowinner - I'll get some of those.

YvonneT, could you describe your flat koalas in a bit more detail please. Are they seatbelt covers, or hotwater bottle covers, or toys? Sounds like a very, very good idea.

>The DVD idea
but don't forget to check region codes. They must be either codefree or 2.

Afaik many DVDs sold have region 2 and 4. Those work fine.

I got my 8 year old year neice some uggs (australian made not the usa versions) when we went to Australia at Christmas and she LOVED them. They are so much cheaper than here in the UK,you may not want to spend that much (they were about £35)

Some sun and warm weather wouldn't go amiss - we'll trade you for some water