We are going to visit friends in Spain. What gifts should we take?
 

We are visiting friends in Elche. We live in Washington DC. We would like to bring them some gifts. It is a husband, wife and two boys (12-years). Any suggestions?

We go through all the time when we visit relatives in Spain. And this question always starts a debate.

Boys always liked watches, the women jewelry. Sometimes we bring well done NYC plates or mugs or in your case DC. And they do not have the quality maple syrup that we have in the States and Canada.

We took maple syrup as a thank you..Seemed appreciated..

Foodstuffs are a problem in that they can be a bit "local" to the US and Canada. What do they eat that they'd put it on? It may well seem to be appreciated, but they're hardly going to tell you it isn't.

I'd take the 12 year olds a baseball cap each of the Redskins and the parents a good local wine from your area.

There is plenty of good wine available in Alicante, so unless you select something especially nice, it will not be that impressive. We sometimes take a couple packages of good smoked Pacific Northwest salmon to share with our friends, but other than that I'm at a loss when it comes to taking food items. Most of what is available in Spain is of much higher quality (Jamón ibérico, olive oil, etc.) then what I can find at home.

If you where passing through France, then I suggest some good Pyrenees cheese.

Don't take maple syrup unless your friends are Americans.

Or Canadians!

I like to give truly American stuff, so the smoked salmon and the Redskins ballcap would work for me.

I like these bracelets for girls/women:

http://www.shakerworkshops.com/catal...racelets/14H36

The same website has beautiful baskets (including miniatures), a smallish hand-made broom and, if you can manage the weight in your luggage, lots of wooden things for kitchen and entertaining.

http://www.shakerworkshops.com/catalog/index

Our Spanish friends could not get enough maple syrup once they tasted it in Canada.
They took several bottles back to Spain ....we keep sending them new " supplies".
But, I would not take it to someone who is not familiar with the taste.

I really think we can find a lot of things in Spain, especially if you use the internet.
Is the trinkets idea a bit out dated these days?

I really think we can find a lot of things in Spain, especially if you use the internet.
Is the trinkets idea a bit out dated these days?

___

You better tell that to all those stores in Spain that sell them.

For the kids, hats or shirts of the local sport teams.

For the adults, maybe a bottle or two of Virginia wine or a few bottles of a good microbrew beer. Or one bottle of Virginia wine and two bottles of beer (Dogfish Head would be a good choice).

Robert253 has a good point regarding wine.

I just had a thought: make them dinner, but not just any dinner. Make some Maryland crabcakes. Bring some canned lump bluecrab meat plus whatever ingredients you need for crabcakes (like Old Bay) and make crabcakes, french fries (or hushpuppies), and corn on the cob. My mouth is watering as I type this.

Oh, and bring the kids something from the Redskins or Capitals.

The trouble with corn on the cob is that it has to be absolutely fresh or it goes starchy. Would there be a handy farmers' market where you could get it.
There does seem to be a thing about maple syrup on this forum. It's quite nice, but it might end up in the back of the larder.
Also, I'm not at all sure that I'd want somebody commandeering my kitchen. If I could bring myself to leave the room, I'd be fretting about breakages and misuse of appliances.

If your friends have visited the US, why not ask them what they'd like?

Your reservation about letting someone cook in my kitchen is the same one I would have. :D

Good point on the corn. Oh well.

Why aren't you just taking whatever you'd take to friends on the other side of America?

...."Why aren't you just taking whatever you'd take to friends on the other side of America?"

I don´t think this needs an answer.. really, but here goes

PERHAPS the poster was hoping there might be something ORIGINAL from the USA that would especially please a foreigner. Therefore hoping to get expert advice from the nice Fodorite travel group.

Dukes mayo.

How about nicely packaged jars of honey and jam produced locally from wherever you live? My understanding is that honey flavors reflect local conditions/plants, so you would be bringing a taste of your home.

Honey and jam are both excellent suggestions since both of those are eaten by most Spaniards.

You have to be careful about any food item as most countries have regulations banning most fresh items and some processed ones. I'd be very surprised if you could get corn on the cob past customs anywhere.

I'm surprised that some posters are discouraging you from taking maple syrup. We always take several cans when we visit our daughter in Australia, and give it to her friends and neighbours who welcome and entertain us. They love it, (and love us as a result).

For the adults, I think a quality item that is representative of your local area is a good choice. There must be some fabulous museum gift shops in Washington as a good place to start. An art calendar, set of coasters, especially nice mugs are usually easy to find. And if your friends have ever spent time in the US, or even if they haven't, I would ask if there is something they can't get at home they would like you to bring. I always take a certain lipstick to my daughter's mother in law in Oz, who has liked it ever since her visit to Canada years ago.

I wasn't saying bring your own corn. They sell the stuff in Spain, you know.

Our relatives who live on a farm and they make fun of us for eating corn, because that is what they feed the pigs.

Weird. I was in Spain last week and someone was selling corn on a cob on a stick. And people were buying it.

Could be the difference between country and city living or the generations. I was shocked when our young cousins had Sangria. For years it was swill with fruit and later a drink only consumed by tourists.

Australians probably eat pancakes or french toast. Spaniards were introduced to pancakes years ago but with chocolate syrup and whipped cream.. but some are crazy about a maple syrup diet and it IS quite expensive here.

Spain is also a very large country so different attitudes towards food does not surprise me in the least.

I like bringing house gifts that are handcrafted in my area, whether I am visiting in the US or abroad.

If you're visiting friends whom you know well, you probably have some idea of their interests, and could think of something that would please them. Otherwise, some craft item from your town, or a photo book of the area where you live, or a local-themed calendar, are not bad ideas. For the kids, rather than a baseball hat, I would suggest a t-shirt or sweatshirt of a university near where you live.

I think food is too much a matter of personal taste, unless you know what they like, and if your friends live in a large city, there's almost nothing in the food line they can't get there.

The lady we rent a home from always wants **TOWELS**

The big fluffy ones

Don't bring R--skins ballcaps, bring Washington Nationals.

Better yet, DC United jerseys because you're talking about kids in a country that is completely mad for soccer.

P.S. - Forget the name issue, the R--skins are the football equivalent of the Boston Red Sox - historically the most racist franchise in the NFL.

https://espn.go.com/page2/wash/s/2002/0305/1346021.html

Towels can be purchased from Portugal.
So called sweet corn is also only grown for the pigs here in Galicia.
Basket ball is quite big here. Second to football (sorry some say soccer. Maybe a genuine ball or hoop from the local team. But then maybe the children prefer xbox. And Like I said we can get most things in Spain!
As far as honey is concerned we also have that for sale here. If they want home produced they more than likely can purchase that at the local market if they dont have family whose bees make it.

Like I said trinkets are dead, so how about taking them for a slap up meal at an expensive local restaurant.

Ask if they need a new computer - much cheaper here, I believe. Otherwise, Ribeira's suggestion of a nice dinner is good. No one needs trinkets or crappy caps or T-shirts. Those days are long gone. And, as was said, foodstuffs are better in Spain - Spanish honey is just fabulous.

<i>Ask if they need a new computer - much cheaper here, I believe.</i>

Just watch the region on the DVD.

I think a bottle of Monticello wine would be a nice gift.

The two food items I have brought over with the most success (besides wine) are peanut brittle and Cholula hot sauce. The above suggestion about the museum stores in DC is an excellent one - they have great museum stores, with items for the whole family.

We have friends in Madrid with 3 children age 9 ,12, &15. I bring them or send them items from Cherry Republic ( we live in Michigan they have all sorts of dried cherry products. Chocolate covered cherries, cherry jam, trail mix with cherries., etc. This is always a big hit. It is easy to pack. Please note, You are not allowed to bring or send food items into Spain from the US.
Hope this helps.

No food items? what do you mean? Fresh foods?

<i>Please note, You are not allowed to bring or send food items into Spain from the US. </i>

False.