What kind of souvenir do you collect?
 

I notice that a lot of people seem to collect a similar item from each country/city where they visit (examples are magnets, plates, even snow globes).<BR>I have traveled extensively throughout the US (not to Europe yet, I'll solve that next week) and have collected a really odd assortment of things.<BR>I would like to start collecting similar somethings, instead of a little bit of everything, to remember my trips by.<BR>What do you collect?<BR>

Very flat or small things that fit in my suitcase; scarves, earrings, bracelets.

My friend collects Christmas ornaments and has an entire international tree. I collect booklets of historic buildings.. and ticket stubs that I place in a collage after the trip, along with photos of my husband or I enjoying the place from whence the ticket stub came.

I collect hotel soap and Euros.

I'm not a shopper, but I sure collect a lot of bills in Europe!

shot glasses, tea sets and creches, I'm eclectic!!!

I collect art work from the various places I visit. weather it be sketches of the city, country side or just something that reminds me of being there when I return home. it is a bit of a pain getting it back home without ruining it--but a lot of my artwork that I have are just cheap prints with a great frame!

I collect refrigerator magnets. My refrigerator is about half coated with them. Every once in a while one catches my eye and I have a quick flashback of the time I had there.<BR><BR>Just remember to keep them away from any credit card magnetic strips when traveling!

I collect small dolls (6&quot;-8&quot;) from all over the world. They must be made in the country with the country costume (not those cheap plastic dolls) - I now need a new, larger cabinet. I used to try to buy a ring on each trip but cut back to gold charms (except for the rings I bought last February in Thailand - I went nuts!).

I collect key chains but not sure how to display them. Right now they're all in a basket. I also like to have a picture book of the places I visited. My husband collects shot glasses.

I collect single pieces of tableware . . . everytime I set the table, it's a trip down memory lane . . . &quot;oh, I got this bowl in Florence,&quot; &quot;mmm, I love this plate from Spain,&quot; you get the drift.<BR><BR>I also collect Christmas ornaments and small replicas of famous landmarks or buildings.<BR><BR>These all bring back glorius memories of my trips.

Toilet paper samples (weird, but true)

My wife and I collect something different at each place we travel to. It may a christmas ornament, a painting, a bowl, or even a stolen poster of a festival in cinque terra. The point is not to but something because you collect it but find something that will remind you of your travels.

I cannot find the 'fridge anymore for all the magnets.<BR>The stove proclaims at least two venues wraped over it's handle.<BR>Now the kitchen walls are sprouting copper ornaments like jellymoulds and collanders.

Country and City patches (which I put on my backpack and suitcase), and pins (badges) of places, cities, towns, and countries. Also postcards, which I send to my son (even though he's with us) in which I write stuff that we do so he'll remember our trips when he's old and we're gone. Those get placed in a photo album.

Deborah, what is a creche? Pardon my ignorance!

I was wondering the same thing - I always thought creche was another word for a child minding business...I assume thats not what Deborah is collecting!! :-)

In case Deborah is asleep at this time. <BR>A creche is a scene of the baby jesus born in the manger.<BR><BR>She must have been shopping at 'Christmas Villages'.

Good post. My main item to collect is magnets. They are all on my refrigerator, and the last time I counted, a few years ago, there were over 200. They cover the entire front, and the one side that is exposed (above the counter). When I get new ones, they have to be squeezed in.<BR><BR>I also have a bowl full of matchbooks from all over, but I often do not bother to get them when I am travelling.<BR><BR>The third thing I collect is shells and small rocks that I pick up from the ground. I would recommend this type of collection, since it is free! I try to pick up unusual and/or nice looking rocks. I have them in a nice size vase (about 2 foot tall) and have placed in front of a window. It looks really nice there. I don't label anything, they are all jsut in there together, but I have things from a lot of places - the Sahara desert, the top of Mt Vesuvius, the Grand Canyon, Machu Pichu, etc.

Dozens of postcards. Rocks. Books, mostly softcover, of all the places we've been--with lots of photos in them.