Gifts from the US
 

We have been graciously offered a two night stay with a family(have never met)in Czech. We would like to bring a few small gifts with us to show our appreciation. We first thought about a cookbook from New England, but found out that there is only one family member that reads english. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. There are the parents and 3 young adults in the family.

Boston Red Sox shirts or hats? Maple syrup?

Or Patriots or Celtics stuff!!

Maple syrup keeps coming up. They don't watch baseball, but hey the football shirt might work. Thanks

We are struggling with same question for dtr's homestay in Argentina. Food of any kind can be problematic with customs. Sports items depend too much on people and size. We are currently looking on Amazon at some photo books of Boston/New England - they have some narration but are primarily nice photos - gives hosts some idea of where you are from.

The nicest gift we ever received from foreign visitors (we seem always to be hosting someone from somewhere) were 3 inexpensively framed old postcards that the grandfather of a teenager visitor donated to the gift process. They are still hanging on our wall. Probably the least expensive gift we ever received, but the best.

Candy is always appreciated. Candy that is made in the USA that they cannot buy - some brands are available. In Hungary, they like pancake and cake mixes. I used to take Lang paper products like calendars and notes but now they aren't made in our area anymore.

Cape Cod potato chips would be great except they would probably get crushed.

Processed foods, like jams, aren't usually a problem.

We've taken dish towels with pictures of local places--they pack easily and everyone needs to replace their dishtowels from time to time.

Jelly Belly Jelly Beans. I took DD a 4lb box of them when I went to visit and they were received like gold. Maybe a nice silk scarf for the mother or a nice bracelet or necklace for her or one of the young adults if female. For the father or any sons, I don't know. Maybe oe of your areas specialities if appropriate.

They probably don't follow US sports so I would bag that. You might find photo books of Boston or new England (our fall colors are much better than anything you see in Europe) and it could even have a little history thrown in.

Real maple syrup is a good idea - but you will have trouble getting it there (I wouldn;t want to put it in my checked luggage).

A Boston Pops CD?

Maple sugar would transport more easily than maple syrup, but it might be too sweet for them.

If you plan to take something like jams or jellies (or syrups), I'm guessing you have to put them in checked luggage (unless they are less than 3 ounces). I have carried homemade preserves, in glass jars, from Florida to Boston in checked luggage (with a change of planes) more than once, so it can be done if you pack them correctly. Something with Maine blueberries would be very New England.

Cookbooks aren't a great idea for foreigners since they use the metric system. Small books or calendars work well (the language barrier wouldn't matter much if there are nice pictures). Perhaps a trip to Faneuil Hall Marketplace might be a good location to find something New England-y since they cater to tourists who need to pack their wares as well. Something from the ocean might be unique - lobstah refrigerator magnet! The lobster chocolates I brought back to the office after a recent trip home were a big hit!

like JOTO mentions - Jelly Belly's..DD took them to Europe, and they were a hit !

I decided on Jelly Bellys' maple syrup(will find a away to transport),pancake mixe. Since we live on the coast some items with a coastal theme. Thanks for the input.

On several occasions ( Russia and Ireland), gifts with US athletic teams logos have been very well received.Also photo books of your home region.

i know people suggest books,but they are heavy, and I think really not very useful. We have found sports stuff to be VERY well received also. One thing we have done on home visits is to take pictures of OUR town and house, etc. Post cards even. The families have always been very interested in these.

Sports/Pop music/ North American Liquor(Whiskey and Tequila) items have worked great for us..on a personal level, our friends overseas like to have something that their professional counterparts in the US have(example- a NYC police jacket for a Czech policeman)

Our Italian relatives are thrilled with sports themed items.

They also enjoyed Christmas ornaments from our city which we sent to each person.

My Italian friend is very interested in American body products - lotions, shower gels, etc...but those won't travel as well and would need to go into checked luggage.

Another idea would be stationary from a local paper shop.

ok now I have more ideas!!!thanks.

We brought inexpensive hand made jewelry to the female relatives and watches for the males which we thought were only availble in the US.

I always want to bring them towels, since theirs are like using a squeeze-gee as you push the water down your body.

FrankS is right people seem to like NYPD and NYFD gear as well.

I own a gallery that sells handmade American craft - woodwork, ceramics, blown glass, jewelry, etc - and would highly recommend bringing something of that type. Many people come to us for gifts when they're headed overseas and there are lots of great options they definitely could never find at home and that travel well. Do you know of a shop near you that specializes in handcrafted art by US artisans, or maybe a museum store? You could even try etsy.com. Our most popular items are ceramic "spirit rattles," salad tongs, cheese boards & spreaders - items that can pack pretty small and aren't too fragile for the suitcase. There are plenty of great options out there, so shop American and support a local business at the same time! Trust me, we small biz owners need all the help we can get these days :)

It's true that american towels are in a whole other class than most of the ones you can get in europe (and way cheaper) - but they take up an an awful lot of room in luggage. If you were sending a gift afterward that might help - since they don't weight much. (Luxury towels in europe are wonderful - but cost the earth.)