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.)