Ellen Griswold

USA Today recently featured an interesting and fun article regarding Travel Souvenirs of the past and present. Admit it, you've bought something on the road that makes you wonder when you get home, "What was I thinking?!!"

Please share with us l) the silliest purchase made, and 2) anything you like to collect when traveling.

BTW, among our purchases, we buy picture frames from the Parks, cities etc. and fill them with pics of our visit there. Placed around the house, they remind us of our special times together.

Tom

Silliest purchase: We had to have something soooo different from our trip to the South Pacific, we carried home a two foot high elephant made from crushed oyster shells. Two weeks later we bumped into a wall filled with them at Bed and Bath for a fraction of what we paid.. not to mention we ended up stuffing it in a closet. I collect rocks from different places I have gone-My wife hates this.

Parrot Mom

Long before I had parrots while in Aruba (1988), I searched and searched for something made locally...finally I found tires cut out and painted to look like parrots which were to be hung and used as plant hangers...We bought two (one is never enough LOL) and lugged them home on the plane..yes, I still have mine and gave the other as a gift. Also have purchased three, I repeat two mahogany rocking chairs in the D.R....they came in boxes broken down.. Sorry, I am a shopaholic...

Me

Our "white elephant" souvenir was a candle -- a huge, ornate "thang" that we saw being made. Soooo -- we just had to have it. Got it home and moved it from one place to another until it finally landed on the closet shelf. Last year when cleaning the closet, the candle finally made its way to the trash!

My problem is the clothes! You see something that is so appropriate in the tropical (or fridgid) climate, buy it, and then realize there is absolutely nowhere you can wear it at home.

I personnally collect children's books written by local authors -- ABC books preferably.

sandy

Fun Question!!! Lately, I buy whatever I want when the mood strikes me - within reason of course! Too many times I've seen something unique and didn't buy it, only to regret it when I got home.

DS collects matches and newspapers from each place we visit. DD collects spoons and Beanie Babies. DH buys golf balls imprinted with the attraction's logo.

Nanci

We try to encourage our children to buy postcards from each place we visit. It's not only economical, but the perfect reminder of where we've been. Along with our photographs, of course.

Speaking of which - approximately how many rolls of film do you take on your trips? DH thinks I take too many - so i'd like to see what you do. TIA

Cathy

What a great question! I think the screaming pink straw hat I bought in San Juan and coconut piggybank (hairy and all) take top honors. Lately, I take free things as souvenirs. For example, we were recently in Las Vegas and I really wanted a momento of our strolls through the various casinos. Each one has individual packages of handwipes that has the hotel logo on front. These sit around in a drawer just as well as anything else. Voila...souvenir! We always take 4 rolls of 32 exposure film with us when we go on vacation.

Kim

We like to get Christmas ornaments or something that can be used as an ornament from each place. We also like to get local hot sauces - if that's appropriate to the area.

Kim

We like to get Christmas ornaments or something that can be used as an ornament from each place. We also like to get local hot sauces - if that's appropriate to the area.

Lisa

When in Vegas a few years ago, we visited nearly all the casino's, for a moment in most, longer at a few, just to at least get a peek at each. At each casino, I signed up for the cards that you insert into the slot machines when you play, each casino has its own design/logo, most will type your name on them. Got home with about 20/25 of them, glued magnetic strips to the back and have them as fridge magnets!

Also fill an empty film canister part-way w/ sand from any beach I've gone to, and put the sand into small, pretty glass bottles, which end up on a shelf in my bathroom, which is done in a tropical fish theme.

Oh yeah, I get 1 tropical (glass, always)fish whenever I see one when I travel.

GOL

Silliest - Maps. Love to collect maps, (all kinds) and have so many that there is no more room...

When travelling - Like to get our NPS Passport and NWR books stamped when visiting (only 300 or so more to go!)

Also, tacky magnets (tackier the better) and hat pins

Also, when special, we take the restaurant menu and frame it.

Alli

My husband collects shot glasses. If we bring one more home I will be sick!! We have hundreds, and I mean hundreds!

He had built racks to hold them all and were proudly displayed in "the bar room". They got to be the largest dust collectors. Then, when we remodeled the bar, I thought the racks should go. He agreed but vowed that one day they would return. Now they lay in storage bins under a bed. Yet, we just came back from a 2 week vacation, and he purchased 4 or 5 more!

Even our friends buy them for him when they travel.

What can you do but to let them have fun!

Rhonda

Absolutely any purchase made at Walt Disney World will definitely be a Goodwill bag after I get home and sane again. Something about that place makes me buy pointless items with Pooh on them.

Lori

What a fun question! Let's see - T-shirts are always a biggie - usually from the Hard Rock Cafe. Postcards to supplement my own pictures. A great item in Vegas was the coin buckets from each casino - gave them to my nieces, they make great beach toys. Always buy scarves in Paris and food items. Silliest - the straw hat from Tijuana - wore it once on Halloween.

suzan

I take home the soaps and toiletries! I also recently found some from my youth in my mom's home, they were still intact and totally cool (from Vegas, Yellowstone and area)! Now, dd thinks they're hers.

Dorrene

My husband collects Hard Rock Cafe pins. He has a denim jacket that he puts them on. Sounds tacky, but it's not. It looks very cool!!! And what a conversation getter..... People love to admire his jacket. He has about 40 so that the he and friends/family have collectected for him.

Don Smith

1. Silliest: I used to collect coffee mugs but after a couple of years I had too many to keep in the cupboard.
2. I now like to get a Hard Rock Cafe glass or a nice refrigerator magnet. The best souvenirs have bee photographs I've taken myself.

sandy

We've bought dozens of t-shirts, in every shape, size and color...which is a real problem when they're outgrown...

Attention crafter/quilters! Does anyone know how to make a quilt out of these by cutting out just the logo and putting them together? Does anyone have a pattern, or URL to visit? TIA

Lily

My husband collects Hard Rock Cafe City T's. They are good quality and always handy for casual attire.

MOST TACKY: I bought 2 fake gold chains from a guy in Tiajuana just to to get him to leave me alone. I was so mad at myself afterwards for "caving in" to his pressure sales I have never worn them!

Betsy

Cleaning out my old room at my parents, I came across some old pennants from various attractions in the '60s. Does anyone know it there's a market for those, like with other '60s memorabilia? They're in great condition but I don't think they fit our decor now.....maybe ebay?!