Please, not another keychain. Mug. Pen. Tshirt. Beach towel. Lightswitch plate. No more kitschy, useless trinkets to fulfill the gifting obligation. Choosier shoppers will consider these 7 suggestions on their next vacation or business trip:
1. The Street – Consider giving friends and family a framed photo of an iconic landmark – taken yourself. With digital photography, even amateurs can get a perfect shot of the sunset in Key West or the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn. If you have a knack for drawing, sketch something striking. Upon returning from Stratford-upon-Avon, my uncle brought back a pencil rubbing of the Latin epitaph on Shakespeare’s funerary monument (ask permission before attempting this; New England, for example, has laws against it).
2. Grocery stores – Upon arriving at your destination, browse the duty free shop and note the prices on good liquor and candy. Then visit a local grocery store and compare. Be sure to check out the gourmet aisle for inexpensive, original finds. Bottled sauces and jellies make great presents, and crackers have surprisingly variety around the world. Local wines, coffee, tea, soaps and spices should be priced lower here. Meat products (even dried or canned) fruits and vegetables from foreign countries will not pass muster with customs. For a complete list of prohibited and restricted products, visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website www.cbp.gov. Beware of the overly exotic (octopus spread, anyone?) and stick with popular and somewhat familiar sundries.
3. Nature – It is possible to bring back a bit of nature without harming the environment or violating any regulations. Natural wool textiles, aromatherapy oils made using local plants or a photo book of wildflowers please conservationists and gift recipients in equal measure.
4. Currency – You’ll probably have some leftover anyway. Foreign coins and colorful bills make simple gifts, especially when presented in a velvet pouch or money holder. The recipient may even have a chance to use them someday on their own travels
5. Music – Could be tricky, admittedly, since music preferences tend to be quite personal. Stick to instrumental albums or recognizable standards.
6. Museum Gift Shops – Unique, tasteful jewelry, home d�cor and prints abound the gift shop of museums large and small around the world. Besides objects with unusual stories, you can also find an interesting selection of educational toys for children. Many museum gift shops make their wares available online. Always look in the sale section for great values – these stores are on the pricey side.
7. A handwritten card – A scenic postcard sent by snail mail is somewhat of an anomaly in today’s electronic world. Avoid postcards with images of busty babes or cheesy punch lines. Select a beautiful image, write a brief but meaningful message and who knows? It just might end up on somebody’s bulletin board or under a glass top desk, a visual respite. Novelty No-nos
Don’t we all have a junk drawer full of these? In addition to the items mentioned in the introduction, resist the temptation to bring home the old standbys:
– Ashtrays
– Lapel pins
– Lighters
– License Plates
– Refrigerator magnets
– Shot glasses
