Gift for host family

[HRAAB]

My dd is studying in Germany this summer and wants to give a gift to the family she will be staying with. When it comes to buying gifts, I am pretty clueless.  I was thinking something unique from America, but what in the world would that be???  And what is appropriate?

[Nan in Mass]

We've always done a jug of maple syrup.

Nan

[Starr]

We send maple syrup and the kids take chocolate chips and converted recipes to bake cookies. They might have to take baking soda or something with them. It's been a couple of years. Or bags with a picture of something from our country . Are you near a major site of interest? TShirts for kids.

[HRAAB]

I never thought of maple syrup because I didn't know you could take it on the plane.  I'm not much of a traveler.  I like that idea.

[Anne]

You cannot carry it on! But it can go in your checked baggage. Other ideas include any small item your area is known for.

 

Anne

[J-rap]

I would send something light and not fragile.  Is there something that is unique to your state or area?  A pretty fabric piece (table runner), for example?  Or a nice wall calendar that has scenes of your state in it?  When my dd went to Central America for the first time, she brought a bag of wild rice (grown in our state), a kitchen towel that had a map of our state on it, and a box of instant snow (which we have in abundance in our state  :)).  Kind of random gifts, but they were fun.  Another dd brought a little dish made by a local potter, although she had to pack it carefully.

[Pam in CT]

Board games are fun, and if your daughter knows how to play upon arrival, can serve as an early icebreaker.  Visually- or math- oriented games that don't entail a lot of language (Set, Five Crowns, Farkle etc) are easy to share cross-culturally.

 

I'd also second the idea of anything very specific/traditional to your part of the country.  And maps!  Europeans seem to adore maps  :laugh: ....

 

Best wishes for your daughter.

[Liza Q]

When my daughter did a summer in Germany, she brought a set of four mugs with a lovely William Morris design from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Shop. I liked them so much that she bought a set for me that Christmas!

[HRAAB]

Thanks for the suggestions.  Now we have a shopping list.

[MEmama]

If you are from maple syrup country and aren't checking bags, you can take maple sugar candies on the flight. We took maple cream once thinking it would be solid enough; the young security guy was skeptical at first until an older security woman came over and started gushing about how yummy it is. So we got lucky. :) But I'd stick with candies from now on.

[MEmama]

I like the idea of a tea towel, too, if you can find one representative of your state or area. It packs easily and everyone uses them. They can be very beautiful, I often give them as gifts for people I don't know well.

[Hoggirl]

http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/state-dish-towels

 

^link to tea towels

[Ravin]

I would go with something more local culture than general Americana. Local products from your state, perhaps. I live in Arizona and rather than maple syrup, might send agave syrup or prickly pear jam. For a less edible gift, something made by a local craft person, maybe a landscape art print or something like that.

[school17777]

I second the chocolate chips. That's what my German friend always wanted. She also loved corn on the cob, so I wonder if canned corn would be a hit.

[madteaparty]

My dd is studying in Germany this summer and wants to give a gift to the family she will be staying with. When it comes to buying gifts, I am pretty clueless. I was thinking something unique from America, but what in the world would that be??? And what is appropriate?

I went overboard with individual gifts, so gap or Abercrombie shirts for the kids, a scarf for mom and leather gloves for dad.

[abcmommy]

Ha!  I also took maple syrup!  I would NOT take chocolate chips.  My swiss host fam turned up their noses at American chocolate.