Gift ideas to bring relatives in Italy

[dvg1027]

Hi,

We, (husband, my parents and I) are going to Italy next May. We will be staying there 3 weeks although the middle week we will be on a cruise,(RCCL's Spendour of the Seas). The rest of the time my husband and I stay with one cousin, my parents stay with my aunt and we meet every day for lunch and/or dinner at my other cousins.

 

We usually bring gifts for the relatives. My aunt we don't have to worry about as my father is paying for her cruise. But my cousins and their wives, (ages 56-64) we are at a loss for.

 

Last time we visited we brought a crystal Empire States building for one couple and a crystal Statue of Liberty for the other.

 

Can anyone give me any ideas? We want to spend about $100 per couple.

I know posters sometimes suggest getting something connected with where you live. We live in NJ and my parents in FL but I can't come up with much even with that. Thanks.

[Keith1010]

Keep in mind that if the US dollar continues to weaken against the Euro you won't get anything for $100.00 :) Just kidding.

 

In Italy we have purchased music boxes as gifts. They range in prices but that might be something to consider.

 

Keith

[readboat]

We have the same problem. We are visiting family in Ravenna after our cruise in May. I don't have any idea as to what to bring them.

Our cousin who lives in Maine just brought them maple syrup from Maine.

We are from Michigan.

We might just have to take them out for a nice dinner.

[dvg1027]

Problem is since we stay with them, they pull out all the stops for their "American Aunt and Uncle and Cousins" and won't take any money from us for groceries, etc. So when we go over if we go out to dinner we do pay the bill. We just also like to bring them something that is reminiscent of the USA.

[cberge]

If you can make one or two and then roll them up and put in a tube to get them there..then buy the frames there...why not make them a collage of the US using pictures or postcards from coast to the other..north to south..that,IMHO,would be a great way to bring them something from the US.Or do the pictures and put them in a scrapebook type book..great way to see the US even with ads of things they may not have seen.Something homemade..something from the heart.Another thing would be to find out any kind of food stuffs they may like that they can't get in Italy.

[SoCalGal]

My daughter went to Italy on her honeymoon and brought me a wonderful small bottle of olive oil...I loved it!

[bxny]

When my son was going to Japan to meet his future in laws, I bought Woodstock Chimes for him to bring as a gift. They are made in America . Hope this helps.

[Capsu78]

Buying gifts for Italians and others you are visiting is a tough call.

We went to stay with our exchange students parents in Norway a few years ago and struggled with the same issue. We settled on a couple of bottles of nice California wine, which they opened our first dinner there (which was not our intention).

As we got to know each other better he said to me, "If you ever come back, bring me as many duty free Marlboros as you can carry in your luggage!"

 

That being said, I think if alcohol is appropriate, a large bottle of a major international brand (Johnny Walker, etc) is one alternative. Or looking for American brands that have international cache (maybe Coach purse?) would be considered.

 

You could also go to www.tripadvisor.com , and ask the question on one if its Italian forums, and see if they come up with anything useful. This much is true- Europeans are very much aware of the US brands.

 

Good Luck.

[franu]

Visiting relatives or friends in Italy was a an unbelievable treat. As I didn't know some of the people we stayed with I found it difficult to bring gifts.

 

Not knowing what their circumstances are it is easy to think that things are as they were when family immigrated to North America. This is often quite far from reality.

 

Fortunately I found some nice Canadian art within my price range. When I returned home I sent them books "A Day in the Life of Canada." There is an American version called "A Day in the Life of America". I found that the books were very treasured gifts and gave them an opportunity to see how diverse things are on this side of the pond.

Fran

[photographia]

You're so right, this is a tough one! But some of the other posters have mentioned food/drink gifts, and that might be the way to go. (Although I wouldn't bring California wine to Italy, as their own wine is SO good...) Maybe Texas pecans, or Vermont maple syrup (which I think another poster mentioned)? The one thing to keep in mind if you bring food is that it has to be something that can get through customs--something in sealed packaging.

 

Is anyone on your gift list interested in any American sports teams? Believe it or not, years ago I met some Italians who loved the Washington Redskins!! If so, perhaps something "official" with their logo on it, and Made-in-USA, would be appreciated.

[Capsu78]

Not that this solves the "nice gift" situation, but I did have a thought. When I went to France last summer, via Ireland and a day in Italy, I brought along with me some "flag pins" of the US flag crossing the flag of Ireland, some crossing the flag of Italy and a large pile of US/France flag pins (Cost around .50 per).

I would carry them in my pocket, and when I would come upon a helpful direction giver, or a particularly nice shop keeper, or even a competant barkeeper, I would give them a pin. ( My teen age daughter said "You did WHAT?")...

Anyway I found the pins where simple and welcome, sometimes got me a courtesy drink (not my intention) and 99% of the time a big smile along with many "I LOVE America!" comments... even in France!

 

Got them here: http://www.doverflag.com/maps.htm

 

Anyway, that got me thinking that if "DVG" knows the locations of where they are staying, you might be able to find an old reproduction map of the area in Italy you are staying. Easy to transport, something not commonly found and I can envision a pretty good conversation starter, especially if the map went back a long way, or even just back to WWII. (I say this because the Army mapped out Italy quite extensively during the Italian campaign. Might be many local maps, circa 1942 available courtesy the US Army)

 

There are many internet sources to find reproduction maps, or call the link I have listed above if you are interested. The guy at the Dover Flag Store in Racine WI is a retired guy, very into maps and really likes talking about them.

[Capsu78]

And one other thought... Not for your "gift" per sea, but as a conversation starter-

The Italians love food, and that includes the buying of it. Everywhere in Italy I have been, from Venice to Sicily, uses color advertising in newsprint to advertize grocery store specials, etc. You might want to bring along the "circular" from your local supermarket in NJ to talk about whats in season, what it costs etc. A few pictures of the produce grown in your region of NJ, your supermarket produce section etc... trust me, someone in the Italian family you are visiting is interested in seeing how you do your marketing.

Every Italian I have ever met, even the men, seem to know exactly when the olives need to be harvested or when the grapes are ready, because they know mom or grandpa or Uncle Guido will be calling them (on their cell phone) to help with the harvest. And as one Italian tour guide put it to me, you had better be available or momma ain't gonna be happy!

[edinburgher]

Why dont you simply ask them what they would like?:)

 

Tell them you will be bringing gifts regardeless of their protests that you do not, so would they prefer something of your choosing or something of theirs?

 

You might get some surprising answers.....things you might never have thought of.

 

Then again you might get no answerrs so will be back on this board!

[Love Cruis'n]

This past summer both our tour guide in Naples, and out head waiter on board were dying to get their hands on iphones – not released in Europe yet.