Deleted
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Apr 26, 2024 19:10:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 0:52:34 GMT
I just got back from vacation (Viking cruise Paris/Normandy - it was awesome!). I hate to shop in general, and the last thing I feel like doing when I'm on vacation is standing in line to buy little "made in China" crap to give people when I get home. (An exception, if I did see something unique that I know a person would really like, I would buy that.) I think this policy is pretty well known, and I'm generous with friends/family in other ways, but I still feel vaguely guilty about it. Is this horrible? Does anyone else shun the whole souvenir thing?
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Nink
Pearl Clutcher
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Jul 1, 2014 23:30:44 GMT
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Post by Nink on Dec 8, 2014 0:55:25 GMT
I don't. I've never been overseas, but imagine if I did I would probably buy my sister a little something, but that'd be it. When she went to Germany she brought me back a handmade table runner. I love it and treasure it. So maybe something like that if I happened upon one.
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Post by melanieg on Dec 8, 2014 0:55:38 GMT
I buy a t-shirt for my niece and nephew (6 and 3 yrs). I will also buy unique things for Christmas presents while on vacation. I also try to pick up a local piece of art from a vendor on the street or art market for my mom. I try to get it signed for her as well. I don't buy touristy things that get thrown away quick.
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Post by padresfan619 on Dec 8, 2014 0:58:18 GMT
I buy shot glasses for my brother. It is easy enough to get at the airport of wherever I'm visiting.
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Deleted
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Apr 26, 2024 19:10:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 1:04:38 GMT
Absolutely not. I would have when DD was little, but no one in our life wants extra crap piling up and they don't care where we've vacationed.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 1:06:05 GMT
Just to buy them a souvenir? No. They didn't take the trip so the item has no meaningful memories attached. But, if a gift giving occasion is coming up and I happen to see something I know they would like I'll get it as a unique gift. Not as a "I feel guilty for taking a vacation you didn't" gift.
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akathy
What's For Dinner?
Still peaing from Podunk!
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Jun 25, 2014 22:56:55 GMT
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Post by akathy on Dec 8, 2014 1:08:00 GMT
Absolutely not. I would have when DD was little, but no one in our life wants extra crap piling up and they don't care where we've vacationed. This. Not only all that but you also have to pack it and schlep it around. I quit buying souvenirs a long, long time ago.
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Post by freecharlie on Dec 8, 2014 1:08:17 GMT
If I travel without my kids, i bring them something home. Same if I were to travel without dh. I wouldn't buy for others unless I saw something I really wanted to gift someone
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back to *pea*ality
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys ~refugee pea #59
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Jun 25, 2014 19:51:11 GMT
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Post by back to *pea*ality on Dec 8, 2014 1:10:21 GMT
We did the Viking Portraits of Southern France cruise in October and then spent time in Paris. I did sent postcards from various ports to my son, dad and kids of a friend. The souvenirs were junk from China and I wasn't going to spend a small fortune at Hermes or Louis Vuitton, etc
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Peal
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Jun 25, 2014 22:45:40 GMT
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Post by Peal on Dec 8, 2014 1:10:23 GMT
Are you talking about a venue printed on the item souvenir, like a giant pencil that says "Dollywood" or something that is specific to a region, like hand made lace from Belgium?
No to the first, perhaps to the second.
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kelly8875
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Oct 26, 2014 17:02:56 GMT
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Post by kelly8875 on Dec 8, 2014 1:10:24 GMT
I don't. Sure, I have brought home gifts for people, but they have to really speak to me in order to do so. And I don't request souvenirs from people when they travel either. My niece decided a couple years ago she wants to collect those goofy spoons from places, and she kept asking me to bring her one. I was the mean aunt, and told her no...the point of collecting them, is to actually travel, otherwise the memory of the place isn't there for her.
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Post by chaosisapony on Dec 8, 2014 1:16:01 GMT
I do, and I love receiving them from friends that have vacationed.
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georgiapea
Drama Llama
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Jun 27, 2014 18:02:10 GMT
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Post by georgiapea on Dec 8, 2014 1:17:21 GMT
I get shot glasses for DH from my domestic travels. If I went to another country I'd want to bring back things made there.
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Post by melanell on Dec 8, 2014 1:21:32 GMT
I don't typically buy them anymore. Unless I am somewhere and I feel there is something that would truly mean a lot to someone. But when I was first old enough to travel without my parents I would bring them home magnets, shot glasses, etc., because they purchased those things when they traveled. As I got older, though, I started feeling that accumulating things, collecting things, caring for things, was more of a hassle than those things are typically worth, plus, I felt that the typical touristy souvenirs may not really mean much if you didn't go yourself, kwim? (I've been the one to dust all of those shot glasses before....what a pain! ) So if I travel to the town in Italy where my grandfather was born, I'm definitely bringing home stuff for my mom. But I'm not dragging home Disney World magnets and Hershey Park coffee mugs and that kind of thing anymore.
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Post by cmpeter on Dec 8, 2014 1:24:09 GMT
Not in general...the one exception is if we go to a new city/country...my dd likes to collect small statues of iconic buildings (Eiffel Tower, White House, etc.)
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Post by littlemama on Dec 8, 2014 1:25:16 GMT
In general, no, but if someone is going out of their way to help us while we are gone (like caring for the tortoise, which involves feeding, taking her outside if it's warm enough and getting her out of her enclosure so she can poop- most don't like to go where they live, so you have to get them out to do their business), then I try to get them something. We have great friends and family who do this for us at no charge, so it's not a hardship to get them a little something. Other than that, it would have to be something that really screamed that person's name, so to speak.
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Post by krispin41 on Dec 8, 2014 1:35:30 GMT
I do, but what I am buying depends on who it is for and where I am going...upcoming trip to Disneyland, getting some things for friends who like Disney. Trip to another country, I usually try to find things made in that country.
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Post by Yubon Peatlejuice on Dec 8, 2014 1:43:07 GMT
I always bring home chocolates or candy.
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Post by paperaddictedpea on Dec 8, 2014 1:47:01 GMT
I don't normally, but I did bring back souvenirs for my mom and sister-in-law from my recent trip to Italy, as a thank you for caring for my cats and keeping an eye on my house for the 11 days I was gone. I didn't have much luggage space so I picked small items...a gold cross charm from the Vatican for my mom, a painted wine cork for my SIL, and Murano glass beads for both.
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Post by Tamhugh on Dec 8, 2014 1:47:23 GMT
My SIL always buys things for my boys when they travel somewhere different, but I am bad at it and usually skip it. My MIL has brought back beautiful Christmas gifts for all of the girls in the family... Faberge egg necklaces from Russia, Murano glass pendants from Italy, a wooden incense smoker from Germany. I treasure all of the things she has bought me on her travels.
I did buy some Christmas presents for my little nieces on a recent trip to Disney.
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Post by Miss Lerins Momma on Dec 8, 2014 1:47:47 GMT
No
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Post by eebud on Dec 8, 2014 1:49:50 GMT
No. I used to buy DS shot glasses but he quit collecting them so I quit buying them. I will buy a little something for the grandkids sometimes if I see something I think they will like. Most of them time, DH and I are looking for local art so we tend to overlook a lot of the crap stuff.
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Post by AussieMeg on Dec 8, 2014 1:52:33 GMT
The last time I bought souvenirs for anyone was when I went to Hawaii in 1989! That was my first overseas trip, and I bought tons of souvenirs for people. Nowadays I wouldn't bother.
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Deleted
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Apr 26, 2024 19:10:34 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2014 2:12:20 GMT
Post cards
My neighbor friend bought me back bug netting from Africa. It has beading around the edges. One is big enough to cover a table and there ones to cover glasses. I hate it. First it needs to be cleaned before putting over food , then cleaned afterwards. I can't use it as table covering well because it is nylon and a hot dish will melt it. She brought back cute wood dishes that I would rather have. Or postcards would rather have postcards.
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Post by peasful1 on Dec 8, 2014 2:13:50 GMT
Some people, but even when I'm in China I don't buy the "made in China crap". I buy something they would use and like.
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Post by shanni on Dec 8, 2014 2:19:36 GMT
I buy souvenirs for my kids if dh and I are traveling with out them. I don't buy anything for anyone else unless it were something that would be particularly meaningful to them.
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Post by bc2ca on Dec 8, 2014 2:22:27 GMT
We did the Viking Portraits of Southern France cruise in October and then spent time in Paris. I did sent postcards from various ports to my son, dad and kids of a friend. The souvenirs were junk from China and I wasn't going to spend a small fortune at Hermes or Louis Vuitton, etc My parents were serious world travelers for many years and the only thing I asked was for them to send postcards to my kids. The kids loved getting the mail, but I'm the one who has kept them all. I don't usually buy souvenirs for other people when I'm traveling, but I do collect matches from restaurants for myself.
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Post by gorgeouskid on Dec 8, 2014 2:26:23 GMT
I travel very seldom, but the answer would have to be no. I agree that I'd rather not wait in line for made in China stuff either. The exception was my honeymoon when I bought Tower of London Christmas ornaments for our parents (not made in China.)
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Post by M~ on Dec 8, 2014 2:27:03 GMT
I buy a small souvenier for myself. The only rule that I have is that whatever I buy, it MUST be made by a local artisan. I don't as a rule buy stuff for other people. If I do, it's usually a food specialty item from that area that can be easily transported. Or, if it's something handmade/unique, then yes.
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tracylynn
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Jun 26, 2014 22:49:09 GMT
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Post by tracylynn on Dec 8, 2014 2:29:35 GMT
Typically no. But when I was in Paris earlier this year I did buy cheap Eiffel Towers for people.
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