what are your go-to souvenirs or things to bring back?

[thebulldog]

curious what others like to bring back from trips?

i make scrapbooks so i tend to bring back random ticket stubs, maps, menu etc, really anything light enough to fit into the backpack. 

if we hit an art museum, we'll look for a cool poster. But we always bring back a Christmas ornament (except from Spain, which we could not find a single one ANYWHERE) and have also come to like the extremely cheesy touristy frames with the name of the place, just for the kitschy value. We have brought cookbooks back too if we go to a cooking class or specific restaurant.  I also have a small obsession with the flattened penny machines. those things crack me up. 

[mbcdefg]

We're close friends with two other couples, and we all get each other a magnet when we go on a trip.

MH likes to get beer glasses from craft breweries we visit.

[travelingjen]

We also try to bring back a Christmas ornament. Additionally, I sometimes bring back food (i.e. pasta, jams, chocolate, etc) or wine depending on the locale we are visiting. 

[thebulldog]

we try to bring back booze too, but our trip to Jamaica had a broken rum bottle accident that was not fun. Sigh.

[KKD]

We always get Christmas ornaments too, for our own collections and the ones we started for our girls.

Otherwise our souvenirs are pretty random.

[tacokick]

I like food and magnets.

[anastasia517]

I collect shot glasses from where I've been. FI and I also decided to start an ornament collection when we got engaged, but we currently only have one.

[dorothyinAus]

For myself, I try to find handcrafted soaps from everywhere I visit. Most places have been on cruises, so it's usually easy to find a craft fair close to the pier. DH tries to get a local group's cd, even if it's just from a busker. And I always pick up a kitschy shot glass for a draftsman in my Dad's office -- he lost his original collection in Katrina, but everyone has been trying to help him rebuild -- the engineers have a website with photos of the new ones so no-one duplicates if they happen to go to the same places.

[Deleted]

Christmas ornament
something for the house (clock, mask, art, etc...)
any left over coins go in a pretty jar that sits on a shelf

[GilliC]

XH and I used to collect magnets, and we’d typically choose something less obvious but still representative of the location. In some places, where we could only find kitsch tourist magnets, we would buy a pendant or keychain we liked and glue a magnet onto it when we got home. I left the magnet collection behind when I moved out.

Now I send a postcard home from wherever I go. I started in Antarctica, because I wanted the stamps and postmark from Port Lockroy, but I couldn’t figure out what to write on a postcard to myself. So I passed it around to the people I hung out with on the ship and asked them all to write something yearbook-style. Then I dropped it in the mail without reading it, so that 6 weeks later when it finally arrived, I would have a surprise getting to read all the messages. I decided to keep the tradition, and if I’m visiting or traveling with friends, I ask them to write my postcard without showing me. Otherwise, I just make a few notes about what I saw and did.

[Chelle]

Photos or practical items like a new swimsuit, sandals, etc. I am really not a big fan of "stuff" so this go around I've purchased an NZ charm for my pandora bracelet and plan to have one (or possibly more) of my photos printed on canvas for the house when I get home.

[Deleted]

Christmas ornament. If I can't find one, I'll buy a little figurine and turn it into an ornament at home. I also make photo albums of all of our longer trips and include things like ticket stubs and maps in the album. If possible I also like to buy food/drink - port in Portugal, olive oil in Greece, etc.

[anna7602]

Books, in general, but especially children's books. I have a small collection of children's books in various languages. Now that DD is interested in them, we look at the pictures and if they're in a language I don't know, I either stumble my way through the story based on the 2 or 3 words I recognize or just make up the stories entirely. I also like collecting foreign currency, although DH is the kind who likes to spend every last coin before we fly out.

For other people, I usually bring back food, booze or crafty jewelry.

[christy082]

Usually just t-shirts. 

[SJ]

Jewelry. Christmas Ornaments.

Our "cheesy" collection is Starbucks City Mugs from all over the world.

ETA: DH also likes to buy chess sets from various countries.

[osumelissa]

Christmas ornaments
Magnets
Food/drink (not always though)
Ticket stubs/pamphlets/etc (for some trips I make shadowboxes)

[cricketwife]

I collect nativiies from around the world. It's a fun challenge to try to find one, especially since I'm often not traveling near Christmas time. I can't always find one, and obviously this collection doesn't lend itself to non-Christian countries where I usually buy some local craft instead. I really like the nativities because they're only on display one time a year so that don't take up space all year long and it's fun to reminisce and watch the collection grow from year to year.

[Deleted]

always a Christmas ornament.

[udscoobychick]

Jun 25, 2013 3:18:38 GMT -5 GilliC said:

XH and I used to collect magnets, and we’d typically choose something less obvious but still representative of the location. In some places, where we could only find kitsch tourist magnets, we would buy a pendant or keychain we liked and glue a magnet onto it when we got home. I left the magnet collection behind when I moved out.

Now I send a postcard home from wherever I go. I started in Antarctica, because I wanted the stamps and postmark from Port Lockroy, but I couldn’t figure out what to write on a postcard to myself. So I passed it around to the people I hung out with on the ship and asked them all to write something yearbook-style. Then I dropped it in the mail without reading it, so that 6 weeks later when it finally arrived, I would have a surprise getting to read all the messages. I decided to keep the tradition, and if I’m visiting or traveling with friends, I ask them to write my postcard without showing me. Otherwise, I just make a few notes about what I saw and did.

I really like the postcard idea, Gilli!

I usually bring back food, booze, or clothes.  I'm allergic to clutter, so I need things that I will use.  I have liqueurs from a few different countries, a great leather jacket from turkey, a sarong from the Bahamas, etc.

[hz80408]

We collect a Christmas ornament as well. OP- we couldn't find an ornament in Barcelona either; I ended up buying a Gaudi inspired lizared keychain and took the loop off of it when we got home.

[Deleted]

I have a pretty impressive collection of pressed pennies.

[thebulldog]

Jun 25, 2013 8:13:48 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

I collect nativiies from around the world. It's a fun challenge to try to find one, especially since I'm often not traveling near Christmas time. I can't always find one, and obviously this collection doesn't lend itself to non-Christian countries where I usually buy some local craft instead. I really like the nativities because they're only on display one time a year so that don't take up space all year long and it's fun to reminisce and watch the collection grow from year to year.

This is interesting. Have you been to spain? Spanish ones have a pooping man in them. We saw them everywhere!

i be typing from me phone. typos and grammer dont count.

[cricketwife]

Jun 25, 2013 9:17:09 GMT -5 thebulldog said:

Jun 25, 2013 8:13:48 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

I collect nativiies from around the world. It's a fun challenge to try to find one, especially since I'm often not traveling near Christmas time. I can't always find one, and obviously this collection doesn't lend itself to non-Christian countries where I usually buy some local craft instead. I really like the nativities because they're only on display one time a year so that don't take up space all year long and it's fun to reminisce and watch the collection grow from year to year.

This is interesting. Have you been to spain? Spanish ones have a pooping man in them. We saw them everywhere!

i be typing from me phone. typos and grammer dont count.

Too funny!  No, I haven't been to Spain.  I have one from Peru (love the llama!) but there's not pooping man in that one. My favorite is the one I have from Quebec -- baby Jesus on a block of ice and Joseph ice fishing...all in front of an igloo.  It's too cute!

[Deleted]

My H and I collect mugs or cups sometimes. I always get a magnet for my mom. Her fridge is covered with magnets of places her and/or I have gone. People love to look at it.

[mrssandro]

Shot Glasses, Liquor and Coffee Mugs

[sporky]

photos, guidebooks, and something that the area is known for

[mdgirl]

I don't like clutter, either, so we don't generally get "things." I've been buying clothes on a lot of my trips lately. I got tons of beautiful stuff in Thailand and Cambodia, some really cute socks in Japan, a merino wool shirt in New Zealand, and board shorts in Fiji. I do have a tradition of sending my mom and my uncle postcards, and I get my mom a magnet if I see a cute one.

[mrsstreet]

I have been trying to start collecting Christmas ornaments, too. I didn't really think about collecting anything when traveling until after I started traveling.

One idea I heard (cannot remember where) but I liked was to collect a piece of locally made china/pottery/dishes to use for large dinner parties or family gatherings. So, instead of having matching china or formal dinnerware, you would have a collection of pieces from all over the world. They would be great converstation starters!

[gt7301b]

Jewelry, I got tired of buying random crap from different countries. If I can find a Starbucks bear I'll buy one of those, but that is really it.

[RoxMonster]

I collect magnets and ornaments from our trips. If possible, I like to get the ornament personalized. We have one that says "Hawaii honeymoon 2011" and I love it. We usually travel in the summer, but I've never had an issue finding an ornament anywhere. In Hawaii there was a whole Christmas shop we happened upon, but in CA last year, we were able to find them just in gift shops (not personalized, though).