bought gifts to take home

What does " reasonably " mean to you? $5.00 / $100.00? What size? What weight? What speed?

Pack them in your carryon unless, of course, they are a liquid. A little more precision in your question would be helpful.

Obviously the cheapest method is just to bring them with you on the plane. If you don't have enough luggage space, buy a cheap extra suitcase and use it strictly for packing gifts.

On international flights, you get a checked bag at no cost. I carryon on the way over, check a bag each on the way home. That way I can pack gifts, wine, other foods(liquids/pastes) and feel good about getting it home. I also usually pack a large duffle or pack to bring extra stuff home.

Unless you are bringing something that you can't take in the cabin, you could buy (or bring) an extra duffle and pack it full of your dirty clothes and check it, leaving room in your carryon for your treasures.

As a rule we only buy items in europe for ourselves. I see so many people with a mile long list spending a lot of time looking for gifts for every member of their family.

I am a shopper...flea markets mostly. I check my suitcase inside a spare that I got at the Goodwill. Toss it if I don't need it. Too expensive to mail stuff. Pay the extra suitcase charge on your flight home if you have to. I only buy small stuff. I guess if you really have deep pockets you could have a container shipped home but to give you an idea...a package the size of 3 shoe boxes will cost you close to $200 to mail home!