Gift for French Family

I'm not sure where you are from but I visited some friends in France a couple of years ago and brought their two children some small oil paintings from the gulf coast (where I'm from originally and where their children have been). My aunt lived in Germany and the UK for about twenty years in the 80's & 90's and would bring my sister and I when we were very young small paintings from all over the world. We loved these. My home is now covered in them. This is what I always buy as souvenirs now as they are usually around 20-50 euros and pack flat and extra light. Good luck in your quest!

I got some lapel pins with Mt. Rushmore on and found that kids liked these in Europe. Maybe something similar from your area? Are there some sort of arts and crafts items from your area of the country that the girls may like (e.g. dreamcatchers, disney mouse ears, etc.) The alternative is to get something in Paris--chocolates, macaroons, small pretty bottles of perfume,...

I have seen the most wonderful candies in Paris,, and they have these suckers( lollipops) that I remember from my own childhood,, my french grandmother would send them to us here in Canada,, they were long sort of spear shaped fruit suckers,, delish. Last time I was in Paris I went into a chocolatier that had them still, and all sorts of gift boxes .. I would choose a nice gift package, perhaps some chocolates for your friend , and some candies for the girls. I think buying gifts for people you don't know is tricky, regardless of country,, sticking to things like flowers and candy you can rarely be terribly wrong.
Another idea is a nice box of macaroons, Ladurees are popular,, you will have to buy them fresh and carry them carefully,, so perhaps there again candy is best,, and candy doesn't melt or crush easily. I also think another nice thing is to treat my host or hostess to a dinner out if I am staying overnight,, its cheaper then paying for a hotel room( usaully) and then everyone has a good time.

I agree with Pat. Take the family out for dinner or a nice lunch and forget about taking candy for the children. Your friend may not even like her girls to have sweets.

Frank II
How about some Kraft American Cheese? Or better yet the squeeze cheese that comes in the can. French People need to get educated on what real cheese is!! Just Kidding I think it would be better to take something local. In the past I know USA money and stamps are a good thing for kids that age. Who knows might get them started on a collection. Taking them out to a kid friendly restaurant or for Ice Cream is always a winner too.

Nate ,, American money,, really,, that does not sound like a good idea at all.. and little girls are not known for stamp collecting obsessions..

Are you looking for something to take them from the US, or something to get them in Paris? If something from the US - I would recommend pink bubble gum - the kind for blowing big bubbles with. (Not available here) Any Willy Wonka candies (again, not available here). Don't bother with chocolates. The French have/eat chocolate a plenty (if they want to) Other ideas - American T-shirts like I heart NY, Old Navy Flag shirts. Book + CD to help them practice the English they're learning in school (assuming your friend is French and the kids aren't fluent in English.) A coffee table book full of pictures of the area you are from - or of the National Parks. If you really want to do Godiva chocolate - you can buy that in France. It's available in Paris.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. My friend was raised in the U.S. but her kids were born in France. The kids have been to America to both see it and visit their grandparents. I'm not staying with them and I had already planned to take them out. I just didn't want to show up empty handed. I think I'm going to do the safe thing--a box of candy or chocolates. It may be cliche, but it's probably safe. And I can probably buy it near them as well so not to have to lug it around Europe.

One of my favorite Helpline stories is the Texas traveler who could not be talked out of (despite our most polite efforts) giving Texas wine to her French friend who was a sommelier in Beaune. Now, Texas is a great state with wonderful people and products - but more than a few French people are a little bit picky about their wine. When it was clear this traveler was not going to back down from giving this particular gift, we on the Helpline requested an after-trip report on what the Beaune sommelier thought about Texas wine, - but, alas, we never heard a word from our erstwhile Texans. :)

I know the one thing my friend truly missed from the USA when she moved to France was real Maple Syrup to go with her pancakesif she could find pancakes (no, not crepes.) But, I'm not bringing her maple syrup because then I would have to check a bag and that goes against my religious beliefs. (I belong to the Church of Carryonism. ) And it really makes no sense to buy European chocolate in the U.S. only to carry it back to Europe. I might as well buy it there since it's not exactly hard to find in Paris or Nice or wherever I wind up.

If you really want to play safe, amazon gift vouchers for the children! Generic, good child friendly gift. They can plan on christmas day what they're going to buy too. Works well. If the parents drink, take wine.
S

Since your friend grew up in the U.S., you might just ask her if there is anything the girls would like from the U.S. There might be something that they've tried on a visit or that your friend misses that would be nice. When I was living in Europe, I often asked visitors to bring things for me that I couldn't find ... English language paperbacks (much less expensive in U.S.), vanilla extract (in Sweden they use vanilla powder), etc. One friend I visit always asks me to bring her Reeses peanutbutter cups. Another wants hazelnut flavored coffee beans. I know someone who used to always bring back chocolate chips to make Toll House cookies that tasted just like home. I'm not suggesting that you bring these things for the two children, but you get the gist of my suggestion ... your friend may be able to tell you something that they would like that is readily available in the U.S. but either hard to find or expensive in France.

Frank - I bought real Maple syrup this morning in Carrefour. Carrefour store brand even. It goes great with the pancakes I make from the mix sold at my local FranPrix. Each year, there are more and more "American" products available in France. I don't think I'll ever see Velveeta or Easy Cheese anywhere other than a specialty American grocery store, but I'm surprised by what I can find if I look around. Candy/food is a good bet. You could also bring your friend a few American magazines. International Newsweek and Time are easily found here, as are a few British rags, but American titles are few and far between.

If your friend was born and raised in the US then I do agree with Dina: bring something like a US magazine. Many many products are available on both sides of the Atlantic these days. With magazines it's still much more difficult (and more expensive if you actually find them).

Just brought bags of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips to a friend on sabbatical in Paris, at her request. Boxes of See's or Fannie Mae chocolates were always special gifts for my French in-laws, even though they had fine chocolate-makers in their town. It was something about these huge one or two-pound boxes and not knowing what was in the center of the chocolate that made it fun and special.

I have taken Jelly Belly's as a gift for children. You can purchase a nice variety gift box at Target. The gift box is about 2 inches thick and I think there is an assortment of 10 or
12 flavors. Kids and adults love them.