Gift/souveniers to purchase for home, children and ourselves!

When I was in Venice I bought a ceramic Carnivale-type mask. I know, very touristy, but I still love it 11 years later. I wish I had bought some glass while I was there. In Rome I didn't buy anything city-specific, but I got some cute souvenirs such as a Smartcar keychain and hairsticks (they look like chopsticks but are used to keep your hair in a bun) for my sister. As far as home decoration, I saw a lot of shops in Italy that sell colorful "Italian-style" ceramics - plates, bowls, serving pieces, etc. that depict plants or landscapes in beautiful yellows, blues, reds, etc. These may be more of a Tuscany thing but shops in Rome might sell them too.

I'm a fan of Christmas ornaments. They are small, generally pretty inexpensive and don't take up a lot of precious luggage space. I have a beautiful murano glass santa from Venice. I like ornaments because they are functional, but you only see them once a year, so each time you hang them you can relive the memory without getting to used to seeing it around everyday. In Paris, food wise, famous Pierre Herme sells chocolates, cookies, jams etc. that you can take back with you. Make sure if you stop in you treat yourself to some of his delicious sweets and macarons (those don't travel well, they are best eaten when you buy them)

We've bought beaucoup watercolors - fine art, NOT (!), but pretty, yes. We always pack the largest mailing tube that will fit in our backpack carry-on (within reason - L x W) and put a roll of 'small-bubble' bubble wrap inside; we use that for our other treasures. We've spent approx. €5-20 max. on each. I like the little 3" souvenir plates found in EVERY tourist-trinket shop in Europe. Some are colorfully gaudy, and others are fine pen-and-ink sketchings. These, and larger ones, are great for hanging/framing, using as coins/wallet/rings/keys trays, as spoon rests, etc. Very inexpensive, small, and lightweight. Great for kids, too! Keychains as Christmas ornaments! The Eiffel Tower, a gondola, the Colosseum...check, check, & check! I love kitchen towels, too. Candle holders...We always go to this housewares store in Bruges and buy cheese knives, espresso spoons, napkins - we ALWAYS bring a duffle bag for the more 'dangerous' items that must be checked on the way home. All of these things are very lightweight, small, and for the most part inexpensive. If you buy foodstuffs, try to find pretty tins, crocks, etc. You can use them everyday for coffee tins, utensil holders, a place to keep cotton balls...You'll remember your trip everytime you see them, and that's the point; after all, 'souvenir' means a 'remembrance' or a 'memory'. A bit of advice - If you like it, BUY IT NOW! There is a Law of Travelers that says the store Will Be Closed the next time you see it, and never mind what the sign on the door says! And don't expect to see a certain thing in 'the next place/city'. You'll NEVER find it! Trust me! And don't be afraid of the run-down, tourist-trinket shops - you can find some real treasures in those! After you've been in a place for awhile, you'll know what is special about it for you. That's what you 'must' purchase...Have Fun!!!

How about candied violets (for baking/decorating) from Fauchon in Paris? ** http://www.fauchon.com/ ** or mustard from Boutique Maille - Fresh mustard, on tap ** http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/boutique-maille-fresh-mustard-on-tap/ ** truffle oil from Rome and of course, glass from Venice. The coolest glass I ever got was from a man in Venice with studio dedicated to making anatomically correct glass insects...in fact, could you send me a couple? They are not cheap, though...I also always like to bring home cookbooks from wherever I travel. Finally, there used to be a loosely linked group of Italian restaurants who had hand-painted plates with the house specialty on them (they each had a different specialty). If you ordered the specialty, you got a souvenir plate. We ate a one in the old butcher's area in Rome. Happy traveling! Dan

While not city specific, I always try to find handmade bar soap to bring home. Between every 2-3 "regular-old-every-day-soap-bars" I bust out one from our travels and find it a nice way to be reminded of that place for a couple of weeks. In fact, I still have one bar leftover from a set I bought while in Italy a couple of years ago. I've been hesitant to use it, 'cause it's the last...

I shop the grocery stores for items you can't find here. Interesting mustards, cookies, jams. Anything that looks interesting usually is. In Italy I always buy a piece of ceramics. A jar, a bowl, an olive oil bottle. I look for quality. usually these are easier to find in the hill top towns, not in the larger cities. I also purchase the cheesiest souvenier I can find...a copy of the Tower of Pisa, a Duomo, etc. I have a shelf where I keep these items (usually 1-4E each) and I can look at those and remember where I was. Also think of cloth items. I bought a poppy table cloth in San Gimignano that decorates my table in the summer months, I have napkins and place mats, a table cloth with bees.

One of my best purchases from Europe came from my trip to Paris about 12 years ago. I purchased a painting from an artist outside of Notre Dame. She was creating pictures of the church and had some of city scenes and the Eiffel Tower, etc. I don't recall it being overly expensive, probably cost more to frame it when I actually got home! I have found a place to hang it in the past 3 houses and I still love it!!

I agree with the Christmas ornaments- we have so many from our travles now that we can't put all on the tree and rotate them every year. I also patronize the artists and craftsmen. I love carved wood, pottery, etc. It is even more precious if you can talk to the one who made it. Jewelery (esp handmade) is also wonderful!!!! And the small "touristy" plates someone mentioned make great decorations cum conversation starters for end tables or mantles. I, too, pack bubble wrap and tiny roll of tape to protect fragile items.

So many items, especially foods, you can find at home these days, that I tend to only buy items that either I don't see at home, or they bring back special memories, even if they are available at home (like another poster's buying soaps). Especially when they were younger, my kids liked placemats - the kind that are laminated, with pictures on them. In Venice, there are tons and tons of stores selling glass jewelry. I've never seen people wearing things like that at home, so I have enjoyed the several pieces of glass jewelry that I've bought in Venice (none of them are expensive). I like to buy myself one scarf on each vacation; they are definitely available at home, but they definitely bring back great memories. Also, mostly inexpensive - the one I bought in Paris was about 5 Euros from a cart in the street.

Every trip we take, no matter if it's Europe or Stateside, I buy a Christmas ornament. Like one of the other posters said, you only see it once a year so it always brings back a wonderful memory. Plus, it always makes for interesting conversation when people look at my Christmas tree and it will make great stories for my children. We also of course buy chocolate wherever we are and love to go into the grocery stores to see what we can find that is not available in the states. I love to come home with jam from England and Germany (they taste better to me). We've even brought home mustard too.

We usually get unique foods or art. but we are careful now not to buy too much stuff that we can easily get at home, however if you see siomething that really strikes you (and its packable) buy it- you wont be able to go back later

Christmas ornaments, especially if they're small and come in a box, sound perfect. One of the gifts I'm most proud of was a string of Rosary beads made of Venetian glass we purchased at Duomo San Marco for my Catholic mother-in-law. My youngest son has a menagerie of glass cubes with laser etched icons from all the places he has visited through his childhood.

We have stopped buying too many souvenirs or gifts in general on our trips. I buy a couple soaps in France, or a bottle of mustard, and lots of chocolates. That's all my kids want anyway, stuff they can eat. Or they might buy a tin of delicate cookies, candy in Brittany and use said tin for pencils/pens. I bought a couple scarves in France, but nothing for the home. We go, we enjoy, and we leave :-) By the way, you can get many European items on Amazon these days, so less "stuff" to haul back. Editing to add: We seem to always bring back a grocery bag from when we travel. It is a nice, inexpensive reminder of where we shopped in Europe for groceries :-)

I agree with Christmas ornaments. I like to collect an ornament from each place I travel. Then I write the location on the ornament (in a hidden or out of the way place). I love collecting ornaments because I don't have to find some place to display my collection year round. And there's always an ornament to fit your budget, large or small. When in Europe, I also like to purchase small paintings or drawings from artists set up in squares or on street corners. I have beautiful, small watercolors from Rome and Venice that I love. I also love to purchase children's books for my niece and nephew with stories specific to the place I'm visiting.

I'm sort of with Eli on this one,, I stopped buying souvenirs along time ago( actually kids liked t-shirts when they were little ,, but now they would consider a " I love Paris etc" t shirt too tacky,, teens are picky. I still pick up a few food items,, they have great boullion cubes I like, different flavors, not just chicken, veg. , or beef like we have here. I also usually find a scarve for a co worker,, they are so easy and light to pack,, and I get myself a new one once in awhile too!

Like others I pick up art. It's ranged from nice prints to one piece that's quite good. I am sitting in my living room surrounded by memories. I even have one in my bathroom! I've also picked up pillow/cushion covers. My mom loves the tapestry one I got her one year. I also got a table cloth when I was in the south of France. The colors remind me of Provence. I think you need to have an open mind and be ready to pick something up when it catches your eye and will be light enough to carry home. ; ) Pam