Favorite souvenirs?

My most loved souvenir are my leather book marks I purchased in Florence Italy at a paper store, I got one for each of the girls in my book club, who are also dear friends and they all loved them! I also like to get small ceramic tiles with the name of the town or a special design to hang in my kitchen of the places we have been.

For our 5 -year old granddaughter we found a cute little purse and a coin purse as well as a sweet necklace. Oh and candy! Sweets are always popular!

Not a something a six year old would like but you did ask what souvenirs " you have particularly loved.." I still use a handsoap dish I got it Paris over 40 years ago.

Might be thought of as silly but would you consider one or both of children becoming stamp collectors?

Honestly postcards are becoming things of the past but remain IMHO a great way to a share global icons and educate children about travel. A small image that can be taped on a wall, pinned on bulletin board, framed, used as book marks, etc.

Could either send them home so they could have the card and the postage stamp or simply bring some home from every city you visit.

Lastly although lost years ago my 3 great aunts traveled the globe and always brought home charms for a charm bracelet they gave me when I was 8. It was very special.

Thank you for the wonderful suggestions!

Ceramics, even if small. Even while in Italy you have to make sure it wasn't made in China.

My daughter likes cats and we found a small 5x7 watercolor painting in Paris for her. She loved it! We also pick up stickers for our kids from places we've been. We also do buy postcards to keep and look at. Hope this helps...

Happy Travels!

Thank you!

What about a book she particularly loves - in Italian? I found an Italian edition of 'Where the Wild Things Are' for a baby who hadn't been born yet.

In Florence, you can find inexpensive bijoux at Galletti, a few steps on the right of Ognissanti church. Simple and inexpensive silver jewels are at Corsani, a very tiny shop in Piazza della Signoria (just in front of the newspaper stand).

I know it is not a typical Italian souvenir, but when I had to do two small gifts for two 8 years girls that had just served as bridesmaids, I bought a couple of colourful children watches from the Swatch shop in front of the Battistero. The girls went wild.

In Venice, you may find small pieces of Venetian glass, figurines or jewelry. Wrapped in clothing, they will travel well. In Florence, just walk through the markets in the center of town, there are lots of thing for sale, many are Italian-made, but as others have said, many aren't.

Building on what Chani wrote, when I was in Venice and Murano some time ago, I bought several colorful glass "pieces of wrapped candy," each about 2 inches long. They were generally available, with a variety of designs and colors, for under 2 euros each, or so. I have some next to me right now, as we speak.

Thank you all!

Termini in Rome has a bookshop on the lower shopping level (at least it was there a few years ago - I don't know if Italian bookshops are falling victim to online shopping as badly as American ones are!) that had a nice sized children's section where we picked up Italian versions of a couple of favorite books.

The San Lorenzo leather market in Florence could also be a good place to pick up small coin purse and wallet type gifts. My sister bought a wonderful leather jacket there. On the periphery of that market I picked up a small painting of a pomegranate that I successfully transported home in my backpack - the artist sandwiched it between two pieces of stiff cardboard for me - and had framed when I got home.

Many years ago a friend told me about an interesting shopping habit she had adopted: She keeps her eyes open for small, locally made doodads that can be hung on a Christmas tree. Not Christmas ornaments per se, but decorative/interesting items of an appropriate size that can be suspended from a tree. I thought that was a clever idea. Alas, I do not put up a Christmas tree.

We buy things we can hang on Christmas tree too from places we've been. Reminds us of those trips and then when the kids are on their own, I can pack them up for their tree. I LOVE my soap dishes I buy from other places and just broke my one from Orvieto. What about a decanter you coud use for olive oil with a spout? My daughter bought a coin purse from another country, hair bows, and a different Harry Potter book each of the countries she visited. A journal would be nice too. Maybe she could use it as a travel journal some day. My grandparents always used to bring me dolls from the countries they visited.

I will second the previous traveler who suggested a Christmas ornament. I try to find one on every trip and when I get home, I put the date on it. If you purchase one for your daughter, she can hang it on her own tree when she is an adult. I've been fortunate in finding things that are handmade in each country, because I won't purchase a cheap souvenir that was made in China. Ornaments are a great remembrance each year as you decorate. In Rome we purchased a small painting from a gentleman in Piazza Navona. Before the artist placed our painting in a small tube, I took a photo of him with it and that is now attached to the back of the framed painting.

So many wonderful ideas. Thank you all!

As a military dependent child, I traveled in Italy 50 years ago. I collected dolls which I still have and glass blown animals from Venice that I display in my living room today, a special reminder of a trip long ago. Another thought for both children is hat pins with city/country names on them. A fun thing to search for in each city, inexpensive, and very small. Are you sure you can't take your daughter with you, that would be the best gift of all.