gifts to give while in Italy

Instead of taking something they may not want/need/like insist on taking them to their favorite restaurant and pick up the tab.

Before I even read Jeff's response, I was thinking the exact same thing. I think taking them out to a nice dinner is the absolute perfect "thank you'. We always take our friends out to dinner when we visit them in Europe, whether we stay with them or not, but especially if we stay with them.

I agree with Susan and Jeff and if your friends say "No, no, no, we cannot let you do that", then go to the shops and buy some very good wine and some very good chocolates and some very good cheese, or whatever else it may be that you find they enjoy. Why carry stuff from home when such wonderful things can be had in Milan?

Although I agree that taking your friends out to dinner is a great idea, I also think it would be nice to bring a few little things from the U.S. I visit and stay with my brother and his family who live in Roma every year and they really appreciate when I bring along a couple of gifts, especially the younger ones. I always bring Oreos and good American peanut butter as they are expensive and hard to come by over there. Try to find out something that they really like. Maybe t-shirts or a sweatshirt from a nearby University. My niece loves shirts from the GAP or AE. Living in Ventura County, maybe bring some great California t-shirts. I am sure that anything you bring will be appreciated.
Enjoy!

I think Norma's advice is exactly right if they absolutely will not let you take them out to dinner.

Everyone loves going out for a meal, however, sometimes it is awkward when everyone fights (albeit, very politely) when the check comes, We try to bring something, that is very local (to us)and not readily available there.

candy... no chocolates since (imho) Europeans make the best.

Candy necklaces.
"penny" candy.
hot sauces,
local bbq sauces,
memorabalia from your local sports team.
playing cards wiith scenes of your home city.
pictures of you in front of your home, neighborhood, & "famous" places in your home town. Make sure you include some of your relatives or related family friends.

During your stay.... fresh flowers or plant.

enjoy yor visit!!!!

No one should fight for the check when you invite someone out to dinner, it is understood you are paying the bill.

The friends who live in Milan, one of the world's most sophisticated cities, are not likely to be all that interested in an American visitor's home town baseball team or "local" BBQ sauces. These things would be politely received, of course, but they are not what I call "gifts". The Americans will be the house guests of the Milanese family for several days, not just dropping by to say hello. A jar of peanut butter (to which the whole world seems to be allergic these days) just won't cut it.

Hi Brandy,

I have relatives in Sweden. And what we typically bring when we visit them is various candy/food that our hometown is known for. What I put it in is one of those nice red re-usable bags for grocery shopping that you can buy at Target. They pack really easy and make the gift look nice. Our relatives love those bags as in Europe you typically pay extra for bags when shopping...so they really appreciate them. I've also put in nice stationary/note pads.

Have a great trip!

When my son was going to France with his French class they had a one week home stay with a French family that had a son his age. We sent a nice coffee table book of Colorado, and a small framed print by a well known artist of Indian pictures. He said the Mother & Father were thrilled with the book and picture because they had not been to the western part of the US. When he was there, the son took him to a "club" with his local friends. My son couldn't drink because of his age and the school trip rules. They were all say how silly that was & how unlucky he was. He took out his drivers license and showed it, and then they were envious. They couldn't drive until an older age. I know this doesn't help Brandy, but sometimes it's just fun to compare the differences. I also like the idea of taking the family friends in Milan out to a nice dinner and toasting them for their hospitality. That would be the time to invite them to the US so that you can reciprocate. Have a great trip!

Thanks for all the replies! Lots of great ideas here!!

Best,
Brandy

Taking them out to dinner is an absolute great idea. You do want to bring a little something, as a host / hostess gift is considered polite, but make it something that says your state, something hand-crafted or as some others suggested, a coffee table book of California. Think the Redwoods, or the Coastline or San Francisco, or something similar.

Bringing things like oreos, bbq sauce and peanut butter, though highly desired by Americans living overseas, are not really very good gifts to hosts.

When I visited some friends in England that I had met on a trip to Venezuela I wondered the same thing. What to bring?????? I'm from Miami, so I bought a coffee table book of the art deco district in Miami and a beautiful tropical looking picture frame in which I put in a picture of the three of us 20 years earlier.........needless to say, they loved them both!!!!! Think of something local from your city or hometown.

Well, I wonder how much I would really enjoy, not to mention be thrilled by, a picture book of my English visitors' home county in the UK. Of course, I would be polite and profess to be well pleased with this gift, but once my visitors had left it would go into a drawer never to be seen again. Its interest to me and my family would be nil. Sorry.

Well Norma, sorry that your so shallow. Not everyone is like you. A gift comes from the heart. Glad your not my friend. Sorry!!

I know that they are more easily found these days, but from my many trips to California to see my kids in Pebble Beach, over the years, I still love to bring home Sees Chocolates. We cannot get them here and they are a California tradition!! Maybe they would enjoy a taste of California, and they can be carried easily! Hope this helps!

Norma, I have that very book you're talking about in a drawer somewhere in my house, Seriously! Good friends of ours from England, brought us that book! I love our friends, but the book is boring. We have lots of friends from Europe and England that come to visit us, and they always bring gifts (tea towels, aprons, chachkas, books, calendars, key chains, T-shirts with their sports team name on it) and I really wish they wouldn't bring anything. I love having my friends here but I don't want or need any gifts. I think when we answer people's questions here, it goes unsaid that it is "our opinion" and we're trying to be helpful, and, I know for me, I answer based on "my experience" in that same situation. Norma is being helpful, she always is, and I like her straight forward answers. If you don't agree...fine...but no need to be rude Mark!

Well, I know I would be thrilled with a book about Stone-henge or some of the cool castles in the UK. That is why I suggest the California red woods, they are extremely unique in the world. On the other hand, I love books and this is always a good gift for me. I think all the trinket gifts are a bit silly too, but a hand-crafted basket from the Native Americans in your area, or something along those lines can be lovely and truly appreciated.

I can't imagine hauling a heavy coffee table book in my bags when I travel to Europe. What happened to packing light? I like the idea of local T-shirts if the family has kids. Especially with writing in English, just nothing jingoistic.

I totally see your point Jo, and if I knew you loved books and I were coming to visit you, I would bring you a book. But if you don't know what someone would love, and I assume the OP doesn't or they wouldn't post the question here, then it's a stab in the dark. Yes, it's the thought that counts...I've gotten a lot of those gifts and I appreciate the love behind the thought, but the actual gift I either have given away or it's in a drawer somewhere, waiting to be given away. I just think, if you don't know exactly what someone would love, then take them out to dinner. I don't know anyone that doesn't love that.

Mark, you are absolutely right, a gift does come from the heart, or should, at any rate, but the brain has to be involved as well.

Something small that a local artisan (from your home town) or something that you made would be nice.

I often give small bottles of spice mixes from Penzeys.com They're sealed, light weight, and have unique flavors. A little taste of our country might be nice.

I love to receive hot sauces from New Orleans, French wine or cheese, Swedish Lingonberries, etc. Food gifts are usually appreciated and for me, a little glimpse into life so different from my own is a wonderful gift.

I'm sure we've all received gifts in the past that weren't exactly us, but the gift is the thought and the heart behind the giver--not the stuff. I would hope that people aren't so into things that they forget the real reason a gift is given!

I just arrived home from visiting Family in Italy. I gave my Cousin an Itouch. Ipods of all sizes are extremely expensive there. He loved it.

Now that was a super gift !! From the heart with input from the brain.