Gift Ideas for International Friends and Family

We have both friends and family in Europe. We send packages to them and we also personally carry items to them when we go to see them. I try to find items that are typically American in character. Part of our gifting started out as a cultural exchange and has morphed into getting items that I know that they like. For instance, a couple of our friends love some of our American chocolate. Go figure, since Belgian chocolate is some of the best chocolate on the planet. Another loves our herbal teas, and another loves popcorn.

I've also sought to find gifts, in the beginning that show the true American character and not that caricature that's been represented in the news to outsiders. I especially found it to be a big plus to give gifts that express the regional flavors of our country. They help to bridge the gap between ourselves and our friends in Europe
and to give them the opportunity to see that there really is no difference between us other than cultural differences which can be a huge plus.

When I've taken the effort to communicate about our country and our own personal life to our European friends, they've opened up and done the same with me. Just remember if you truly have friends in Europe, it's because they're as interested in you and your way of life as you are of them and their way of life.

Here are some other suggestions that I've found to be good ideas:

Calendars:

I especially have found that giving calendars that have scenic photos of different parts of our country help to open their eyes to what is truly here and combat the lie that Greenpeace is actively spreading about our country in Europe. I've seen their map of the world and we are designated as the worst polluter on this planet.

I know this sounds like I'm preaching. But after having gone into Belgium for ten years, I've learned that if you want to get beyond the superficial level with your friends, you are going to need to address the political issues. Because you're a real live American and all they want from you is to know the truth since all they've been hearing has come from Greenpeace, the EU, the UN, BBC and CNN. At least that's what I've learned from every European country that I've visited.

Food:

You can't send them meat. But there are a lot of other things you can send them, such as teas, coffees, snack items, seafood, fish, nuts to name a few items. One of my friends likes our chili. I couldn't send that, but I sent her the chili seasoning packets instead, to mix with her own meat.

Candy:

I tried to especially send them our premium chocolates, until I found out that they just love some of our prepackaged chocolates, such as Hershey's Bliss and Toll House Chocolate Chips. They also love Baker's dipping Chocolate. They don't have that and have never thought of that. Also, since we live in the south we send pecans, and any kind of candy made of pecans like nut rolls/logs. We also have send Pralines especially since the Belgian Praline (Prawlinay) is chocolate.

Small gifts:

I pick up small gifts when I'm out on my trips and I also pick up gifts locally to send to my friends. Some of them like candles, blue items or nice small decorations that say something encouraging, such as one year I was able to get some really nice three inch ceramic crosses that had "joy" on them with ribbon hangers. Some of them
also like magnets with special sayings and nice little note pads or stationary sets.

Clothing:

If you know enough about your friends, you can also send them nice items of apparel. such as a sweater, scarf, hat, gloves, socks, or small accessories. If they're in their favorite colors and something that they would use, they will be greatly appreciated. At this point in time things are still a lot more expensive in their country than they are in ours. They have a 21% VAT, value added tax on everything.

Items That Are Regional and American:

At least with our friends, they like to receive something that they can't get in their own country, that says something about our country and where we live in our country.

Needed Items For a Specific Function:

This is an example of an item. My brother was stationed in Northern Italy, in the Army. His family is Italian. When my niece was in school, she was taking ballet lessons and she needed shoes and tights and leotard which were way too expensive in their country. Whereas we were able to get them inexpensively from our local store. so, every year while she still needed to take the lessons, we sent the outfits as a part of her Christmas gifts. We also sent them jewelry, dolls and other items of clothing which were less expensive than they were in their town.