Anonymous wrote:If you're in DC and your family celebrates Christmas, I bring White House ornaments. Easy to pack and not available there. And this year we're ok celebrating the occupant.

Yet, it is not the current occupant that is usually commemorated. Last year it was Jimmy Carter.

Anonymous wrote:If your mom wants to send gifts then she can! Tell her that she can pack up one suitcase under 50lbs with whatever gifts she wants to send and you’ll bring it with your family’s bags.

+1 Let Mom plan, shop and pay for all of these gifts that she’s insisting you bring.

If you're in DC and your family celebrates Christmas, I bring White House ornaments. Easy to pack and not available there. And this year we're ok celebrating the occupant.

If your mom wants to send gifts then she can! Tell her that she can pack up one suitcase under 50lbs with whatever gifts she wants to send and you’ll bring it with your family’s bags.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can do this OP. Keep it simple
Buy personalized mm’s, print Made in USA on them, choose red blue and white colors
Add a I heart NY coaster or magnet
Add jelly belly and tootsie rolls or Hershey kiss
Package them up in a goodie bag thingy when you get there

No one wants kid birthday party goody bags

+1. no gift is much better than obvious garbage

Anonymous wrote:You can do this OP. Keep it simple
Buy personalized mm’s, print Made in USA on them, choose red blue and white colors
Add a I heart NY coaster or magnet
Add jelly belly and tootsie rolls or Hershey kiss
Package them up in a goodie bag thingy when you get there

No one wants kid birthday party goody bags

I don’t have this problem anymore because my family in India has become much wealthier than me, over time. They are all businesspeople and making money hand over fist. I joke that they should be the ones giving me gifts. 😄

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The plan was to go overseas for two weeks during winter break with DH and two adolescent children. Most of my extended family have not met my children.

I’m overwhelmed about the Christmas shopping. My mom made a list of 27 “close” relatives that I should bring a gift for.

I have a demanding job, one of my children is behaviorally challenging and getting completely overwhelmed about the thought of shopping, and the long trip with my children.

Seriously thinking about forgetting about the whole trip.

My hairdresser doesn't visit her family in her home country for this exact reason.

I don't think there's any way around it OP. Sorry.

There is. Grow a pair and say no. If the family won’t see you without gifts then so be it.

+1
The whole idea that you are expected to bring gifts when you are spending the time, money and energy to travel to visit them is just absurd.

Anonymous wrote:India really has everything and then some more. I hit Costco for things like chocolates and perfumes. Amazon for Korean make up. Outlet malls for purses.

I am finding it harder and harder to shop for people!! Please take gifts of money in red envelopes!! Please!!

+1
I made such an effort to take chocolates and gifts for my family in India and realized they had more expensive taste did not appreciate my Costco chocolates 😅. In the future, I plan to give cash ( local currency) in a nice envelope to all my nieces and nephews - saves me so much time, effort, money, and I get to travel light!

How about some nice stationary/notebooks (like Moleskine) and high quality (but not necessarily fancy) pens? I recall that being of great interest when I travelled to India.

Anonymous wrote:Boxes of chocolate for all!

Ha! You should fully expect your luggage to arrive very gooey.

Hershey's chocolate! One of the big bags from Costco.

India really has everything and then some more. I hit Costco for things like chocolates and perfumes. Amazon for Korean make up. Outlet malls for purses.

I am finding it harder and harder to shop for people!! Please take gifts of money in red envelopes!! Please!!

OP, that’s tough. I’m one of the people who said it depends on where you’re going. People will definitely have high expectations!

For kids I like something they can’t grow out of and can use daily- like the hats you suggested or fancy school supplies that they can show off at school. For teens, name brand shirts and stuff is tough because in some circles they have access to Nike, Adidas, whatever, and in other places it might look the same as knockoffs or not be the right fashion for their friend group. But if you know that would be appreciated I would get a stack of Nike dri-fit tees with whatever cool local sports teams’ logos you can find in a bigger size than is needed. For teen girls I would be splurgy and get them name-brand makeup palettes unless their family is crazy strict, or get fan t-shirts on Etsy if they are into American music. My relatives who are younger also love vinyl stickers with really specific local stuff. For little girls I would probably get crazy keychains and hair baubles at Claire’s- I know it’s imported crap but that’s all my DD wants from her relatives abroad. They would pack small and light. I like big packages of fancy chocolates that people can put out for guests later and show off.

Yes, op, that’s tough. Also given that you haven’t been in a long time, i understand the pressure to not show up empty handed after all those years.

these are a mix of adults and kids? Go for things that are one size and light: caps for kids, a couple of bottles of US wine, chocolates or chocolate covered nuts from the US, lotions from bath and body works, wallets, cool water bottles (or tumblers), US make-up brand stuff…. You get the idea: light, compact, and not too personal that you need to know someone’s size.


It really depends how well you know these people. send a list of potential gifts to your mother and let her suggest out of these what to bring to each.