I live in Europe. Polly Pockets are available here.

Reese Cups are a big hit (I agree, some Europeans think PB is gross), as are choc chip cookies and brownies. Those were good suggestions.

Dh's family is from California. They send almonds. Al ot of Europeans like them and they are $$$ here. Macadamia nuts, too.

Jelly Belly jelly beans are a good idea, too.

Anonymous wrote:I am European living here, but my sister is still in Europe and she always asks for pop tarts (for the boys perhaps). I also stock up on flavored nuts and other goodies from Trader Joe's. For young girls, High School Musical is huge in Europe. I also always buy flavored coffee and that tends to be a hit too.

Oops I meant to suggest the pop tarts may be a hit for the boys.

I am European living here, but my sister is still in Europe and she always asks for pop tarts (for the boys perhaps). I also stock up on flavored nuts and other goodies from Trader Joe's. For young girls, High School Musical is huge in Europe. I also always buy flavored coffee and that tends to be a hit too.

OP here, thank you all. Another question: Does anyone know if Polly Pockets are available in Europe?

Where are they living? Do they have access to a commissary or mail through an embassy? If not, definitely take boxes of brownie mix, Bisquik, syrup, and candy (but not Snickers, M&Ms or Milky Ways). Maybe take the boys some comic books and the girl something to do with Hanna Montana. Or board games.

I remember making rice crispy treats for a European family I stayed with. They found them really bizarre, but interesting.

That's funny, when I lived in Germany, we always thought it odd that the French diplomats who were allowed reciprocal access to our little American Embassy commissary always came in and bought tons of AAFES sliced white bread, which is pretty much like Wonder Bread.

When I studied abroad in Paris, my host family requested brownie mixes and marshmellow fluff. They were so chi-chi and had such sophisticated palattes (even the 10 yr olds ate raw oysters), and yet they went crazy over marshmellow fluff.

A really American thing that is a novelty but they may hate is root beer. Euros think it is "quaint" and like to taste it b/c it's so American, but generally thinks it tastes gross. Kids love gross things though. Kinda like anyone visiting Maine and swigging a Moxie to get an authentic experience.

I'd note, though, many Europeans hate peanut butter. Bizarre, I know.

As per the suggestion re: choco chips and brownie mixes, I might suggest bringing pancake mix also. I've just gotten back from living in London for two years, and never saw a pancake there. Which I find odd, as folks there definitely have sweet teeth (if that's the right plural ). I'd suggest bringing that.

The other thing they don't have, at least in the UK, is corn bread. This might be an acquired taste also, but I suspect folks there would like it. You could bring some of those Jiffy corn bread mixes, and I bet they'd be a hit.

If you are bringing baseball hats, I would suggest either Yankees or Red Sox hats. I doubt any other teams would be recognizable over there.

We lived in Europe for 3 years - a big ditto for whoever said the Toll House chocolate chip cookies and/or brownie mixes. They do NOT have anything like that there and most people love it! We used to savor our cake/cookie/brownie mixes......

Same thing for maple syrup - no equivalent product, at least not where we were living. Peanut butter is available, but usually only one choice.

For my friends that live in Paris I always make Toll house chocolate chip cookies and regular old Duncan Hines brownies -- they go crazy for them.

Anonymous wrote:I always take reeses peesed large bags of snack, or milky-way-ish large bags of small snacks with M&Ms, twix, etc. - as an addition to a small gift.
baseball caps are a hit

no crocs, please you can get a ton of knock offs or real things on any european corner

Op here -- baseball caps for the kids? Teens or younger? Any team(s) in particular?

Op here again. Thank you all for the great suggestions!

Anonymous wrote:I always take reeses peesed large bags of snack, or milky-way-ish large bags of small snacks with M&Ms, twix, etc. - as an addition to a small gift.
baseball caps are a hit

Isn't chocolate better in Europe? Why take Hersheys? Just wondering.