Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I'm traveling to London soon and will meet up with a friend and her family, I'm looking for gift ideas for what to bring them from here. Two adults, and two kids, ages 11 and 8. I am thinking getting the kids monogrammed YETI water bottles, but I have yet to figure out what to get the mom and dad. Any suggestions? Budget is about $50 each gift, no alcohol. Thank you!

Candy, candy, candy.

Seriously many business colleagues I've had over the years will fill their suitcases for their return trip to the UK with candy for their kids. All kinds, one of each of everything they can find, because apparently there are a lot of candies in the US that they don't have there.

Cowboy hats, rebel flag shirts, and shirts with guns on them are also super popular gifts judging by what clients buy to take back, but hats are also quite bulky and size dependent, so not a good choice.

What business is this and what kind of clients are these? I can only surmise that the brits are having "yank trash" parties to parody us...

I almost took water bottles to friends 8 and 11yo for spring break in Switzerland , glad I didn’t. It’s just not a thing there, plus ours are huge compared to what they use.
What was a hit was the card game Skyjo. We took it for ourselves, we weren’t staying with them the whole time, but both kids loved it so we left it there for them.
So maybe that or some other card game that’s popular here.

Trader Joe is it. Especially the bags. Either 99 cent ones or canvas. These pack well

Love the nasa shirt and White House ornaments ideas!

Anonymous wrote:I don’t think you need to bring them anything … they already feel bad for you that you live in the US. They’ll be happy to hear your stories and feel a greater sense of gratitude for their circumstances.

Don’t show up as a houseguest without a gift.

Anonymous wrote:The Peanut Shop of Williamsburg has the best peanuts, much better than anything what they can buy in the UK. Mail order works well to get it from W'burg to you.

+1
I’ve gifted these before.

I always get my friends packages for stays at Claridges.

I mailed a box of different things to my cousins in the UK, and they was most excited about the taco and fajita seasoning packs. They weren't El Paso but some bougie brand I found. They love southwestern hot sauces too. And Thin Mint girl scout cookies.

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I'm traveling to London soon and will meet up with a friend and her family, I'm looking for gift ideas for what to bring them from here. Two adults, and two kids, ages 11 and 8. I am thinking getting the kids monogrammed YETI water bottles, but I have yet to figure out what to get the mom and dad. Any suggestions? Budget is about $50 each gift, no alcohol. Thank you!

Candy, candy, candy.

Seriously many business colleagues I've had over the years will fill their suitcases for their return trip to the UK with candy for their kids. All kinds, one of each of everything they can find, because apparently there are a lot of candies in the US that they don't have there.

Cowboy hats, rebel flag shirts, and shirts with guns on them are also super popular gifts judging by what clients buy to take back, but hats are also quite bulky and size dependent, so not a good choice.

For kids I would do TJ mini tote with snacks inside (these are the best gifts for my kids and easily passed on if they don’t want them); if they are girls, maybe something from the Target x Kate Spade drop; boys maybe NFL gear? for adults I like to take reusable shopping bags, like the Scout bags with DC or Virginia prints with tea towels from Naked Decor with the Dc landmarks and Godzilla or the Kraken and a bottle of VA wine.

I don’t think you need to bring them anything … they already feel bad for you that you live in the US. They’ll be happy to hear your stories and feel a greater sense of gratitude for their circumstances.

I'd make a junk food gift bag with small/individual packs of reeses peanut butter cups, the dark chocolate pb cups from TJs with just a few at the register, skittles, nerds gummy clusters, hot cheetos (1-2 bags), and stupid thing of cereal or two (like the small cylinder of froot loops). Small jar of everything but the bagel seasoning from TJs plus any others that seem good, a ChikFila BBQ sauce or ChilFilA sauce, maybe a small jar of Jif. Box of Girl Scout cookies (Samoas, Thin Mints).

For the kids maybe a board game that they wouldn't have there. Or a Lego set of the Statue of Liberty, or NASA-themed. For the adults, Vermont maple syrup or Southern barbecue sauce?

My UK friends always ask for TJ items or Girl Scout cookies.

Anonymous wrote:They don't live in Ethiopia, they have access to everything we do, and more!

Seriously though, enough with the gifts. You're going to shlep water bottles across the pond? Just buy them dinner.

No... your insecurity about being American is showing.