PP here. We have also started to collect nativity scenes from different cultures/of different materials, but of course those aren't found everywhere. Also, I am such a nerd that I have an Excel spreadsheet of our travel ornaments-- when, where, who was on the trip, etc.

We also do Christmas ornaments, but they are often sold as keychains or something. So fun to remember the travels each Christmas. We also try to buy something unique to the place we are visiting (& preferably handmade), depending on the place. For example, molas from Panama, a Peruvian rug, decorative tiles from Turkey, etc. We keep ticket stubs, etc for our kids' scrapbooks (we also collect national park stamps on scraps of paper and put them in the scrapbook). I like the postcard with notes idea-- I think we will start doing this.

Paintings, even if just the touristy ones. Once framed, they look beautiful. Trouble is frames are more expensive than the paintings.

I do art or jewerly, always from a local vendor, usually from a craft fair. It's amazing how often you find them. I get more compliments on the $7 necklace I bought at a Uruguay street fair than anything else I own!

I keep ticket stubs, I.e. Plane boarding passes, museum tickets, etc.

Pressed pennies are cool my kids love that. However can you find penny presses outside the U.S? Maybe I just didn't pay enough attention when abroad, but I see them most at zoos, aquariums, amusement parks.

Anonymous wrote:

Is it easy to find Christmas ornaments in most places at most times of the year (eg, non-Christian countries during the summer)?

I bought lots in Japan--but they are not "Christmas ornaments" . They are trinkets that I hag on the tree--eg Hachinoe horses, etc.

If you can't find an ornament, you can find something that can be repurposed. Sometimes I get a keychain, take off the ring and hang that.

Christmas ornaments and I make a photo book at the end of the trip with our pictures. The kids are little so they also get to pick a "friend" (small toy or stuffed animal) at the beginning of the trip to enjoy during the trip and afterwards. It has worked out that since my older DC was born we've been to places where there are specific toys or stuffed animals that make sense as souvenirs (ie: a buffalo from Yellowstone).

I love the postcard idea! We also do Christmas ornaments for DD and often used to do them for ourselves before DD was born. They are inexpensive and will be something she can have when she's older. You also can turn lots of things into ornaments, which can be fun. Apart from that, we've done a lot of serving dishes and bowls (you can never have enough), pottery, rugs, random bits of textile, interesting jewelry at markets, local music, and anything that is local and/or just reminds us of the place - even if it's free (the dried coconuts from a gorgeous private beach in Colombia are among my favorites). Most of the items have a story, and that makes it fun.

Pressed pennies (for 4 yo DS) and ornaments (for parents). Plus, now that DS has his penny collection, friends and relatives tend to bring them back for him from their own travels rather than other souvenirs - so less junk to keep around, and no feeling guilty that someone felt obligated to spend $ on him.

Magnets-- cheap and small.

We do the pressed pennies, too. My kids love using the machine and it's cheap 51 cents most places. We bought a book to put them in, and now they can look it over and see the places we've been.

We also buy postcards. And we also buy them to send them to my kids' friends. Kids love getting mail, and they always tell us how nice it was to receive them.

I have souvenir tiles from all over the world. I used to have them on my soffit in the kitchen. Now they are in a cupboard. Don't recommend the purchase, but it was kind of fun.

I found some embroidered reindeer in Hong Kong.