I don't always get something but when I do it is something nice and different/local to the place. Like I bought a gorgeous teapot in London, a leather jacket in Buenos Aires, amber from Poland, etc. Nothing super expensive.

My mother has a Christmas creche and from any overseas trips she brings back at least one small animal. There's now around 65 animals surrounding the creche each Christmas. All sorts of species, all sorts of materials. It's quite charming and a nice tradition and way to remember her trips.

Bowling balls.

Shot glasses and magnets.

I never buy for the sake of buying something. I travel a lot so it would be overwhelming. Our go to is probably food and alcohol. A bottle of wine, spirits now that there are all these craft distilleries, or some local food item.

Anonymous wrote:DH gets Christmas ornaments for family vacations. I get a shot glass when I travel for work. It started when I got my first "big" job that had me on the road 34 weeks out of the year.

Also just remembered that DH gives me one sea shell for every beach trip. I write the beach and year on the inside and they're in a vase.

When we can find them, small spinning tops, usually of wood but sometimes metal (no plastic). Every culture has these universal toy and adults like to play with them almost as much as kids.