If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

what do you like to bring them when you visit? What do they usually ask for?

My family in Italy asks for: Levis, BBQ sauce, pancake mix, pancake syrup and those little McCormick seasoning packets.

Looking for new ideas on what to bring them.

And if you are feeling talkative, what do YOU ask for when they come to the US?

I ask for: nutella ( I don't care what you say, its different ), Pasta di mandorla ( almond cookies ), these totally flat frying pans that I can't find here - you use them with no oil and just baking paper, healthy and yummy!, stovetop espresso maker, tablecloths, lace work ( hand made ), and decorative items like religious statues etc.

Message edited 5/14/2009 8:41:01 AM.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Usually just clothes. I love that they want pancake mix and syrup!!

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

As someone who lives outside of the country, I will tell you what I always bring back to the UK with me...

Crystal Light Drink Mixes
Tylenol PM
Excedrin (high caffeine content)
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
Ranch Dressing Mix
Onion Soup Mix
Deoderent (we can't get big packs of deoderent in the UK..)
Cake Mix (can't get any kind of white/vanilla cake mixes in the UK)
Combos
Sourdough Pretzels
Buffalo Wing Sauce...

I could go on, I always bring a suitcase of food back to the UK with me!

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

My family in Italy loves American candy- ALL sorts of candy. Not sure why, since some of the best chocolate in the world comes from Europe!!!

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

My family in the Philippines asks for:

-American or European chocolate & cookies (chocolate made in the Philippines is generally awful),

-chips like Lays. They are a PITA to find in asia in general. But for some reason, Pringles in every imaginable flavor are available.

-sheets/towels

-cosmetic products, nail polish. American drug store brands are subject to a huge markup

-sneakers, also marked up

-pancake mix & syrup what is it about that stuff?

Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff I love isn't kosher to bring here. Ripe mangos from Cebu, green (unripe/hard) mangos, a fruit called santol, fresh tamarind.

But friends/family will bring me pastries, pili nuts, dried mangos. My cousin gave me a melon shredder that I was thrilled to have. I think it cost him 35 cents.

The next time I go, I want to bring back a parol, a traditional Christmas decoration.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Posted by baghag

My family in the Philippines asks for:

-American or European chocolate & cookies (chocolate made in the Philippines is generally awful),

-chips like Lays. They are a PITA to find in asia in general. But for some reason, Pringles in every imaginable flavor are available.

-sheets/towels

-cosmetic products, nail polish. American drug store brands are subject to a huge markup

-sneakers, also marked up

-pancake mix & syrup what is it about that stuff?

Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff I love isn't kosher to bring here. Ripe mangos from Cebu, green (unripe/hard) mangos, a fruit called santol, fresh tamarind.

But friends/family will bring me pastries, pili nuts, dried mangos. My cousin gave me a melon shredder that I was thrilled to have. I think it cost him 35 cents.

The next time I go, I want to bring back a parol, a traditional Christmas decoration.
IMAGE

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Forgot to add, my mom once gave out those Lipton pasta instant packets and cans of Chef Boyardee. They were a HUGE hit. My Italian friends were horrified.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Visitors from Italy:
I'd love really good olive oil, lace tablecloth, and a handbag!

I'd probably bring jeans, bagels, and perhaps a vera bradley make-up bag or wristlet for the women!

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

haha - everyone asks us for cigarettes!

every summer, my nonna went to sicily to stay with her sister and she would bring boxes of honey nut cheerios and toilet paper. seriously.

when mom goes, i ask for espresso, stove top espresso maker, a milk frother and a new bag.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

EVERYONE WANTS "AMERICAN SNEAKERS"(especially Niki, NB and Reebok) and "JEANS"(even if it says made in China,lol) Mostly I bring clothes for my family and candy/chocolate. they have all that back home(same brands), but for whatever reason people want them to come from America
From there I ask for Georgian wine, cheese and spices. Oh and Georgian books

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

My parents retired so they live in DR. They come twice a year and basically stock up on things. When I go visit I normally bring my mom any makeup item she might be running out of. The products she uses are almost double the price over there.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Our nieces want Ambercrombie & Fitch, Hillfiger, anything with a label. They are double or triple the price in Ireland.

They also request:
grape jelly
pancakes & syrup (it's so funny)
Kraft macaroni & cheese
big red disposable cups (I'm not kididng)
Yankee candles
oreos
Lucky Charms


We request
tea bags
chocolates
gravy

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

i dont have any suggestions for you but i have to agree with you. NUTELLA HERE IS NOT THE SAME!!!!!

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

My mom and dad just went to Peru last nite to visit his family as well as head up to Machu Pichu for the weekend to sight see.

When he goes over there-- he always brings:

Pepto Bismol (for his mom)
Gum
Tons of different chocolate candies like M&Ms, hersheys miniatures, etc.
Clothes that he doesn't need anymore -- he gives them away to his brothers since they love the material


He doesn't really bring much back from there except an occasional blanket or souvenir. The things he wants to bring back most, are food items and mostly stuff you can't bring in anyway.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

We have a few friends who live in London and we bring them:

Zip Lock Bags (My friend swears they are cheaper and better here)
Lucky Charms
Bagels
Reesees PB Cups


And I always bring back Tea and Peanut Butter Kit Kats

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

My sister right now lives in Aruba.

She asks my parents to bring her everything!! They have mainly dutch products there and if they do have American things, they are a fortune. Plus because they are an island, they run out of stuff a lot.

Her main thing that always has to be brought is Pastina and Boboli.

I asked my sister to bring back with her their baby cereal and some of the dutch organic baby food. My niece loves it And some more puppets for my DS.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

dh usually get carnations roses when his family visits from Ireland and when my friends visit the uk I always make them get me any chocolate especially Maynards wine gums. Dh also loves getting football jersey's. His most recent one is from Germany.

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

When we visit my and/or DH's family in Ireland, they always ask for:

Ambercrombie and Fitch hoodies
Gap Kids clothes
Levis
Clinique and Mac makeup
Crest whitestrips
Advil

When they visit here, we usually ask for:

newspapers/magazines
DVDs of Irish tv shows
DH asks for football and rugby jerseys
packets of oxtail soup mix
teabags chocolate and candy (although we usually make a once a month trip to the Irish food stores in Queens to stock up on this stuff)

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

Re: If you have family/friends outside of the country. . .

DH and his brothers always ask their Mom to bring over Irish curry sauce (go figure!?), Bird's custard mix, Bisto gravy mix, soccer/football gear, hurley sticks and chocolates. The poor woman has to carry all of this stuff over on the plane with her!! It's nuts!

When we visit her, we bring her clothing, perfume, fake tanners (not kidding!) and gold jewelry (she's no dummy! . ).

Oh and by the way, DH and his family hate pancakes.

Message edited 5/14/2009 10:21:06 AM.