How do YOU choose the best souvenirs for you and your loved ones?
According to a survey, 8 out of 10 Americans bring home souvenirs from their travels. It’s either something small like a magnet or a keychain; there is no way we can come back from the long-awaited trip with bare hands. Would be a shame!
I don’t know about you, but I am tempted to buy every single thing I see that is cute even though it has no practical use. However, in the past months, I tried too hard to upgrade my souvenir-buying skills (if this counts as a skill!) and go for something closer to the essence of the place I visited.
Investing in souvenirs is a wonderful way to support local artists, embrace cultural diversity, and hold onto your memories. For every little unusual thing that I plan on bringing home with me, I always check airline guidelines first to make sure I am allowed to travel with it, so I suggest you do the same.
As I always do in my articles, as a passionate travel writer and a globetrotter in my free time, today I will give you some tips on how to choose the best souvenirs while traveling without spending an arm and a leg on them.
Consider packing space
I hate to break it to you, but if you want to choose the best souvenirs, it’s important to mind your handbag space, especially if you don’t have a plane ticket with checked baggage included. Despite the temptation to gather souvenirs from each destination along the way, keep in mind that there isn’t much room for packing. Be careful what you buy to prevent bulging bags and extra airline fees.
Whether it’s a jar of honey from your local area or a drawing of your favorite city, concentrate on quality over quantity and what you’ll actually treasure and use over time. Ask the store if they provide shipping if you are picking up something heavy or fragile, like a handmade vase or a bottle of local wine.
To prevent packing accidents, a lot of specialty stores are happy to give you a hand with mailing your purchase. This ensures that you or your loved ones can enjoy all of these souvenirs safely when they get home.
Go for functionality
Another way to choose the best souvenirs for your loved ones is to focus on the item’s functionality. I mean, keychains are cute and all, but how many keychains can a person have? Not me; I have 15 keychains and only 4 keys, but you know, a regular individual.
Locally made coffee, tea, jams, chocolates, or traditional alcoholic beverages are all excellent choices for edible souvenirs.
Scottish shortbread, Vermont maple syrup, and Greek olive oil are some of my favorite culinary discoveries from my travels, which, of course, I brought home with me as well. Be careful with the olive oil, though, since many airlines don’t allow it on board unless you buy it from duty-free shops!
If edible stuff isn’t your thing, then choose the best souvenirs that can be wearables, for example, scarves, sweaters, t-shirts, hats, and small perfumes.
Think about jewelry if you have limited luggage space. Creating your travel charm bracelet and adding a new charm for every destination you visit is one way to make this option more reasonably priced.
Go shopping for a cultural experience
Instead of rushing for a souvenir spree at the last minute when you’re in the airport, why don’t you take time to go shopping while you’re still in the city? Include a visit to local flea markets, artisan markets, and boutiques in your vacation itinerary. Look for locations that sell genuine and unique finds.
By doing this you will also gain a better understanding of the culture, and you will be happy to contribute to the local economy by purchasing from local vendors.
Ask for local advice
One of the safest ways to choose the best souvenirs is to ask for local advice. Locals in the city you are visiting will have more knowledge about where to go to find the items you want to purchase. If you are unsure of what you want to buy, they can also suggest souvenirs that are the most representative or distinctive of a place.
Plus, you can also be sure you won’t fall into a tourist trap store from which you will pay double the cost for an item. Trust the locals! Most of them are happy to see people interested in visiting their city and finding out more about their culture. It’s a wonder that we have this opportunity in this lifetime.
What about DIY souvenirs?
I don’t know about you, but there is one thing I love about traveling: doing my own DIY souvenirs for my dearest family members. For example, many wonderful customs from all over the world also provide you with a souvenir at the end of it, a do-it-yourself memento, if you will.
How to create chocolate tours that culminate in a chocolate bar; a beer tour in Prague that includes beer tastings followed by a magnet or brochure; or learning the ancient Japanese pottery technique known as kintsugi, which culminates in the creation of the course’s product. All these are precious memories considered souvenirs.
…or start a collection of souvenirs
If you love traveling as much as I do, then you’re probably booking your next trip right at this moment. Now my question is: How many things do you have from your trips? Have you started a collection of souvenirs? If not, it’s never too late to start! Think about beginning a collection of small but meaningful items, such as coasters, magnets, decorations, mugs, or postcards. Some tourists choose to purchase paintings, drawings, or photographs created by regional artists.
A collection provides a physical way to remember those happy travel memories, whether you’re looking at your wall art, decorating your Christmas tree, or choosing a mug to drink your morning coffee.
Did you know that one of the most wonderful souvenirs you can bring home from your travels is a daily journal? It’s a fantastic way to capture your adventures, where you can jot down your daily experiences, create a lovely scrapbook with those special moments, and even attach subway and museum tickets, fun Polaroid pictures, and more! Why not pick up a charming Page-A-Day Artisan Travel Journal from Amazon for just $9.07?
Take away:
One of the most significant purchases you may make while traveling is souvenirs. It’s worth considering your purchases carefully when you consider the impact they can have on your life—a tie to wonderful memories spent on amazing getaways with wonderful people.
And the good thing is that you don’t have to buy souvenirs on every trip you take; instead, use these tips I gave you to determine what kinds will work best for you—the memories we create and the experiences we have are sometimes the best souvenirs we take home.
Happy traveling!
Planning your trip? You may want to check out a related article: Hotel Breakfast? 6 Foods to Definitely Avoid.
