Do Souvenirs Make Good Gifts?

I brought these Marou chocolate bars back with me from a recent trip to Vietnam. As far as a souvenir goes, these make the perfect gift. They are small, perfect for fitting in your suitcase. They are beautifully packaged, perfect for presenting as a great gift. And they are delicious, a consumable gift that will be enjoyed and then disappear!

When done right, a souvenir is a great way to show someone that you were thinking of them while you were away on your trip. However, what was meant as a heartwarming gesture can be an unwanted gift when it's not done well.

Here are some rules to souvenir gift giving if you haven't been asked for something specific. If someone has requested a special item, of course, that item would be a great gift to bring back home with you! If you're unsure, continue reading.

Souvenir Gift Rule No. 1: Keep it Small

Bringing back a token of your trip is nice, bringing back large gifts that your recipient will need to make new space for is not. A general rule of thumb is, if you have to figure out how to send it home, be it an extra suitcase or a FedEx Shipment, it might be too big for a surprise souvenir gift.

Souvenir Gift Rule No. 2: Try Food or Consumables

Consumable items that will be used and used up make great souvenirs. If the destination you traveled to has a notable export, try gifting this item. Try coffee, chocolate or snackable items that are known in the region as being "the best". You can't go wrong with a delicious treat!

Souvenir Gift Rule No. 3: Don't Take it too Seriously

Gifting a souvenir should be light and fun. It should say, "hey, I saw this and thought of you" not "you better love this because I spent my whole trip trying to decide if this was the exact right gift for you". Do not place your entire happiness on whether they enjoy your gift or not. Remember, YOU went on a trip and had a vacation of a lifetime, not them! So don't get bummed if they don't enjoy the mini marble sea turtle figurine you got because you went swimming in the ocean with sea turtles. YOU went, they didn't.

Very Happy Gifting!