My Take on Souvenirs

This following is a guest post by “Famous Ashley Grant”. Ashley is a writer and photographer based in Tampa, Fla. Ashley loves to travel, but she recently revealed to me that she doesn’t like to buy what she refers to as “typical” souvenirs from her travels. Here’s what she had to say about what she does instead:
When I go on a trip I don’t bring back the typical souvenirs. You probably know the kind I’m talking about too. Shot glasses, shirts, koozies and other random novelty items that say the name of the place I went to- I just don’t like buying cheap knick knacks when I’m traveling. Based on past experiences I’ve noticed that my friends and family honestly don’t like that kind of stuff anyway. Think about it. The last time someone came back from a trip and handed you a cheesy shot glass or worse a post card, were you excited about the gift or did it end up in your junk drawer never to see the light of day again? Exactly!
This is not to say I never bring back gifts from my travels though. I love bringing back photos from the trip and framing prints for family. I also get a kick out of bringing things like seashells from beaches that I can make a Christmas ornament out of. One girl I know likes to make sand art in beautiful glass bottles with sand she retrieves from all over the world. Another picks up rocks, sticks and other random things from nature to make crafts using materials she finds and includes a note with the crafts that says where the items in the gift came from.
When I went to Thailand last year I bought gifts I would ultimately give my mom and one of my girlfriends for Christmas that year. You may be wondering what I bought them since I don’t like “typical” souvenirs. For my mom I got her bracelets and necklaces made by local artisans. For my girlfriend I bought a handmade jewelry box that was hand carved with a cool image from another local artist. I know they appreciated these gifts more than a hat or key chain. My mom even told me how excited she gets when someone asks her where the necklace came from and she gets to say, “Oh my daughter bought this is Thailand!” How awesome is that?
Other interesting gifts I have heard of friends getting loved ones back home include handmade blankets, paintings, baskets and even pieces of furniture. When you think beyond the standard trinkets, the possibilities of the types of gifts you can bring back from your travels are truly endless. So, the next time you are traveling skip the novelties in favor of one-of-a-kind gifts your loved ones can not only use, but that won’t end up on the bottom of the junk drawer!
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Did this post inspire you to go on a trip to find your own unique gifts for loved ones? If so, give Imperial Cruise & Travel a call at (480) 758-5147 today and let’s start planning your perfect getaway!