Need European Souvenir Ideas, Please!

[glss1/2fll]

In one week my 16 year old is heading off to Europe with the Ambassador of Music program. He will be performing in several countries and I'm hoping ya'll will have some inexpensive, very portable, light weight souvenir ideas. He will be visiting London, Paris, Venice, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Leichtenstein. I'm going to tell him to bring home a postcard from all those places, but aside from maybe some chocolates, we're at a loss. Space is VERY limited and we're not made of money! Any suggestions you can offer would be fantastic!

 

[momto3pirates]

I don't have ideas for you but wanted to say my son is there now with the Texas group!! I am so jealous and really wish we had been able to go with him. They moved to Switzerland today and go see the Matterhorn tomorrow. It really is a once in a lifetime trip.

 

[Earstou]

A friend once took US flag lapel pins.
They definitely would not take up much room, but not sure how appreciated they would be.

Ooops. Sorry, I was thinking of gifts to give while on the trip.

Doing the reverse would work. Buy one from each country, then when he gets home, put them all in a shadow box, with a map for the background.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

My dh travels alot for business internationally. I am sick of all the t shirts etc, kimonos, fans, etc. etc. They just sit in the drawer unused.

So my new souvie idea is asking him to get pens from each country. With the name of the country or a pretty design etc.

Also you can make a shadow box with some paper money and coins from the countries and pictures to go along with them etc.

At one time my ds was asking him for the luggage tags from each country and he made a collage out of them plus the coin and money collection etc.

Sounds like an amazing trip. Hope he is taking lots of pics.

 

[worm761]

What about city maps of all the cities he visits? Those are cheap and take up almost no room. Then they can be framed when he comes home.

 

[mjantz]

My kids LOVED the magazines from foreign countries when we visited Europe a few years ago. They come with really cool stuff like makeup, t-shirts, huge posters & other cool stuff.
We also buy key rings instead of Christmas ornaments for the tree. They're tiny & we find you have a lot more selection.

 

[Gracie09]

Patches to sew on a backpack. When I did my study abroad I picked them up everywhere I went.

 

[glss1/2fll]

I don't have ideas for you but wanted to say my son is there now with the Texas group!! I am so jealous and really wish we had been able to go with him. They moved to Switzerland today and go see the Matterhorn tomorrow. It really is a once in a lifetime trip.

Is your kiddo in the band or choir? Mine is a "doubler."

A friend once took US flag lapel pins.
They definitely would not take up much room, but not sure how appreciated they would be.

I bet DH would like that! What a great idea!

My dh travels alot for business internationally. I am sick of all the t shirts etc, kimonos, fans, etc. etc. They just sit in the drawer unused.

So my new souvie idea is asking him to get pens from each country. With the name of the country or a pretty design etc.

Also you can make a shadow box with some paper money and coins from the countries and pictures to go along with them etc.

At one time my ds was asking him for the luggage tags from each country and he made a collage out of them plus the coin and money collection etc.

Sounds like an amazing trip. Hope he is taking lots of pics.

I like the pen idea, plus shadow boxes. I made one ages ago of Disney candy tins.

What about city maps of all the cities he visits? Those are cheap and take up almost no room. Then they can be framed when he comes home.

Excellent idea! Love it.

My kids LOVED the magazines from foreign countries when we visited Europe a few years ago. They come with really cool stuff like makeup, t-shirts, huge posters & other cool stuff.
We also buy key rings instead of Christmas ornaments for the tree. They're tiny & we find you have a lot more selection.

Ooohh. He'd get a kick out of the magazines! He and his brother usually exchange lanyards and sometimes key rings. Good reminder.

Patches to sew on a backpack. When I did my study abroad I picked them up everywhere I went.

Hadn't even thought of that. What a great idea!

Thanks, Everyone!!!

 

[Sagginit]

My kids LOVED the magazines from foreign countries when we visited Europe a few years ago. They come with really cool stuff like makeup, t-shirts, huge posters & other cool stuff.
We also buy key rings instead of Christmas ornaments for the tree. They're tiny & we find you have a lot more selection.

i collect xmas ornaments, thats a great idea!

i know it sounds wierd, but everyday things to scrapbook like candy wrappers, magazines, receipts, postcards, etc. i have a bunch of those in with my photos from when i was in france in college. bring back happy memories of things i got to enjoy while there i dont get here.

 

[momto3pirates]

Is your kiddo in the band or choir? Mine is a "doubler."


He is in the band, plays percussion. He comes home july 3. I cannot wait to see the pictures and hear about the trip. His band director is on the trip with him.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Also you can make a shadow box with some paper money and coins from the countries and pictures to go along with them etc.

Since most countries in Europe use the Euro, this won't be as interesting a collection as it would have been years ago.

I suggest that your son take lots of photos; they are one of the best souvenirs.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

When we lived in Europe, we let the boys pick a key chain from each place we visited. We have some great ones, in all different kinds of media - the ribbon and bell from Germany, the double decker bus from London, the pewter windmill from Holland, the purple Eiffel tower from Paris - each is unique to the place where we purchased it. They ran from 2-8 Euro each ($3-11) and they can be strung up across a cork board in their rooms.

My dh and I collect watercolors or other street art from the places we've visited. I have them framed with the same mat and coppery wooden frame so they kind of match. They're awesome (but probably more than you want your son to spend). They are also a bit of a challenge to get home without damage.

 

[MomToOne]

I like to collect art books from the various museums I visit in different countries. You can get big ones, or smaller ones, depending on the luggage space you have. It's fun to look through them every now and then and say "Hey! I remember when I saw that painting/sculpture/etc in person!!!" It starts a whole flood of memories of the trip - which is what a souvenier should do

They last a long time and look pretty in the bookcase when they are not being actively used too

 

[mrp4352]

The city/museum guidebooks usually have beautiful pictures in them, but they can get a little heavy.

You might also have him look for the little metal 'patches' that they sell to go on walking sticks. They're an inch or two tall and about 3/4th an inch wide. They have a little hole at the top and bottom so they can be screwed into the hiking sticks. I got those instead of patches when I was exchanged in Germany - (they were much, much easier to sew onto my jacket than a patch was! )

The best thing is pictures - lots and lots of pictures and start each day with a picture of the new date. I kept a very high-level journal of what I do each day ("6/27 - Munich; Oktoberfest brewery and Bayerish Museum"), just enough so that I'll remember what the pictures were from when I get to start editing a couple of weeks later!

 

[Zooshoveller]

Doing the reverse would work. Buy one from each country, then when he gets home, put them all in a shadow box, with a map for the background.

Love this idea.

 

[ceecee]

Really depends on him. I didn't much care for stuff when I was in my teens and usually bought a tee shirt or nothing. We traveled extensively and I rarely got anything to bring home. Just wasn't that interested. I did bring heather home from Scotland pressed in a book for some reason that really impressed me. Of course when I got home my parents said you shouldn't have been allowed to bring back plants! By then it was dried. I did take a lot of photos. AND loved to try all the different candy but I ate it there.

 

[TillyDe]

I collect spoons. There are some really nice ones. There are small and light weight. Plus you can continue the collection stateside - even Disney.

 

[glss1/2fll]

i know it sounds wierd, but everyday things to scrapbook like candy wrappers, magazines, receipts, postcards, etc. i have a bunch of those in with my photos from when i was in france in college. bring back happy memories of things i got to enjoy while there i dont get here.

Not weird at all. I am the keeper of that stuff when we travel. Drives my DH bonkers. But when I get around to putting it all in a book, he's very appreciative of all my "junk!"

He is in the band, plays percussion. He comes home july 3. I cannot wait to see the pictures and hear about the trip. His band director is on the trip with him.

Sounds like so much fun! Our church choir director will be in Paris the same time he will and they are going to try to get together!

I suggest that your son take lots of photos; they are one of the best souvenirs.

Yeah. Kinda worried about the pics. He does good for a day or two then quits on us!

When we lived in Europe, we let the boys pick a key chain from each place we visited. We have some great ones, in all different kinds of media - the ribbon and bell from Germany, the double decker bus from London, the pewter windmill from Holland, the purple Eiffel tower from Paris - each is unique to the place where we purchased it. They ran from 2-8 Euro each ($3-11) and they can be strung up across a cork board in their rooms.

My dh and I collect watercolors or other street art from the places we've visited. I have them framed with the same mat and coppery wooden frame so they kind of match. They're awesome (but probably more than you want your son to spend). They are also a bit of a challenge to get home without damage.

Sounds lovely. I thought about street art, too, especially since they will be visiting Montmartre in Paris and there are always lots of artists there.

I like to collect art books from the various museums I visit in different countries. You can get big ones, or smaller ones, depending on the luggage space you have. It's fun to look through them every now and then and say "Hey! I remember when I saw that painting/sculpture/etc in person!!!" It starts a whole flood of memories of the trip - which is what a souvenier should do

They last a long time and look pretty in the bookcase when they are not being actively used too

I've done that once or twice. It is fun. I've also bought mini posters of art I've liked at museums and then have them framed when I got home.

The city/museum guidebooks usually have beautiful pictures in them, but they can get a little heavy.

You might also have him look for the little metal 'patches' that they sell to go on walking sticks. They're an inch or two tall and about 3/4th an inch wide. They have a little hole at the top and bottom so they can be screwed into the hiking sticks. I got those instead of patches when I was exchanged in Germany - (they were much, much easier to sew onto my jacket than a patch was! )

The best thing is pictures - lots and lots of pictures and start each day with a picture of the new date. I kept a very high-level journal of what I do each day ("6/27 - Munich; Oktoberfest brewery and Bayerish Museum"), just enough so that I'll remember what the pictures were from when I get to start editing a couple of weeks later!

Those metal patches sound interesting! I'm worried about him taking pictures because he always poops out on us! He is bringing a little notebook/pencil to jot down what the photos are. Hopefully being in a group and having everybody around him snapping away will inspire him to do the same thing!

Really depends on him. I didn't much care for stuff when I was in my teens and usually bought a tee shirt or nothing. We traveled extensively and I rarely got anything to bring home. Just wasn't that interested. I did bring heather home from Scotland pressed in a book for some reason that really impressed me. Of course when I got home my parents said you shouldn't have been allowed to bring back plants! By then it was dried. I did take a lot of photos. AND loved to try all the different candy but I ate it there.

I like the heather story! so typical of parents--and just what I would say, too! DH and I went to Italy once and I didn't bring home anything, either.

I collect spoons. There are some really nice ones. There are small and light weight. Plus you can continue the collection stateside - even Disney.

Ohh, spoons. Forgot about them. His grandparents once collected them. Hmm. I wonder what they did with all of them!

 

[hops&dreams]

Try something like this:
http://pinterest.com/pin/14636767511531515/
Have him take a pic - alone or in a group - at each place he visits.
With each place, have a map, and when he gets home, mat the picture with the map... You can also put on the mat some coins or money, ticket stubs, etc. Could be a really awesome souvie/wall hanging/gallery area.

 

[burnurcomputer]

Magnet. Cheap, portable, and useful your whole life!