Who do you buy for

[daystar]

Hi,
When going on your trip who do you buy a souvenir for???My families last trip i bought souvenirs for almost everyone and didn't really have the room to bring anything back for myself other than a disney mug and some christmas ornaments....Also my kids brought back tons of toys....Also buying a souvenir when buying for so many what is your price limit for each family member, i tried to keep it around ten dollars a piece only because there are so many to buy for but that didn't work out....
Now on our second trip i would like to purchase stuff that i really wanted on our last trip but didn't get the chance to get them....Would it be wrong of me not to bring anything back for the other family members or maybe i could just buy for the nieces and nephews....Thanks

 

[the kabuki]

We used to bring something back for everyone, stopped that, it just got too expensive. Now I'll only bring back stuff for whoever watches my dog while we're gone.

 

[kikipug]

We used to bring something back for everyone, stopped that, it just got too expensive. Now I'll only bring back stuff for whoever watches my dog while we're gone.

Same here... it's MY vacation... you want something from where I went... go there yourself and pick out whatever you like!!!

 

[FreeTime]

We normally don't bring a souveneir back for anyone unless they did something special for us while we were gone (cover our hours at work, pick up our paper, etc). We may occasionaly bring back a Belz Character Outlet item back. I really don't like buying for other people, even around the holidays, because no matter how well you know them, you never can tell if they really like the Minnie Mouse socks that you brought back!

 

[daystar]

We normally don't bring a souveneir back for anyone unless they did something special for us while we were gone (cover our hours at work, pick up our paper, etc). We may occasionaly bring back a Belz Character Outlet item back. I really don't like buying for other people, even around the holidays, because no matter how well you know them, you never can tell if they really like the Minnie Mouse socks that you brought back!

Hi,
I know what you mean...Last trip we took i bought my mother in law a christmas ornament since she loves christmas i thought that would be a good gift for her...The next year she gave it back to me....Thanks

 

[Forevryoung]

I only buy something for someone if I see something that they would absolutely love or that they would find entertaining. I mail postcards if I feel like I HAVE to get something. Little kids (big kids too) love getting things in the mail.

 

[dzneelvr]

We brought back gifts for everyone the first trip and never again! One of my SIL's got really jealous and so that didn't work out. Now, I buy stuff through disneydirect.com closer to the occasion. There's some real good buys on the website and it gets shipped direct without the packing and unpacking nightmare.
Believe it or not, my youngest nieces and nephews just love a set of the plastic dinner ware that I bring back, with some napkins. They believe Mickey eats off of them.

 

[SleepingUgly]

We don't live near any family, so we don't have to bring back any souvenirs, heh. We will send postcards to family and close friends, and that's their "souvenirs." I may get a couple of tshirts for my nieces, but that's about it.

This time, we will get something for our girls' godparents and something for my office. That's about it. We'll be buying souvenirs for ourselves the rest of the time.

Linda

 

[eeyorelor]

I was just there in january for the first time ..I did not buy anything for anyone but ,sons teacher went out of her way to make a jurnal and coloring pages for his sister and brother in other classes ..I brought back a key ring for his aid and teacher and we did a pressed penny for each i spent like 5 bucks and they were thrilled ..But the twins were so thrilled mrs harris did the jurnal for them as well so that was a big ty to them ..Everyone else got post cards ..I said i went down on a small budget with 5 kids and not enough money to buy the things we wanted ..And hubby said hey does anyone ever get us something ? I said no and he said well then the heck with them ...It was our first big family vacation and i didnt do anything and no one got mad at us ..lol tough if they did ..lol

 

[RichNKatHolly]

We bring back postcards or the cheapest (but cute)Disney pins we can find for only the other children in the family or whoever takes in the mail, etc.

For us, I try to stick with things you cannot get at home or at Disney store in the Mall. Mostly, stuff from Epcot World Showcase. Alot of that stuff you can't just purchase at your local mall.

We are going in late Nov this year so I plan on doing most of the holiday shoppping. We will have a rental car so the day before we leave I will find a UPS store and ship it all home (the non-breakable stuff and maybe some dirty laundry)!

We did make it a point to get both children the Mickey ears with name though and best of all I think they are like $7 total. They Love them and bring them back each time!!

 

[Lesli54]

Any time that we travel, whether it is WDW or some place else, I will usually send out postcards. The number of people and to whom (beside the standard few) varies depending on free time.

As far as "gifty" souvenirs, I am always on the look out to finish my Christmas shopping and will pick up a souvenir as a gift ONLY if it is the right item for that person and the right price. Some years, people will get things from our vacation and others won't. It is usually something that I don't find at home. Very rarely do I buy a souvenir to give someone when I get home. Now, I will always buy at least one souvenir for the kids for Christmas that I sneak home that will remind them of our vacation that year. Last year was Tshirts that read "Montana" and they love them.

The kids are limited to a certain $ amount that they take for spending. It tends to limit how many souvenirs or treats they buy and makes them particular about what they buy.

 

[Drewandwendi]

When we vacation, we usually do a family picture and put it in a themed frame. Last trip, DM and MIL got pics that we took in Epcot (after Figment) and castle pic frames that are magnetic. They were both thrilled to have the pics and the frames. They each still hve them on the refridgerator. We will just replace the pics this trip. We will buy for the 4 little ones (under teen age), but that's it. They will get something little, and only if it is something we know they will love. Maybe "ears" or a giant Mickey pen. This is our vacation and we are spending enough. This isn't about everyone else, it's about our immediate family.

 

[DMAMom]

This is my kids first time going so I will let them buy (okay really me buy) for their cousin's. Mainly because when my sister took her kids last year they bought something for my kids!

I will probably get something small for my mom and my inlaws. My sister did a cool thing - she bought my mom a disney frame - and then got a picture of the kids with a character to put in it. I'll probably steal that idea!

 

[experiment626mom]

We usually have one of those character pictures taken and then copies of those go to the grandmas along with a picture clip or frame that we found while on our trip. And if someone watches our animals, we buy for them. That's it. Anything else that is brought home is for us.

 

[wdwgirl03]

If I bring anything back it's something small, like a pin or keychain. I also sometimes send postcards.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I buy for my neices and nephews, a small stuffed animal, coloing books etc. My parents and inlaws who sit the house and dog, photo albums that we filled after we had pictures developed or a key ring or other smalll item. The teacher who make it possible to go off season, note pads, pens etc and that is it. About 100.00 max. WE buy very little for ourselves as we get the trip!! I only buy for the people it makes me feel good to buy for. I try not to get into the guilt buying. DS bought for his best friend last year from his own money.

Jordans' mom

 

[MrsPete]

We don't really buy souveniers. We have too much "stuff" already, and we are trying to teach our kids not to buy just for the purpose of buying (though most of society is trying to teach them the opposite).

 

[RichNKatHolly]

AMEN Mrs. Pete. Not only do the kids get sucked in but us too! Especially at Disney. You want to make it so great for the kids but forget that it's not what you buy it's the time the family spends together. With DH work schedule and me now working a few hours a week and all the other "stuff" our vacations are truly special just because we are all together for meals, etc.

Sappy or what??? Peace, Love & Harmony!

 

[daystar]

Hi,
Thanks for all your replies....I think on our next trip we will bring back a trading pin for my niece and nephews, that's all i'm going to buy for....Thanks for the idea, i figure some thing small enough to carry it back and something that wont cost a alot....Can't forget to send the postcards though, that will be everyone elses souvenir...
As Mrs.Pet said that is so true.....The only disappointment my dh had with disney is that almost every ride you get off your in a souvenir shop...Of course well my boys had money that burned a hole in their pocket so they spented it all....My boys both brought back alot of souvenirs and toys, i even had to carry on a star wars space ship it was large could barely fit into my carry on....I don't mind that they spent it but they will just have to learn that when their money is gone it's gone...
Thanks again to all.............