Gifts to take for Christmas in USA

[MrsHowardRoark]

I'm hoping for a bit of help with gift ideas.

My DP and I are spending Christmas with his family in New York. There will be uncles, aunts, cousins and various other people that I have never met but would like to give a token present.

We are flying out so nothing can be too heavy and we're broke so nothing too pricey either.

I was thinking tea or chocolate but that's not going to be for everyone. Any ideas will be gratefully received.

[reddwarf]

order everything from amazon.com?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 (the us site) and have it delivered to the address you'll be staying at. Even better, if you have a relative who can open the parcel and check each item just to be sure.

[lljkk]

If you took chocolate you'd have to declare it at customs, I think.
Americans not big tea drinkers, by & large. Waste of money.
If you want to take something unique: Christmas Crackers. I presume those have to go in checked luggage!

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

We are also visiting family in the USA this Christmas :)

How about some Union Jack stuff (eg mugs) left over from the Jubilee?

[MrsHowardRoark]

Some good ideas, thank you.

I hadn't even considered having things delivered straight there.

I love the cracker idea. Do Americans have Christmas crackers?

[hermioneweasley]

I would also second tea and good quality chocolate - which is relatively expensive there.

[TheHeirOfSlytherin]

I don't think crackers would be allowed anywhere near a plane due to being a (admittedly very tiny) explosive. But I'm happy to be corrected about that

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

You can easily buy crackers in the US.

[TequilaMockinBird]

My Aunt lives in America and whenever she comes over here to visit, she packs her suitcase with Tea and Cadburys chocolate to take home. All of her US friends go mad for them!

You can buy Cadburys over there but it doesn't same, they put something in to stop it melting I think.

I don't think she has to declare it though. Crunchies seem to be very popular amongst her friends, she buys multipacks to take back!

[ChippyMinton]

Cadburys chocolate goes down well.

[TequilaMockinBird]

Doesn't taste the same

[ChippyMinton]

x-posts lol
My friends love the funsize multipacks, and Cadbury Caramel in various guises.
And red Bounty bars.

How about something a bit tongue in cheek like a union jack teatowel?

[Himalaya]

I always go for tea, chocolate, biscuits etc... from Fortnum and Masons or Harrods or somewhere else obviously Englsh. If there are any small cousins etc... I would be snapping up some cut-price Wenlocks or olympic tshirts.

[milk]

Tiptree Strawberry jam, Clotted cream, and scones fresh from a bakery

[ChippyMinton]

No, don't take Xmas pudding or cake they will be at best and at worst it will find its way into the garbage uneaten.

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

Fruit cakes are literally a joke for Americans. They don't eat them, even if you explain how good they are. A typical thing to do with a fruit cake is to re-gift it each year and see how many years you can keep the chain going.

They struggle to be even polite about fruit cakes, so don't give one unless you have a very thick skin.

Christmas puddings are in another stratosphere altogether.

[lljkk]

Where can one easily buy Christmas crackers in the USA? We couldn't even easily find Advent calendars. Do you only mean online places? I never never heard of either until I came to live in UK.

I have read some curious things about importing foods, your experience may vary.

[lljkk]

Virgin says Crackers okay in checked luggage.

[Knowsabitabouteducation]

You can buy crackers in independent international shops, eg [[www.junglejims.com], Williams-Sonoma, World Market etc.

You have to set your horizons beyond Kroger, IGA, etc.

[PrincessOfChina]

Cadbury is made by Hershey in the States, under licence. So any Cadbury chocolate always goes down well with my colleagues over there.

How about a family gift of UK Monopoly. Even better if you could get your hometown version.

I think I'd do a hamper of English food and drink though to be marvelled at and split up depending on what people fancy. Obviously things like sweets, chocolate, drinks.

[MrsHowardRoark]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I think I'm going to take some Christmas crackers, mini pots of jam, chocolate bars and some individually wrapped tea bags. Then I can make up some mini hampers.

[hootiemcboob]

Twiglets!! Actually, that's what I long for, but none seem to be forthcoming