What gifts do I take to Australia from UK?

[ButterflyTulips]

So we're travelling over to see in laws in a few weeks and I'm completely stumped what to take as little gifts.

Obviously they have most things there and I'm not needing to take "marmite" or "tea" as they're Australian not British ex pats... So needs to be more presenty than that.

They have easter eggs (this would have been an easy win if it had been america!) and lindt and Cadbury etc.

Any ideas what might be a nice gift? We don't go over often at all.

I always try to bring home with me a tub of the M&S millionaires bites. The UK has a huge selection of lollies and biscuits that you can’t get in Australia and it’s always fun to sample

Moores biscuits - based in Dorset.

and according to Google,
if you want to carry heavy bottles of spirits you have

Black Cow vodka
and
Conker gin

As the British are known as a nation of tea drinkers, i like the idea of tea from Fortnum & Mason as already suggested - but you did say you didn't want tea.

I wouldn't bother bringing food if they are Aussies. If they were originally from the UK I would ask them if there is anything they would like you to bring (personally I get people to bring me the things I miss, which are a good variety of crisps, British newspapers, and M & S goodies like mini rolls and Percy Pigs. We can get practically everything else here. I also wouldn't bother with tea towels or knick-knacks, its just clutter, but a nice bottle or two of booze is always appreciated.

Do they like cooking? What about a cookbook from a British chef/author? I did that for my FIL one Christmas and he seemed to appreciate it (he's a great cook!).

Otherwise, Jo Malone is super expensive in Australia and is a lovely generic British gift, IMO

Also, I can confirm that the M&S truffles are always a hit with family and friends not from the UK

Bringing food or plant matter (lavender) can be a bit of a pain. Percy pigs with the nice clear labels pretty easy. I suggest having them easy access to show.

Tea towels, booze, fridge magnets are good. Another option is magazines particularly if you know what sort of things they like. I'd love UK based knitting magazine.

When DH takes a trip back to the UK he brings back gin for me, Premier League merch for DS, vintage band t shirts for DD, tea and shortbread for my mum. And Walkers cheese and onion crisps for himself lol. It’s worth finding out if they collect anything, I’ve been requested to bring back fridge magnets and Christmas ornaments for friends.

If they are Australians then definitely don’t bring any everyday food like chocolate or biscuits to prove how vastly superior they are to the Australian equivalent. British expats of course appreciate a taste of home.

Buy a nice big bottle of their favourite spirit at the duty free on the way in.

Otherwise yes, British sweets or biscuits you can't get here. I'm personally addicted to Basset's Jelly Babies, you can get them here but it's difficult and they are expensive.

I get my UK based visitors to bring me Aussie 3 Min Miracle hair treatments as ironically it's not Australian!

Your Dairy Milk is definitely NOT better than ours! In fact I bought some Wispa for my DSs when I found it in a shop as they used to love it when we lived in the UK and they actually spat it out they found it so awful....

I used to bring things like posh English biscuits in a cute tin, my sisters loved their Buckingham Palace tea towels and I think I got a Windsor Castle apron, from memory. Those sort of silly things.

Thanks everyone. Not sure they're really sweets people. Although we appreciated chocolate bullets as I don't think I've seen that here.

And although Buckingham palace/London stuff isn't near us but we could get local landmark equivalent. They've been here before so it's not completely unknown.

They're Australian not ex pats so no need for "taste of home". Great to hear what people would get though I've found it really interesting :).

I love the tins when you get biscuits in a tin here but never really like the biscuits! And I'm sure they've got access to lots od differennt loose tea.

I think I might go small craft. But thanks for the reminder for it not to be wood!!!!

Oh yes, definitely not wood. Freaking nightmare with wooden items..... Australia is VERY strict.

Same goes for anything plant based (eg lavender flowers).

"While all other foods, including dairy products, cakes, honey and seafood, are subject to inspection, commodities like rice, pulses and crop seeds are generally restricted from entering the country for private use.

"These are all the things Australia is really good at growing, and we export them to the rest of the world."

Unless accompanied by a valid Import Permitt_, eggs, live animals, plants, cuttings, wooden products and other biological materials are also not allowed."

Think about whether you REALLY want to be stuck in the line which requires your items to be inspected! And if you do, put them all together in an easily accessible bag, just in case. If it's commercial biscuits, say so on the declaration form and the officer who checks your form will hopefully send you though the "nothing to declare" line anyway. Don't buy lovely "home made" food from the local market because they will physically inspect that.

Last thing you need after such a long flight is to be stuck in the "something to declare" line. Especially if you're flying through an Asian country, they will be inspecting lots of suitcases.

Oh, and just a heads up, don't take shoes or clothing that you wore to any freshwater waterways or farming areas. You get asked if you've been to those areas in the last 30 days. Clean any shoes THOROUGHLY, especially trainers and hiking boots. Make sure there is absolutely no dirt or soil on them.

If it means you need to buy new shoes, do it. Otherwise you might have to pay for your footwear to be treated or have them confiscated/destroyed.

Yes travelling through Changi (really excited about that as the jewel wasn't there when we last came 10 or so years ago!)

I've got a close relative that has bees... But I did know not to take their honey as that would have been a nice personal gift.

I think we might be in the something to declare line anyway as we will be bringing a couple of chocolate bits for the kids as arriving easter day! I was going to have them as a surprise... So er that will be interesting.

We might get some wrapped sweets in singapore too but I think as long as they stay wrapped that's okay.

Good heads up about shoes. All mine should be fine but the kids do scouts and all sorts so will give them a good clean!!

Every time I've brought back chocolate the officer at the head of the "something to declare" line has signed my card, and sent me through the "nothing to declare line". So I wouldn't fret about that.

But if we do bring sweets or biscuits what British ones can't you get (apart from percy pigs.)

I've seen jelly babies up thread.

Order - do you have to show it or just tell them?

If it's a commercial, mass produced product, it's fine. I travelled back yearly for 15 years, and the only time I had a problem was when I was given a wooden "gift" on the London to Singapore leg of the flight, and then had to declare it in Australia.

Even sweets are fine. Hence the "avoid the cute little market stall stuff" advice.

Usually just tell them - you show them the form where you tick what you have to declare, they'll ask "what are the food items", you tell them "Marks and Spencer brand biscuits" and then they "ok" the item and then usually you're done!

Caveat of course that a random number of people will be inspected anyway. Nothing you can do about that except pack neatly. Clear packing cubes help!

I was going to "hide" a lindy bunny and some mini eggs in each child's suitcase for them to unzip (of course here saying I packed them so none of that "did you pack this" issue!)

But I guess it might make it slightly more complicated than having it in one place. Will just have to remember!!

Thankyou :)

An Aussie friend who stayed recently was excited to take Colin the caterpillar mini cakes back, along with Percy the pigs.
She brought us some local fudge which the kids enjoyed.
Other friends have brought us wine glass charms with local motifs on them which are quite sweet, we don’t always use them though 😅
Otherwise agree with a nice framed pic and a meal / coffees / icecreams out while you’re there.
If you have time, a photo book of the grandchildren ‘in action’ might also be nice.
Or some nice pyjamas from M&S.

@CharlotteStreetW1

Oh Gawd yes! Please declare any edible item!! Love that programme. You can tell when people just haven't thought and when there is deliberate concealment!

I recently went over and tried to take some things that may not be available out there, such as party ring biscuits, fruit pastilles/starburst, prawn cocktail crisps. One thing I did was run through the Woolies website to see what they didn't sell.

I'd also been a few places through the year and bought something local from those places, for example a Peter Rabbit book when I visited Cumbria and something made of steel from Sheffield and some slate coasters from North Wales.

Ooh fruit pastils aren't a thing? They're fun!

Just take some good quality whiskey or wine.