Do you bring people stuff back when you go on holiday?

[heartbroken22]

My parents always did for family and so do I ( talking about brothers and sisters nieces and nephews). We've just done this and it has been exhausting. I don't want to do it anymore.

I was saying to my partner only last week that bringing back souvenirs for people just isn't a thing anymore. When I was a kid, every home had a straw donkey and other knick-knacks from the continent. In the 90s, when I was a teen, we always bought little presents for our friends and relatives when we went on holiday, but not now.

I assume this was because going abroad used to be such a novelty, but now everyone does it, so the tradition has died out.

Only between me and my best friend, and then only if it is donkey related.
It's a 30+ years running joke... 🫏

Yes, but it was just things we were picking up anyway, bags of sweets, Turkish delight, little magnets or stickers. I don’t put much thought into it tbh, it’s just little souvenirs.

What kind of gifts are you buying?

Yes, something nice for my 2IC because she does an amazing job holding things together at work.

And I get cosmetics and skincare for my sister that are cheaper or we can’t get at home.

And something for my partner if he’s not with me,

Normally get something for DS and his GF if we go abroad but not in UK.

Usually something for our neighbour who waters our plants but that’s it.

Sweets for my team at work
Magnet for me if it's a new destination
Souvenir for my daughter as she loves to collect mementos from holidays, again if its a new destination

No I don't, because if someone brings something back for me I don't want it and would secretly be annoyed. So I can assume other feel that way.

Only if you can buy it at the airport. I'm not wasting my holiday going shopping for gifts.

Not really a thing any more given how often people travel and how easy it is to order things from abroad

I used to love bringing sweets back from Italy for my school class in primary

I get my Dad some Turkey delight or loukoumi if I see some as he really likes them.

Mainly stuff from the local supermarket - nice local biscuits / cake or so for work colleagues, and parents. Nothing major but just the thought that counts.
Doesn't take up much time or mind space.

Usually just a few foodie bits for kids or DH if they're not with me. If DH goes away he will sometimes get me some perfume from Duty Free.
I agree that souvenirs are not usually wanted, it's a waste of time and money.

When I was working, sweets, fudge or biscuits for work. Similar for neighbours if watering plants. Years ago, 1980s used to bring back souvenir gifts for parents but that seemed to lapse as it seemed a bit silly as they had so many.

Clothes for adult siblings and nephews, toys for kids. Etc etc

Maybe some sweets or something. I don't want to lumber people with souvenirs of holidays they weren't on.

No. Everyone has so much crap nowadays that more doesn’t need to be added. It’s different if I see something specific, but otherwise creating more landfill. For the sake of bringing something back is not necessary.

We all bring back local sweets or cake for the office (small office so it isn't all the time and we don't have to buy huge quantities). Will bring something edible back for the neighbour who puts our bin out and keeps an eye on the house. I like shopping when I'm away, it's nice to try things from elsewhere. My late teen DD and her best friend always used to exchange holiday gifts when they were younger. I used to do fridge magnets for my parents and them for us, or maybe another little souvenir. We've got some lovely things in our house from my parents travels after they retired.

Blimey, that does sound exhausting, I would just get some sweets, fudge or biscuits.

DH always brings a fridge magnet for his departmental cleaner - long standing thing of 15 years, everyone in their department always brings a fridge magnet back for her.

If I travel alone for work I try and bring back something small and preferably edible for the DCs.

I always buy myself a fridge magnet. I try and pick up something for DS11 as he’s the youngest. It would be sweets or something that we can’t get here. I wouldn’t go out of my way to bring stuff back for anyone else unless I happened to see something I knew they’d like. For example I brought ds20’s gf home a tin of stroopwaffles from Holland because I know how much she loves them.

I always used to, then realised other people don’t. So I haven’t for a very long time.

I go to Sweden a lot and I always bring back something Moomin related for friends. Nothing huge- socks/keyring/ biscuits. I’m just spreading the Moomin love (I know they’re Finnish).

I always buy a fridge magnet & my daughters normally get a bracelet of some sort

Depending on the country it's usually beauty bits / food things we can't get over in the UK if someone asks me to bring something back - I don't just show up with presents lol

Only other person I bring something home for is my neighbour who feeds our cat - but sometimes I'll grab flowers instead if I can't find something I know she'll like & use

It was a thing when I was younger,(70's and 80's) but apart from a fridge magnet for my mum as she collects them, then no, not anymore.
I don't want to spend my holiday shopping