To think holiday presents are a waste of money?

[lavenderbluedilly]

Do most people bring back souvenirs for friends and family when they go on holiday?

I’m currently away with DH and he has just spent a small fortune on souvenirs for his 9 nieces snd nephews. We have joint holiday money, though I tend to contribute the lion’s share, as I’m the higher earner. He has bought plastic tat and teddies, which will probably not be appreciated (I say this from previous experience). He thinks I’m mean as I said it’s ridiculous to bring back holiday presents. I’ve pointed out that his siblings have never brought anything back for our DC.

AIBU or just mean?

If I knew someone who collected something and i saw a trinket they’d like ok I’d buy that but ordinarily no.

Never done it, never would.

It’s a bit of a 1970s concept to me.

I still do postcards!

My little nephews and nieces (and my kids) LOVE receiving mail addressed to them, it's so rare nowadays. My grand-mother too.

i wouldn't bother for my neighbours, pretty sure they wouldn't care.

YANBU. We'll get a fridge magnet for the in-laws (they collect them and are country-bound), and a (hopefully classy, locally made etc) gift for whoever has watered the plants and watched the house while we're away. That's it.

Something to remember your holiday by is lovely
Something that someone buys you as a remembrance of a holiday you haven't been on, is weird.
If you have a teddy with Paris, or Berlin or Magaluf written on its stomach, and you have never been to Paris, Berlin or Magaluf, it means absolutely nothing. And when someone says, oh, you've been to Paris/Berlin/Magaluf, you are then forced to say 'No, but I know someone who has'
Keep your money. Buy them something that THEY would like when you get home

Does he think it's still 1979?

Surely people only bought tat because a foreign holidayy was a big thing that was a little exotic and relatively rare.

Gifts from a holdaiy are only for the person feeding your cat or watering your plants, your DH is bonkers

I used to buy souvenirs (tasteful ones!) but it became a bit ridiculous when we went through a period of time only affording long weekend city breaks and family would still almost "expect" something. Then if you buy for one you have to buy for them all.

We don't do it now unless we see something that we think someone might particularly like or sometimes we ll buy things to give at Xmas/birthdays

I will sometimes bring back local edible stuff, so it doesn’t clutter people’s houses forever- saffron from the Istanbul spice market, custard tarts from Lisbon, Danish cookies from Copenhagen, that sort of thing. But only for my own DC.

Even the rubbish biscuits and sweets I bring from England are still very much looked forward by the little ones when I visit friends or family abroad, there's loads you can bring back from holiday that can be enjoyed. You know your public, you know what they will like.

A China cat in Egyptian dress.. I don't really know what to say about that one

I can't bear tat. Secret Santa, novelty presents, cracker gifts. Please don't bother. It's both a waste of money and clogging up landfill as hardly anyone keeps it so it goes straight in the bin. I'm with you.

I ask family or close friends to bring back a postcard or fridge magnet if they want to get me something - nothing that’ll take up space in their luggage.

thedayifthethreemagnums no! I think because of the Egypt/cat confluence I’ve been a little worried about getting rid of it - madly!

I did bring my own children gifts home though when I went away without them.

I only bring back something for the person looking after our dog!

I would never buy landfill tat like fridge magnets, teddies, t-shirts or souvenir mugs but like to bring back things the destination is famous for. Pottery from Portugal or Morocco, fabrics, scarfs and spices from India, cosmetics from Korea or Japan, pearl jewellery from East Asia, local wines or spirits, good olive oil, foods that aren't easily available back home, etc.

Yes and no.

I always bring back holiday gifts and they are used and appreciated.

I was in Greece last week, I brought back local honey, olives, herbs, a T shirt, Ouzo, Metaxa brandy, olive oil soap, local sweets for various family members. All have been eaten.drunk and worn.

OH has just come back from Hungary and brought me some hand crafted jewellery and a selection of paprika. I am delighted.

For so many nieces and nephews I would suggest small items- kids are always interested in foreign sweets, to me that is enough. £1 each.

I was standing in a friend’s kitchen once and there was a plate on the wall for the Barcelona olympics 1990 something or other. I asked “was it good?” and they said “oh no, we went the following year”.

My mother does that... And is great at making an idiot at it.

First she starts complaining we are not giving her money to spend as friend of friend third cousin removed does when he travels with his mum. Once you give her your hard earns money she spends the whole time demanding to be taken here and there to find something spoiled family member asked for that is impossible to find in the area. She also makes sure the quality of the gifts reflects the appreciation she has for the family members, so her favourite GDD gets bags and bags of that while she gets nothing for the sibling of that kid. Souvenir buying makes her a horrendous person.

I don’t even bring back a present for the person who waters our plants anymore. I just head for the supermarket on our return and buy a bottle of something nice. Much easier and a lot less random.

I think it depends what the gifts are. Plastic tat and teddies are a waste of money, food items, stationary or a fridge magnet is fine. My kids collect fridge magnets from various places so are always happy to add one to the collection and food from other countries makes a interesting gift. Partial to a stick of rock or some fudge from uk destinations 🤣

We have joint holiday money, though I tend to contribute the lion’s share, as I’m the higher earner.

YABU for this, it's either joint or it's not who put what in doesn't matter.
Maybe you should both have separate spends.

WRT souvenirs I'm on the fence.
I don't really like receiving them unless edible, but I do encourage the kids to buy them as usually PIL, DH's GP and my Parents have given them some spending money.
I am thankful for my integrated fridge as no hideous magnets can adorn it!

I think they are a huge waste of money.

That said, I would hate to be in a relationship where my spending money is policed unnecessarily.

Does he usually fritter away money or is this a one off kind of thing?

I bring my mum something - this year it was a key ring (in other years windchimes and fridge magnets). My sister/her kids get a bag of foreign sweets. I don't bring anything else

My BF and I always buy each other a magnet from our holidays, and I always buy one from my dad, who hasn't ever holidayed beyond Norfolk. It makes him happy.

Dd2 loves a snow globe, so whenever anyone goes away she gets one when they come back (she even expected one when I'd just been away on a course for 2 days).

My parents always buy us presents from their holidays. We accept them gracefully, then send them discreetly to the charity shop. We keep snow globes (obviously), pens or fridge magnets, but they don't limit themselves to these things. They bring back things like mugs, trinket bowls, ornaments, etc which we are trying to reduce the amount of these things in our house, not get more of the bloody things, not even to our taste.