Gifts from visiting family

[WhoHidTheCoffee]

I’m hoping this might be a good place for some Irish expertise…. We’re visiting family in Ireland (Mayo) later this month. It’s the first time I’ve met them and don’t want to go empty-handed. If you had relatives visiting from England, is there anything you’d particularly like to receive as a gift? I was thinking along the lines of tea, biscuits, etc, but not sure if there’s anything English particularly worth bringing?

I wouldn't bother with tea. Most Irish people are very loyal to our own brands and there's fierce competition between Lyons and Barrys.

Something edible is always welcome. We have Tesco and M&S here so we'd be familiar with their products. Maybe something from Sainsburys as we don't have it here and it would be a novelty.

Thank you - I’ll stick with biscuits, fudge, that sort of thing! Annoyingly we don’t live anywhere with particular regional specialities so nothing obviously local to take.

PS as a crisp addict, trying Taytos is high up the holiday to-do list 😬

We always ask visitors for Waitrose stuff.

Yes to stuff from Waitrose!
Yorkshire Gold tea or some English sparking wine

Oh my word @Taytocrisps I look like such a copycat! My granny always called crisps 'potato crisps'.

I usually bring waitrose biscuits or cakes and maybe crackers and savoury bits, if going on the ferry some more random bits and bobs from there or John Lewis napkins or tea towels or whatever.

I'm sure they'll be very happy with fudge etc and their knowledge of English geography is unlikely to extend to saying that Cornish fudge is not from your area or whatever.
Generally speaking I think Irish people eat more cakes and biscuits than people in England, always glad to receive those.

Hope you have a great time meeting your relatives.

Thank you! Will have a look in Waitrose at the weekend 😊

Waitrose stuff definitely a good shout, but the reason you’re seeing more cakes and biscuits in Irish houses is almost certainly because you’re visiting — that stuff often gets made/bought to be offered to visitors. Otherwise I don’t think I’ve registered any significant differences in sweet stuff consumption between the two countries (Irish, but lived 20 years in different bits of England).

English wines also an excellent idea.

No big chain shops in Mayo , M&S stuff is good too. Also think it is now duty free from UK ? Any alcohol is usually good.

Order some Grasmere gingerbread /kendalmint cake /parkin/ Eccles cakes on line they aren't too expensive and slightly different to the norm