[Idyllchat] Re: Gift ideas for landlord
Ronnie B. Peters
rbpmep@comcast.net
Fri, 7 Jul 2006 16:40:33 -0400
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In the past we have taken such items as nice, fairly heavy cloth bags =
with a floral or other design on it since European supermarkets give =
neither paper nor plastic bags unless you purchase them at checkout. We =
were able to find a really lovely one with a large Black-eyed Susan on =
it--the state flower from here in MD. However, when we returned to the =
same apt.a few yrs.later I noticed that several other Untourists must =
have had the same idea, as our landhady had an assortment of cloth bags =
from the U.S.
On another trip, we knew in advance that the family from whom we would =
be renting had upper elementary age children, so we took a black =
Baltimore Oriols T-shirt for the boy and a pastel T-shirt for the girl. =
(Size L seems to be the size worn by kids of all ages world-wide, and =
the son BTW wore it almost every day that we were there.)=20
Another year, at the same location, we took several light sticks, plus =
drawing and writing paper with magic markers for the kids. Again, they =
seemed to absolutely love those. I have noticed that just plain paper =
to draw or write on (without grids) is almost impossible to find. (I =
ran out of journal paper one year and went to several stationary stores =
trying to find a little notebook or pad of paper for writing, with no =
luck.)
Most recently I took a very large package of pecan halves and this too, =
seemed to be appreciated, although I have no way of knowing for certain =
this is true. Europeans bake such wonderful pastries, cakes, etc. that =
I believe this is a very nice gift and I have not seen pecans for sale =
in Switzerland or Austria. I bought them at Costo and the only negative =
is that they are fairly heavy to transport--but only one way.=20
Those who have not been traveling with Idyll for a number of years will =
not readily find the humor in this, but--don't take peanut butter. For =
a long time, this was the most common and favorite item to take as host =
and/or hostess gifts. For some reason, everyone was taking it and =
taking it, until it was suggested by someone--perhaps from the Idyll =
staff--that 'enough was enough a'ready.' In fact, my husband usually =
packed a small jar for himself, he was so addicted to it. They do now =
have a form of peanut butter on grocery shelves, and true--it doesn't =
taste quite the same our ours, but they either like the kind they have =
or are probably not that anxious to get huge quantities of U.S. peanut =
butter.
My mind has gone blank regarding other items we have taken, but I do try =
to find things that are made in the USA--not easy these days, as you =
know.
Some folks send a gift back to their host family upon returning home, =
but I find it easier to take it with us.
Every host family we have met has been so wonderful, that they were most =
deserving of an additional little token of our appreciation.=20
Margaret Peters
Rockville, MD
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>In the past we have taken such items as =
nice,=20
fairly heavy cloth bags with a floral or other design on it since =
European=20
supermarkets give neither paper nor plastic bags unless you =
purchase them=20
at checkout. We were able to find a really lovely one with a large =
Black-eyed Susan on it--the state flower from here in =
MD. However,=20
when we returned to the same apt.a few yrs.later I noticed that =
several=20
other Untourists must have had the same idea, as our =
landhady had an=20
assortment of cloth bags from the U.S.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>On another trip, we knew in advance =
that the=20
family from whom we would be renting had upper elementary age children, =
so we=20
took a black Baltimore Oriols T-shirt for the boy and a pastel =
T-shirt for=20
the girl. (Size L seems to be the size worn by kids of all =
ages=20
world-wide, and the son BTW wore it almost every day that we were=20
there.) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Another year, at the same location, we=20
took several light sticks, plus drawing and writing paper with =
magic=20
markers for the kids. Again, they seemed to absolutely love those. =
I=20
have noticed that just plain paper to draw or write on (without grids) =
is almost=20
impossible to find. (I ran out of journal paper one year and went =
to=20
several stationary stores trying to find a little notebook or pad of =
paper for=20
writing, with no luck.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Most recently I took a very =
large=20
package of pecan halves and this too, seemed to be appreciated, although =
I have=20
no way of knowing for certain this is true. Europeans bake such =
wonderful=20
pastries, cakes, etc. that I believe this is a very nice gift and =
I have=20
not seen pecans for sale in Switzerland or Austria. I bought =
them at=20
Costo and the only negative is that they are fairly heavy to =
transport--but only=20
one way. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Those who have not been traveling =
with Idyll=20
for a number of years will not readily find the humor in this, =
but--don't take=20
peanut butter. For a long time, this was the most common and =
favorite item=20
to take as host and/or hostess gifts. For some reason,=20
everyone was taking it and taking it, until it was suggested by=20
someone--perhaps from the Idyll staff--that 'enough was enough=20
a'ready.'</FONT><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3> In fact, my =
husband usually=20
packed a small jar for himself, he was so addicted =
to it. They=20
do now have a form of peanut butter on grocery shelves, and =
true--it=20
doesn't taste quite the same our ours, but they either like the kind =
they have=20
or are probably not that anxious to get huge quantities of U.S. peanut=20
butter.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>My mind has gone blank regarding other =
items we=20
have taken, but I do try to find things that are made in the USA--not =
easy these=20
days, as you know.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Some folks send a gift back to their =
host family=20
upon returning home, but I find it easier to take it with =
us.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Every host family we have met has been =
so=20
wonderful, that they were most deserving of an additional little =
token of=20
our appreciation. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3></FONT><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Margaret Peters</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D3>Rockville, MD</FONT></DIV>
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