Gifts to relatives in USA what would you get them?

Lncmx5 on 13/08/2015 - 23:29

Hi all,

I'm travelling to the San Francisco in a couple of weeks. My partner and I will be visiting and staying with my Uncle/Aunty and 2 cousins for a weekend. I want to come bearing gifts, particularly to my cousins whom I haven't seen since 2000. The boy is 20 y.o, and the girl is 18 y.o. I have no idea what to get them, as I am not close to them. Ideally I would like to give them something that's "Australian", but not corny like " I <3 Australia" t-shirts..

Budget is around $200 each.

Ideas?

General Discussion

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 13/08/2015 - 23:33
    +5

    Insulin.

    • scrimshaw on 13/08/2015 - 23:58
      +1

      Snake antivenom too.

      Um, how bout some classic Australian treats? Vegemite, aussie confectionaries, although it'd be best to do some research to see if they are not already available to buy stateside..

      • Sunshines bright on 14/08/2015 - 22:26

        ewww Americans will not like Vegemite, I tried lol.

        • Randxyz123 on 14/08/2015 - 23:29

          That's because they eat it on like "Jell-O"

          You need to provide the vital service like Hugh Jackman and show them how to eat it properly.

        • Sunshines bright on 15/08/2015 - 19:38

          @knick007: hehe, I believe you mean Jelly as in fruit preserves on bread aka Jam in Australia and America. We do not use what we call Jello on toast or bread, that is a desert for children mostly and Aussies call it jelly, sometimes we put whipped cream on top of it but never would use vegemite on it…ewwwwww!!!! LOL But your right we would smooth lots of vegemite on top of bread not realizing the potency of it.

        • Randxyz123 on 15/08/2015 - 22:28
          +1

          @My Possum: My apologies I did mean Jelly not Jell-O haha.

          But yes foreigners not just Americans put it on toast like Jam/Jelly and get a massive hit and think "that's f***ing awful"

  • neil on 13/08/2015 - 23:39
    +1

    I bring Tim Tams normally but last time I brought over Sullivans Cove Whiskey and a bottle of nice Australian wine. There are some other cheaper and very well rated single malt whiskeys made in Australia that you can't get in the US.

    • KiLLUMiN4Ti on 14/08/2015 - 00:31

      Didn't neg but isn't the legal drinking age in the US 21?

      • neil on 14/08/2015 - 00:36
        +1

        Oh yeah, probably a bit young for a good whiskey. I was thinking for the uncle & aunt.

      • Randxyz123 on 14/08/2015 - 10:22

        Not condoning underage drinking but I guarantee the 20 year old will have had alcohol before. Still that Whisky is NOT for parties and mixing with coke.

        As others said Vegemite and a few packs of Tim Tams for the whole family. (These were on sale at Wollies last week)

        For your Aunt and Uncle you can't go wrong with a decent bottle of Australian Red (either something to keep or something to drink with them) - Side note make sure they actually drink first!!!. If they are interested in wine maybe something to put away is better…?

        Not sure what to get the boy - The Australian in me says beer or something but my brain says a book about Australia or a pack of Aussie playing cards or something along those lines. A footy maybe? and show him how to use it and it is something he can show his friends…. By footy I mean something proper made out of leather and decent quality not a crap fake one.

        The girl - no idea you might have to actually ask them what she wants or hit up duty free at the airport or take her shopping or something.

        You could also grab a pack of those Kolas

        • Firefly on 16/08/2015 - 18:23

          I used to bring Tim Tams for relatives in SF but discovered they sell a cookie that is pretty much identical to Tim Tams at Trader Joes, which is quite big in California.

      • [Deactivated] on 14/08/2015 - 10:51

        Perfectly legal for underage people to drink at home.

        They're not able to purchase alcohol, but their legal guardians are able to supply it legally.

  • eatwell365 on 14/08/2015 - 00:01
    +3

    UGG boots

    • rokoz on 14/08/2015 - 12:26

      There's an Ugg store in SF, I was surprised how many I saw there at outlet malls etc.

  • barginsarelife on 14/08/2015 - 00:05

    Australian snacks

  • KiLLUMiN4Ti on 14/08/2015 - 00:33
    +1

    Kangaroo scrotum souvenirs?? http://www.souvenirsaustralia.com/category202_1.htm

  • Nynaeve on 14/08/2015 - 07:36
    +1

    Cane Toad souvenirs. Do the country a favour while you buy gifts. http://www.souvenirsaustralia.com/category198_1.htm

  • meowmeowmeow on 14/08/2015 - 08:26

    Caramello koalas

  • 50cent on 14/08/2015 - 10:36
    +1

    get em an AFL jersey !! preferably Hawks

  • BigTed on 14/08/2015 - 11:22

    Drizabone or Akubra

  • iratepirate on 14/08/2015 - 15:08
    +1

    Take them some Aussie sweets; Flakes, Jaffas, Minties, Violet Crumble, Fantales, Freddo Frogs, Caramello Koalas, Tim Tams - they are very expensive in the states - you'll never convince them that Vegemite is any good, you have to be weened on the stuff to like it.

    Aussie themed T-shirts or AFL/NRL jersies -> anything with a kangaroo/koala motif.

  • Sunshines bright on 14/08/2015 - 22:29

    I say get a NRL Jersey… like maybe the Broncos? LOL and TimTams will go over great!! also Aussie Alcohol (beer or wine specific to Australia) is a nice treat if they drink. And girls love the animals here, Kookaburra's, Kangaroo's and Koalas. Uggs are not a bad idea but as someone said previously they may have them in the US now. I took a calendar with typical pictures of Australia - animals, locations to my friends. My friend also liked to work in the garden so I brought her a typical Aussie hat with an aussie logo on it. I also took some Vegemite but that did not go over well… hehehe.

  • renlireb on 15/08/2015 - 01:47

    i always find fancy jam, fancy honey, fancy soap from your market and/or local cafes really good gifts to give.

    you need to check if quarantine allows it though.

    EDIT: if it's worth anything, i am a 2x male student, and while i appreciate the sentiment, anything uniquely australian (in our case) isn't "that" great. an endemic gift from a western country to another western country isn't quite as exotic as bringing in something from thailand or cambodia

  • ncmx5 on 15/08/2015 - 20:29

    thanks for the random idea. a footy jersey is pretty good. or wallabies one? haha

    • Randxyz123 on 15/08/2015 - 22:26

      Definitely a AFL jersey over rugby. Well you could do both but AFL is unique to Australia.

      The question is what team to get. Let the comments begin haha.

    • resubaehtgnolhcs on 16/08/2015 - 19:05
      +1

      If you like the idea of a jersey, get a Parramatta Eels jersey with Jarrayd Hayne's name and number on the back. Jarryd is getting plenty of attention in the US and he is currently trying to get a spot on SF 49ers run on side.

  • honeydew on 16/08/2015 - 10:07

    Chicken salt? Chicken flavoured chips? When I was younger I saw an Australian Christmas cards of Santa in trunks and laughed.

    • Sunshines bright on 16/08/2015 - 20:03

      true about the chips, the flavors here are not the same that is available in the US.

  • Randxyz123 on 21/08/2015 - 00:11

    Hi OP

    Thought I'd draw this to your attention https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/207905

    Great price for them

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