Going to Phillipines for the first time. Any suggestions on small gifts to bring?
Family of my partner so I am not really sure of their interests.
2 kids aged around 3 and 10.
Thanks in advance.
Gifts to Bring to Philippines - Help!
Silly-sausage88 on 04/10/2022 - 09:06
Last edited 04/10/2022 - 13:20 by 1 other user
Last edited 04/10/2022 - 13:20 by 1 other user
Comments
Superannuation
Please explain!
Whatever you buy, you should make sure to wrap it fancily, and be ready for them to not open it in front of you. Though you should just ask your partner how their family normally treat gifts and what they would want. You presumably have access to your partner, how can you be "not really sure of their interests"?
He isnt sure either. Hasnt seen them in about 5 years and isnt keen on getting them gifts in the first place.
Thanks for the tip on wrapping it nicely 👍
Vegemite
.Haha thought about that. Partner hates it. Maybe just a single packet like from hotels/maccas for each family.
Bring a promite then as well, most people I've inflicted a taste test on normally like the promite.
Spam
corned beef
Luncheon Meat and/or slicer.
cant beat a devon/berliner sando on white buttered bread with some lashings of tomato sauce
@Jimothy Wongingtons: These are for filos that have moved to USA where there is no spam or cornedbeef. Like aus ones
Why spam? There's spam in the Philippines. They also have a lot more variety in terms of flavour.
Thanks. Im surprised at how many suggested this. Thought they were the land of spam and canned meats.
A karaoke machine.
Why? They have the latest and greatest model and each household already has 2 of these
Better western music selection too 90% of the time.
any western musics recommendation?
Our machines have both kinds of music, country and western.
Tim Tams.
Money.
Yep!
Lots of it. For everyone.
Typical food ideas:
Tim tams
Furry friends
Caramello koala
Freddo frogs
Twisties
Cherry ripe
Vegemite
ShapesFurry friends
Scuzi??
Chocolate shaped like native Aussie animals
https://www.cadbury.com.au/cadbury-dairy-milk-furry-friends-…
second this just make sure you show how to used vegemite
Thank you! Lets see how much i can fit in my suitcase 🤔 was thinking to ditch the more bulky stuff like shapes etc.
Thi is a great suggestion, head to the tourist shops in the CBD and buy some koalas, kangaroos (small ones) for the kids as well
They are cheap so wont break the bankKeep in mind the climate you're heading to - not sure if all those chocolates above will last (esp tim tams)
When I lived in Philippines - everyone loves vegemite for some reason.. I brought a huge tub
a Cow
The soft cheese Kraft style
They sell that in pinoy supermarkets
A goat.
Pig for Lechon
iPhones, will confirm your status as rich Australian alpha ;)
iphones are cheaper in vn I heard atleast the fake ones.
lol wtf, what a comment
just taking the piss braah
Some Books- IE Blinky Bill, Bananas in Pyjamas, or even some childrens puzzle books (this will help them with learning English).
too heavy for international travel, and you can get English books just about anywhere in the world, with my background(China), if I were young I wouldn't be that happy if a foreigner gift me a book that I can't read.
Why do you presume they don't know English?
We don't, but depends on which school they went to. It only takes a few light weight books to take over, as a bonus.
Because English is a National language of the Philippines
That's why I'm asking why they think they don't know English
Boomers basketball gear.
Thon Makers legs
Original Chuck Taylors?
Weirdly, fridge magnets with an Australian logo. Thank me later.
good one! i saw some cute ones. just all made in china 🥺
If you're ruling out gifts made in China, you should state that from the beginning. That's going to rule out a lot…
All the good Aussie souvenirs -
Kangaroo ball sack coin pouch.
Those little koala toys that grip onto stuff.
Tea towels with native plants/animals.
Boomerang.
Opals.
Native timber ash tray.
A hat with corks.
Snow globe with tropical fish.
Chocolate covered macadamias.I reckon that the kangaroo sack may not be appropriate for the little ones
True, they dont have coins to put in it.
Bookarmerked.
An ash tray?
Did I stutter?
Tell em he's dreamin!
When I was reading OP's question originally, I thought he was asking recommendations for the kids only, but now that I re-read it, I realize he meant the whole family, hence why I thought the ash tray recommendation was weird.
Awesome. Thank you for the suggestions. I definitely thought about getting the kangaroo sack haha. No idea where to get these anymore
I bought mine online.
You can still get them from male kangaroos
You forgot the lacquered toad.
Australian honey? Manuka honey?
Knew a couple of people who loved creamed honey, they bought heaps to bring back
Australian money inside honey jars and manuka money also inside honey jars.
ask your partner
Already did. He didnt know/didnt want to get anything 🤣
Family of my partner so I am not really sure of their interests.
Errr have you thought about you know…. asking your partner what they might like to get?
Yes I did and he didnt know.
My partner is Filipino and I suggest the following (from multiple trips across);
1: Cash (US dollars) … always appreciated
2: Chocolates (beware as they can melt into a mess from the heat - best to have boxed where they are in individually separated tray)
3: NBA gear (hats, singlets) stick to popular tems (Bulls, GSW, Lakers, Celtics, Knicks, Heat)
why USD?? AUD should be fine, money changers in the Philippines accept them as well
USD is King, and is often accepted without needing to change to local Pesos - I should have said USD (if you have them)
You don't need USD, you will just be hitting 2 conversion fees if you don't have that. AUD is fine
Why NBA gear?
Good nba following?
NBA is huge in the Philippines, easily the most followed sport. Probably as a result of the heavy US military presence in the Philippines for many years and the lack of space (plus low equipment costs). Basketball courts take up much less space than a football or baseball field.
I suppose another good gift is a quality basketball.
At work we usually send them chocolates. Apparently the local stuff isn't great.
Didn't know such thing as bad chocolates existed ..
There are lower quality chocos in the Philippines. That said, some of them are unusual but can be quite good, too.
Of course, they usually use vegetable fats instead of coco butter, it's even worse than Cadbury "milk" chocolate.
Aldi sells Moser Roth, it's in individually foil wrapped thin bars, would be perfect
Definitely had some bad chocolates over the years… try some homebrand eastereggs, they coat your mouth with a layer of grease when you eat it.
Yeah in the 80s in Australia you saw awful compounded chocolate all the time.
Cadbury was a big step up from the cheapo chocolate they put on no-name smarties and choc bullets and such.
US$10 banknotes that way they can select for themselves
Lettuce
Lamingtons
Leeks
Ask your partner…not us.
why not
Most useless comment cheers!
Violet Crumbles. Every time I visit the Phils I take about 15 of them. My friends there go mad for them. They love Tim Tams as well.
Tins of spam, soaps, shampoos, choclates
chocearlies too…
Chocolate.