Response from Maria Gracia
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for your question. I think it's a very good one because it's easy, when on vacation, to be in "random buying mode." If you're on a vacation in a place that attracts many tourists, you may be surrounded by gift shops.
When my family visited Universal Studios in Florida, there was a gift shop every few feet. I'm not exaggerating. They were all trying to entice us to buy t-shirts, water bottles, keychains, magnets, jewelry, lanyards, knick knacks...so much stuff!
Here are my personal shopping rules when I'm on vacation:
1) One Christmas ornament as a reminder of the place we visited: There is one item that we buy nearly every "major" trip we take, and that is a Christmas tree ornament. It has to have the name of the place we're visiting. For instance, I have a coffee cup ornament from the first time we
visited Door County, Wisconsin, a Mickey Mouse ears ornament to remind us of our first family Disney trip, and a Golden Gate Bridge ornament from our recent trip to San Francisco.
During Christmastime, all of these ornaments are displayed on our Christmas tree as reminders of the fun memories we shared. Taking them out of the storage box each year often spurs meaningful conversation about those vacations.
2) Something that makes us happy...and that we likely can't get close to home: Every so often, there is something we see while on vacation that my husband and I know would be perfect for our home. There was a piece of artwork we purchased in San Diego, painted by a local artist, that has been
in our home for years. We still love it to this day.
3) Something that we feel we'll use often and that can be used nearly every day of the year: Again, this is not something that we do often, but we've purchased some items on vacation that we use nearly every day of the year. It's usually not
vacation-specific. For instance, I once bought unique placemats in Connecticut that look great on our kitchen table and are used every day of the year.
4) Something that travels well. When one of the above is met, the next thing we ask ourselves is, "Will this item travel well?"
If we have an airline flight ahead of us, we're very unlikely to buy anything heavy, large, and/or breakable.
The next question is, "Are we willing to pay to have it shipped?" By the way, when it comes to me and my husband, that answer is almost always "No."
I encourage you to come up with your own set of rules so you don't end up with a house full, or closet full, of clutter that you never use.
One more thing, if you're buying vacation souvenirs for others, think before you take out your wallet. Are you buying out of obligation...or because you found something truly meaningful and feel it's the perfect item for a family member or friend that they will appreciate?
The last thing you want to do is buy something for someone that's going to get thrown into a drawer or closet...never to see the light of day. Shopping is expensive and vacation shopping is even more so.
If you feel you must get something for others when you're on vacation, here are a few ideas:
a) Something edible, like local cheese, jam, coffee beans, nuts, chocolate, a bottle of wine, or olive oil.
b) Something relaxing. You just went on a vacation and hopefully had some time to relax. Maybe bring back something for someone to help him or her relax. Some items that fit this category are local soaps, a special shea butter lotion, or a book you feel this person will
love.
c) Something they can "use up," like notecards, a journal, fancy tissues, a candle, or a gift certificate if it's to a place nearby or one they can buy from online.
Hope this helps!
