Holiday souvenir…. what do you bring home?

Half of our year was spent in Françe for 5 consecutive years, so, olive oil, walnut oil, wine, confit duck, Armagnac, pastis and smoked black garlic. Car smelt nice!

A pebble if I'm near a beach

I used to bring back wine and olive oil but it often became a store cupboard shop. I would buy cartons of sauce and soup, jars of freeze dried herbs and if it was the right time of year a string of garlic.

Usually a fridge magnet and occasionally some art.

Often clothes which seem wonderful at the time…..
Actually I am getting better and have brought back some nice garments and jewellery.

Really nice cards from museums,

Usually holiday uk, so nice bacon and sausage, cheese.

Also tea towel, always useful!

Have been known to come back with new walking boots, socks, woolly hat.

Not much usually as anything food-wise that we used to bring back we can now get easily in this country. My husband often puts in an order to the Scandi shop in London.

I suppose the ‘souvenir’ that we most bring back are new or consolidated relationships with people we meet, or have previously met, on holiday. The chef at our Greek hotel has become a good friend, along with one of the younger staff members and we keep in touch between visits. From Norway the local Church Pastor and his family have visited our home on a few occasions and when we are in Norway we are included in special ‘family only’ events.

One ‘holiday friend’ recruited my husband to volunteer with him on a project in Kenya and another has been off on windsurfing holidays with him.

In our dining room though we do have two very special souvenirs; the first is an intricately hand-carved wooden plate that was made by one of our Norwegian friends as a gift for our youngest son, the other is a beautifully hand-carved wooden eagle that the same son bought in Slovakia. Both were gifted to us by our son when he left home.

I like a nice souvenir tea towel, a daily reminder of places I've been. Mum used to buy them for me on their travels as well ?
I usually get wine when my husband goes on his annual boys golf week to France. That hasn't happened for the last two years due to the virus, so sadly I have to buy my own now.
Isn't it expensive here?? ??

Fridge magnets ?

Food. Salami, cheese, wine, chocolate. Although once, I found a shop that sold pen and ink drawings. Just plain black and white. A fiver for each one. I bought a sheaf of them and they grace my walls now. Lovely.