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Holidays, what do you bring home from yours.

(117 Posts)
Sago Wed 13-Sep-23 11:19:26

For the first time this year we drove to Spain, in the past it has always been France and Italy.

We usually buy loads of mustard, wine, Parmesan and lovely French pharmacy brands etc.

We managed lots of wine and some specialty olive oil and I got a pair of beautiful leather sandals.

The Spanish supermarket somehow didn’t have the appeal of the French equivalent.

What do you bring home from your travels?

Ilovecheese Wed 13-Sep-23 11:59:56

I try and find a tea towel with the name of the town or a picture so that I can remember it when I dry the pots.

Marydoll Wed 13-Sep-23 12:33:43

I used to spend a fortune every year at the market at Porte Portese in Rome.

I still have umpteen pairs of leather boots and jackets bought many years ago at a fraction of the price. The only problem is the jackets no longer fit me and never will! I recently sent a beautiful hot pink one in excellent condition to the charity shop. That really hurt! 😉

One pair of boots cost me 20 Euros, I later saw them in a shop at 150 Euros. Much of the stuff is samples, overmakes or bankrupt stock, the quality is excellent.

The other main thing I brought back was jars of clams for making spaghetti vognole, my favourite dish. At two Euros a jar, they made a cheap meal!

Georgesgran Wed 13-Sep-23 12:38:15

Have stopped buying gifts now - it always used to be a tea towel, as that was a bit of a family joke.

Usually I bring home a cold - I blame the air on the ‘plane, although I know that’s a fallacy.

Marydoll Wed 13-Sep-23 12:42:18

Georgesgran

Have stopped buying gifts now - it always used to be a tea towel, as that was a bit of a family joke.

Usually I bring home a cold - I blame the air on the ‘plane, although I know that’s a fallacy.

Mine was always a chest infection! I too blame the air conditioning!

annodomini Wed 13-Sep-23 12:45:11

The first time I went to France (aged 15), in 1956, it was rare to see fresh peaches in Scotland, so what did I pack in my suitcase? Those peaches were rather squishy by the time I reached home. And did I mention the packs of French cheese? shock
Another, and much later, was the local liqueur from Minorca which seemed to taste nice enough on holiday but not so great in the cold light of home.

Marydoll Wed 13-Sep-23 13:17:24

Just before I retired, I was on a course in Lyon. When we got to the airport, my colleague and I found our cases were overweight, due bottles of gold medal wine.
The check in agent, a very severe looking Frenchman wagged his finger at us.
We spun him a long winded yarn about us being teachers, who had loved our stay in Lyons and the wine was for our husbands who were missing us.
He winked and put the luggage through!

MrsKen33 Wed 13-Sep-23 13:26:57

Washing and a bit more weight

TheatreLover Wed 13-Sep-23 13:32:01

Happy memories and (sometimes) a tan.

vintage1950 Wed 13-Sep-23 13:33:15

I once knew an elderly lady who came home from a holiday in Italy with - a milk saucepan! Well, I suppose it was what she really needed.

JackyB Wed 13-Sep-23 14:35:10

I love my collection of tea towels. Many of them are now well over 20 years old and getting holes and tears, so I am looking forward to getting some new ones now the pandemic is over and we can travel again. Unfortunately my only planned trips so far are within Germany and they don't do souvenir tea towels here. We've got enough coffee mugs and oven gloves, so I'll start concentrating on putting my holiday photos into photo books.

Joseann Wed 13-Sep-23 15:55:33

I'm not saying or the car searchers at the port might stop me on my way back to the UK in a few weeks' time after staying in France. 🍷 🍾 🍺
Suffice to say, rugby items are already stacking up for the keen grandsons.

AreWeThereYet Wed 13-Sep-23 16:14:55

Something local but useful, no knick knacks. We have some lovely leather photo frames, belts and sandals (Spain, Portugal and Morocco), some Maori carvings from New Zealand, hand dyed silk scarves and ties from various places. A collection of tea towels and fridge ornaments from various places in the UK too.

MerylStreep Wed 13-Sep-23 16:19:16

Always a jamon Serrano. I’ve got enough Spanish garden pots and garden wall decorations. A Spanish cheese that I can’t remember the name of.
When the grandchildren were young, some beautiful clothes from the market.
If we are on a way home via Portugal, Port.
Always some rocks from beaches for the rockery.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 13-Sep-23 17:05:56

I conceived one of our children on holiday in the Caribbean, does that count?

Mollygo Wed 13-Sep-23 17:22:26

GrannyGravy13

I conceived one of our children on holiday in the Caribbean, does that count?

I think that tops the list!🤣

Mollygo Wed 13-Sep-23 17:27:24

We bring delicacies that we’ve enjoyed if we’re travelling by car. The electric cool box makes that easy. I often bring hand wash or shower gel we’ve enjoyed while we were away and thus year, I discovered a deodorant that had a perfume of Bien-Être cologne, so I bought a couple of those. They just remind me if our holiday.

Callistemon21 Wed 13-Sep-23 18:25:17

Spanish dishes and wall plates, soap, olives, tea towels, calendars for Christmas presents, fridge magnets, indigenous animals (locally made stuffed toys, not real ones), macadamia nuts, locally mined (by properly paid adults) gemstones, local glass ornaments, local wine etc.

Not all at the same time 😁

I once brought a spider back inadvertently.

What do we take with us? Marmite, of course 😁

Callistemon21 Wed 13-Sep-23 18:26:14

And an Akubra

Kate1949 Wed 13-Sep-23 18:31:18

Usually a tea towel, a fridge magnet. When we used to drive to France we would buy wine, cheese, little cakes. DH brought olive oil when we visited Greece. We bought pretty bowls once from Italy although I can't remember if it was Lake Garda or Amalfi. A pretty mask and a Murano glass bracelet from Venice.

NorthowramGran Wed 13-Sep-23 18:32:33

I love the Italian department store Coin and once came home from Venice with three biscuit tins.

MayBee70 Wed 13-Sep-23 18:35:54

I still use a very small leather shoulder bag that I bought back from somewhere: when I’m walking I use it to carry my keys and a hanky. I assume that it’s from Crete because that’s where I had my more recent holidays. But I remember, in my youth, bringing back leather bags and shoes from Italy: we used to tour round in a Morris 1000 Traveller. I love the jewellery I used to bring back from Crete, mainly bracelets and necklaces made of leather and beads. Prefer them to expensive jewellery.

tobyianathekid Wed 13-Sep-23 18:57:39

Fridge magnets for me and the grandkids smile Simple to carry and always visible! A lot of other stuff just gathers dust

Redhead56 Wed 13-Sep-23 18:58:45

If abroad olive oil maybe some wine but not been abroad for ages.
If we holiday here I go to local butchers fishmongers and a deli. As they don't exist here anymore. We have only supermarket counters with very boring limited choice.

Primrose53 Wed 13-Sep-23 19:06:37

Dirty washing.😝