Souvenir dread

I miss the days when I could travel during the summer and not feel like I'm wasting my life by not studying or making money. Being cooped up in the library and various study lounges, I've been thinking a lot about travel lately. 

When I travel with my family, we never fail to bring back our share of tacky souvenirs. Who doesn't fall prey to this scenario: you're discussing your upcoming trip to ___ with a friend or associate and they say something along the lines of, "Bring something back for me!" Then, naturally, you ask what they would most like, but no matter how they answer, you've already lost. Either they'll tell you what they want, and you'll be consumed with looking for that thing for the entire trip; or they'll say, "Surprise me!" And that's basically like the kiss of death.

Okay, so maybe I personally haven't had that happen to me often, but the souvenir problem still plagues me from time to time, whether by the aforementioned cause or by self-infliction. However, I experience this problem the most when I am preparing to visit family in Indonesia. As soon as a trip there is announced, a slew of relatives and old family friends will bombard us with requests for a veritable hoard of knickknacks from T-shirts to novelty foods to magnets and keychains. Tacky. And also not so easy on the luggage.

Oh, and by the way, what's the biggest culprit of tacky souvenir? This little beast right here:

Curse you, mini Eiffel Tower. Anyway, for those of you who envy your travelling friends or just want a slice of some far-off land brought back home to you, think twice. Souvenir-finding can cause a bunch of stress for travelers who are trying to enjoy themselves while they're away. Also, consider that there are weight restrictions on luggage, so sometimes travelers can't afford to lug home those bottles of authentic French wine or Sicilian olive oil.

For those of you who are on the other end of the issue, there's hope. Go ahead and buy those magnets and keychains if you like. They're simple and usually pretty cheap, but they're tacky and, let's be honest, who actually wants them? (Unless you collect, of course). My go-to is postcards. They're relatively simple and cheap, they don't add to the weight of your luggage at all, and my friends love getting them! (Unless they're lying to me. -shifty eyes-).

And sure, we may never escape the souvenir trap entirely because YES I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE THAT KOOKY LEANING TOWER OF PISA LAMP. But don't let it stress you out. Be smart about what you bring back and just enjoy your travel experience.

What are some of the tackiest souvenirs you've bought or received?

Tweet Pin It Now!