What can I send them?

[jennifer]

Hi!

well, as maybe some of you know, I have a german "family". More of a family that hosted me and we really hit it off perfectly. Since then, the sisters have visited me, and I've visited them too. They are really like my second family. We talk on the phone, email and send each other stuff often, but now I lack inspiration as I see Christmas arriving.

I have to find something lightweight and practically indestructable to send to them. I have a mom + dad and two sisters. I already know what I'm sending one. Last year the parents helped me out a lot so I'd like to send them something nice. The problem is I don't know what. I can't think of anything they don't have in Germany besides typical things like Maple Syrup. I really don't want to send that.

This is where I need your help. You europeans out there, what would you like to get from canada or the states that you can't easily get back home? Or anyone, have any ideas? PLease please help cause they are so special too me but I have no idea what to send them to prove it!

[me]

a bottle of Maple Syrup might break in transit. that'd be a mess! maybe in plastic? or a steel can would be even better!

what are the interests for these 4? books are good. maybe CD's?

nothing electronic. they use 220/50 volt/cycle power.

what about Canadian fur? that's also something for which Canada is known.

[MuvverRussia]

Calendars are always quite good (it's a running joke in my family). Failing that stuff which is expensive in Europe like Jelly belly beans, oreo cookies (I buy them from an import store in Covent Garden for £5 for a pack of oreo double stuf lol), Mr Pibb, proper Mountain Dew (the stuff loaded with caffeine) etc.

Regarding electrical stuff, a region 1 dvd player? Most TVs in Europe are NTSC/Pal, also the voltage isn't a huge problem.

Only thing to remember is no fruit, vegetables or unprocessed fish/meat- they'll be confiscated by customs and destroyed. Also watch out for tax .

[Libby]

Too bad you couldn't send them a bottle of Canadian Club ;D

Or a bottle of Iceberg Vodka from Newfoundland. That recently won this HUGE competition.

[MuvverRussia]

Alcohol, now that's a suggestion . I wouldn't bother with Vodka though, as the European stuff (Polish, Russian, Finnish etc) is arguably the best in the world. Some Canadian Club would go down pretty well though I'd imagine.

[jennifer]

Hey!
Yup, no maple syrup, I brought them a few cans anyways last year!

Fur, not quite their type!

I already sent them a 2005 calendar, I send one out to basically everyone hehe

What? There are no Oreo cookies in Germany?

Mr Pibb, I don't even know what that is heheh

Mountain dew is mountain dew no? Proper? Are we talking about the greenish coloured soft drink?

I know about the vedgies and meat stuff! But for taxes, if I send only a couple things, would I get hit with taxes?

Can't really send some Canadian Club.... and alcohol, don't they have all the alcohol imaginable?

xoxo
Jen

[MuvverRussia]

You can pretty much get every type of alcohol if you're prepared to pay.

As for Oreo cookies, you can't really get them in the UK (no supermarkets carry them anymore), so I buy them from an importers. I think you may be able to get them in Germany though, although they're nowhere near as good as the US ones in my opinion.

Mr Pibb- it's a cross between coca cola and dr pepper. It's one of my favourite soft drinks (it goes really well with jack as well ), alas you can't get it in Europe (unless you import it or live right by a US airforce base). It's made by the Coca Cola company btw.

Mountain Dew. I think you can get this in the UK (not sure about Germany), but it's awful. It's caffeine free and they've screwed up the flavouring so it tastes pretty bad.

[jennifer]

AHhhhh I'll go to sleep better informed heheh