gift suggestions for a German host

[paloftoon]

As part of a family tour I will be going on, I will need to buy a small gift for the host family hosting a meal. What is something from the States that someone in Germany might want- any ideas? Thank you.

 

[Mary Terry]

As part of a family tour I will be going on, I will need to buy a small gift for the host family hosting a meal. What is something from the States that someone in Germany might want- any ideas? Thank you.

Yes, a bottle of good Bourbon from Kentucky or Tennessee. Or some fancy candy made in the US. Really anything that is purely American would be appreciated. Germans love our cowboy history so maybe you can figure out something uniquely American. I gave a young German exchange student who lived with my family a feathered Indian headdress from the party store and she loved it. That's as American as it comes.

 

[Mr Allen]

Heineken Beer? Bratwurst Sausages?

 

[55853]

Maybe something hard to find in Germany? I'll copy and paste from a FAQ on reddit (link: faq - germany)

Q: I want to bring snacks or other gifts for my friends / host family. What things can't you get in Germany that I could bring from the US?

A: First of all: Mind that meat products cannot be brought into the European Economic Area. This makes it impossible to bring beef jerky, for example. American chocolate has a different kind of recipe and Europeans may not like it. Products from your town (e.g. tourist guide book) may be a good option. As for alcohol, it strongly depends on your hosts' tastes (Do they drink? A local wine or a local craft beer? Or a national liquor?); therefore, be careful and consider it twice. Wine is generally okay, though. If your hosts have kids, make sure they are above the age of 18 before giving them alcohol. As for snacks, see the list below:

Peanut butter fudge cookies
Peanut butter M&Ms
Reese's peanut butter cups
Other Reese's candy
Root beer flavored candies
Root beer
Butterscotch
Oreos - especially the random flavors they have (the normal ones can also be bought in DE)
Chex Mix
Kool-Aid mix
Mac n cheese
Little Debbie type snack cakes
Nutty bars, pecan rolls and honey buns
Twinkies
Pop Tarts (e.g. the brown sugar cinnamon version)
Ranch flavored things
Some good BBQ sauce (e.g. Sweet Baby Ray's)
Maple Syrup (even though it's "Canadian")
Wine (for tasting)

 

[paloftoon]

I don't know anything about the family. I would be assigned a random one last minute basically. That's already a wonderful list, and I am leaning toward a weird flavor or twinkie or oreo which I can probably find for on the cheap at a bargain store here.

Beer might be tough and sausage might only be okay if it's seal wrapped, but I'm not sure. Sausage can be perishable, and I don't know how much of an issue that is or how that works.

Thank you.

 

[Judge]

Perishable food products certainly get the attention of the TSA. A mistake I won't make again going through much of any airport.

 

[Mary Terry]

When you get to the airport, visit the duty free shop to find something uniquely American for your German hosts. That could be alcohol, sugary stuff, a bag of pecans or peanuts which are native to the US and loved in Europe, a jar of some good American popcorn (Orville Redinbacker?), California olive oil, Vermont maple syrup, smoked salmon from the West Coast, etc. I think foreign hosts enjoy receiving gifts of true American products rather than something they can easily buy locally for themselves.

Enjoy your trip! I'm jealous that I can't go!

 

[Mary Terry]

Perishable food products certainly get the attention of the TSA. A mistake I won't make again going through much of any airport.

I've never had a problem with TSA about packing perishable items in my checked baggage on international flights. (Although I did have a bottle of an excellent red wine explode in my suitcase on a two hour domestic flight from Florida; talk about stained underwear! I'll never do that again, LOL. ) I do declare all items in my possession that are listed on the customs document you must sign when going through customs inspection because even if the items are okay for entry to the US or Germany, you can be penalized for failure to declare them, so be honest about what you're bringing into the country.

Example: I travel to Mexico a lot and buy tequila, vanilla, dried chiles, coffee, chocolate, and other Mexican foods to bring home to the US. I always declare those items as agricultural products, explain to the US customs office what they are if I'm even asked about it, and they have always waived me through the line without confiscating my stuff. One of them even asked me how to make chicken in mole sauce with the dried chiles and pumpkin seeds I had with me. If I lied and said I had no agricultural products but they found the stuff in my luggage, then I would face a stiff monetary penalty and possible incarceration EVEN IF the products legally could be brought into the US.

If you buy at the duty free shop at the airport, then you have already cleared TSA security, you pack your gift in your carry-on luggage, and TSA is not involved. You should determine if the items you bring must be declared under German law when you arrive in Germany and fill out the German customs forms. Same for when you return to the US. Just be honest about it, no big deal.

 

[Streetwise]

i can buy Reeses products in a British supermarket and twinkies and oreos but they are not cheap so ive never had them .
always wanted to taste red vines ,they have got them in the supermarket but they're expensive! same for Kraft Mac and cheese.
salt water taffee

 

[Bolletje]

Heineken Beer? Bratwurst Sausages?

Heineken is Dutch beer, so that would not work.

I would advise against bringing beer, as Germany is very much a beer-producing country.

I’d personally go for something neutral, like a bouquet of flowers.

 

[Tom]

Germans are hard to buy for so I would bring a Llama.

 

[Mary Terry]

Germans are hard to buy for so I would bring a Llama.

Try putting that in the overhead bin! Funny!

 

[Mary Terry]

But they don't fit in the overhead compartment and shed hair all over everything! Funny!

 

[Bolletje]

If you are considering bringing food, it might be good to know that many Europeans consider American food to be incredibly sweet, due to a higher sugar content. Plus, American cookies and snacks are increasingly available in convenience stores around the globes, so what you're bringing might not be as rare as you think (yay, globalization!)

 

[Tom]

But they don't fit in the overhead compartment and shed hair all over everything! Funny!

Overhead? No. You buy it a seat of course.

 

[Mary Terry]

Well, I'm okay with the seat purchase, but the bathroom is another matter altogether on a lengthy international flight. Not to mention the suitability of the snacks and meals. Do airlines serve hay and a nosebag of oats? Oh, never mind, strike that, that's what they call granola bars.

 

[LucyPurrs]

When I was traveling, I was really sorry I didn't think to bring along a picture book of the USA- like something with pictures from our national parks. I think there are books like that and it's something a whole family could enjoy and certainly American.

 

[Judge]

When I was traveling, I was really sorry I didn't think to bring along a picture book of the USA- like something with pictures from our national parks. I think there are books like that and it's something a whole family could enjoy and certainly American.

Not quite the same circumstances, however that's what a friend once brought me when he cam back from a trip to Russia to meet his new in-laws. I really enjoyed the book on Moscow. But then geography was always a passion of mine as well.

 

[Tom]

Well, I'm okay with the seat purchase, but the bathroom is another matter altogether on a lengthy international flight. Not to mention the suitability of the snacks and meals. Do airlines serve hay and a nosebag of oats? Oh, never mind, strike that, that's what they call granola bars.

Its easy these days. Just say its an ESL (Emotional Support Llama).

 

[Tom]

Therapy Llamas are a big big thing in Germany. Germans want Llamas. Germans need Llamas.