Here is a dilemma...

The last time I went shopping to buy gifts for in-laws/friends in Iran, my husband kept saying, "we have that in Iran. This is not so special..."

So, if any of you know of nice, American, gift for a couple I would appreciate it.

Hmmmm...
i am always a fan of buying really pretty head scarves, mostly b/c they pack light.
but yes... your husband is right, they definitely have those there!

if it is a couple living modestly with limited income, anything for the house that they can't or won't buy for themselves would probably be greatly appreciated, no?

i'll keep thinking...
hz

Then, what kind of beautiful household object can I bring that is:

1) Easy to carry in a suitcase
2) Unique to USA/Europe (or at least not common in the middle east or Iran)

In Iran....copperware, fine china, tapestries, inlay work are fairly common.

Iran is the center of the universe for head scarves....so they can't be beat for selection there.

Fine, expensive chocolates??

dunno bout Iran but in the PI anything "American"(levi jeans, tennis shoes...) doesn't matter. they can get it all in the PI, the fact that it came from here seems to score well w/ her family??????

Electronics or something?? I really don't know ! I'm thinking what to buy my spouse electric shavers, deodorant (he needs that)

For girls try makeup or sunscreen or anything that could be way expensive or different over there. In Jordan they have lots of cheap makeup-- it's also really nasty and often times filled with lead, etc. American make-up is really cool Also sunscreen is really expensive over there and the girls love it. I brought stuff rfom Bath and Body works and that was a great hit.

No idea about men. Men are too hard to shop for!

ETA cameras, etc are also good if they are much more expensive over there. The problem though with most electronics is the differing electrical systems.

How about a large coffee table - color picture book of the USA? I gave one to my future inlaws in the Philippines so they could see pictures and read a small excerpt on the different places that their daughter and I will be traveling to/living in.

Warm Regards,
Samby

Chocolates are nice...But don't last

I'll second the make-up and sunscreen. Other things I took that I meant to use myself, but ended up as gifts were: Orbit gum (doesn't stick to dental work..big hit with future mother in law..lol), Bubble yum for the kids, microwave popcorn, child proof Bic lighters, American Marlboros.

I wouldn't worry too much about buying them stuff that they don't have there. Just the fact that you bought it and carried it across the world for them will hold weight.

Thanks Samby...

A coffee table from USA to Iran would be hard to carry. The book is an idea...

lesbian porn....let's see him say they have that in iran

Iranian woman have tons of make up and scarves...

Thanks anyway.



Your suggestion of pornography is stupid and childish. How old are you?

By the way....the example of "western television" (Iranians have satallite dishes) is pornography.

Not much else.

Don't see my posted reply...

So I will reply again.

Go be an idiot somewhere else.

right after i hit the report button. so much for some humor around here.

I do believe he was referring to a "coffee table book" LOL... not a coffee table & book.

My father travels all over the world for work and, whenever he needs to bring a present for someone, he throws in a few bottles of good maple syrup as he claims it is found no where else (save Canada, of course). It may be too small a gift for family, but it has been a hit wherever I brought it, especially if you add a pancake recipe.

I think Art Vandalay Enterprises makes a combination coffee table/coffee table book that might fit in a carry-on.

PURE MAPLE SYRUP is a GREAT IDEA!!!

I remember how my friends in India loved it.

LOL!! Not a Kramer coffee table book!!!

And, if flying from Portland to a coffee drinking country, I bring some Stumptown also. I see it as doing my part to dispell the crappy American coffee myth.

Coffee is a good suggestion...

However, I like the maple syrup idea ALOT!

I think a crystal candy dish or something along those lines for the wife might be a good item too.

I thought it was funny, Charles! Oh well.... :x

I've brought:

gum. (not as good anywhere else)
chocolates.
perfumes and lotions.
maple syrup and maple candy
clothes
soy sauce
balsamic vinegar
ipod
crocs
camera
maybe you could make CDs of music
hmm what else...my mind is blank!

I have a crack in my glasses which I'm getting replaced but I TOTALLY thought that you wrote "explosive chocolates" and I was all like,....dude.....not a good suggestion.

you know what people have asked for? a big bottle of tylenol .

i brought smoked salmon with me to Egypt once and it was a big hit

I usually bring something typical from my area to my friends abroad. I am from Louisiana and we grow pecans there. It is hard to get pecans in Europe or asia, or they are ridiculously expensive. I don't know about Iran, but I would imagine pecans are not indigenous. If your in-laws have never tried pecans, they would probably love them and it might be unique.

Another really popular gift from my area is Cajun spice mix. I sort of doubt something like that would be an appropriate gift for in-laws in Iran, but who knows.

What about a coffee-table book with photos of your state or a national park?

I've never given any of this sort of stuff to my in-laws, but it's easy to buy for them. Shoes and cell phones, etc. I don't think that would do for your in-laws.

Good luck.

omg I gave my husband tylenol when he had a huge headache and you'd think I had just made the sun rise or something!!! rofl...hours upon hours of him tying a hijab wicked tight around his head and drinking some lemon tea and I was like, here try this and voila in 20 minutes no more headache!

Do they not have smoked salmon in Egypt? I was pleasantly surprised to find it in many stores in Algeria. I would have killed for a bottle of balsamic vinegar, though. I like that idea. Plane rules and regs have made food products kind of tricky. I am nervous to pack any liquid in a bottle in my checked bags (imagining maple syrup and balsamic soaking the clothes as I write this) and now that you can not carry them on...

Aside from food items, I also bring nice socks. I am always cold so have quite a stash of socks and got many a comment on them the first time I went to Algeria. So, I bring nice ones with me as small gifts now.

i always pack liquids in zip lock bags so in case something leaks or ezplodes it doesn't get in any clothes or anything

I went on ebay and bought tons of perfume samples and small bottles of all kinds of perfumes and make up samples. They were a HUGE hit. You can often buy lots of mens perfumes and lotions and womens perfumes and lotions. That way you have something for everyone. Barbies are also not easy to find over there and real matchbox cars and little toys like brats dolls. But the perfumes worked out the very best for me

Gifts for people in Iran. Hmmm.







Did I miss anything?

i wonder if you'll get the same responses i did.

i always pack liquids in a ziplock and then a towel or lots of clothes around them. haven't had anything break yet *knocks on wood!!!

that reminds me.. i brought a HUGE costco bag of pecans to morocco thinking they didn't have them there..but i guess it turns out they do. they enjoyed them anyway!

What I brought that was a hit:

grated romano cheese
all different flavors that I could find of Trident gum
twizzlers
Lindt's dark chocolate truffles
yankee candles - different flavors
bath and body works - mini ones in different scents
nail stickers

Sereia,

Iranians get P*#n over their satallite dishes from the WEST (europe specifically). So it's available in all forms.

Gotta admit, this is probably where most middle eastern people get the idea western, non muslim, people have no morals. Oh from that and from comments like the one Charlesandnessa offered.


Smoked Salmon is a great idea too!

huh?

apparently you have no sense of humor. sucks to be you.

PECANS, MAPLE SYRUP, SMOKED SALMON...

All good choices for food.

I love all three and definately the pecans would be a hit. They don't have them in Iran.

REALITY CHECK....

1) There is such a thing as black market in Iran. I was able to get booze without a problem. It's legal to drink if you are Christian or Zoastrian.

2) As mentioned, most Iranians have satallite dishes and receive XX adult images for FREE.

3) Even pork (wild boar) is available in the countryside and is also available if you are not muslim.

I do have a sense of humour. BUT NOT TODAY!

I am asking about the gift thing because I am seriously ready to just pack up and leave the US.

You be seperate from your wife for a year and with your case in AP till God knows when....

i would if i were you! if your husband has a good job there and you seem to love it in india and where ever else so much, why NOT go?

huh? pack up and leave the usa? is this gonna be a one way trip?

Possibly.







My husband lives in Iran, not India.

He has an ok job, but not great in Iran.

He can not get a long term visa (like me) for India.

How about gardening, if they like that kind of thing. You can get a book on american gardens, some of the plants that just grow here. Some of the southern gardens in america are breathtaking. Just a idea, it is a hard one, that is for sure.

Actually, plants seeds are a good idea also.

Also, a hummingbird feeder is a nice gift.

I also brought wind chimes from a local artist

That's a nice idea..windchimes...

Pin this thread. I love it:)

windchimes are a wicked idea.

My sil packed random things as the family back in Pali is sooooooo biiiiigggg. But some of the things she packed was perfumes (for ppl she knew like her parents) and makeup for the women. She packed clothes for the kids....I think barbie dolls too.

But yeah in the land of arabic coffees, believe it or not, my husband's only request to me was to bring Folgers coffee with creamer, lol So I did and it was a huge hit. I've never heard people get so excited about coffee before.....they were so cute....all the men are speaking arabic and all I could hear was nescafe, nescafe, nescafe.......I guess they think every coffee is called nescafe since they even call arabic coffee that too:)

Yep, I brought Mascara (as requested) heh heh .. I agree that, its not what you bring or if its available there.. its that you thought to give. I brought some pretty kitchen towels for grandma and lotion/bath stuff for the girls(aunts).
Unique idea.... A set of pretty placemats? These are good for having company over.. you can place them on the floor (in place of newspaper or whatever is preferred or used in the family). I had intentions of this and just didnt get around to finding any I liked
You could always ask, if theres anything you can bring.
Oh ya, and American cigs... good god, they were a hit! lol That reminds me, I should send some for my favorite uncle! lol

Lisa




Bulbs! Oh my, Im sending some to grandma asap.. thanks