<p>We have a nice little shop here in town that sells American made things. Surely there is one where you live. If you have a juried art fair (like Sugar Loaf) around, you can pick up all kinds of American made items. There may be a Sugar Loaf site on line. </p>
<p>Pens are nice to send also. Our friends keep a guest book at their front entrance and have people sign it when they come in.</p>
<p>I think it would be great to send New York items. I would even take a bunch of I[heart]NY stickers or refrigerator magnets. </p>
<p>You can probably find all kinds of things on-line. Almost everyone has a site now for whatever they are selling.</p>
<p>Another idea is anything made with cranberries since (I think) they are a uniquely American product. There are delicious chocolates made with cranberries. The company is Cape Cod Provisions. </p>
<p>We have had several exchange students and they all bought peanut butter, fruit roll up-type things and poptarts to take home with them. DD is overseas with the Peace Corps and her host family requests anything with peanut butter, especially stuff like M&Ms or Reeces pieces. She made those peanut butter-with-the-kiss-on-top cookies and they loved those, as well as white chocolate peppermint crunch. I also send her candy like Pop Rocks and Ring Pops for her host siblings. </p>
<p>Have her take measuring cups & spoons if she is using American recipes so she doesn’t have to convert the recipes into metric. </p>
<p>They love looking at pictures.</p>
<p>The students have brought us cookies & various candies from their home countries for the most part, as well as things like fans and stuff that can be used as Christmas ornaments. No clothing items.</p>
<p>Be careful with DVDs because they are produced in different formats for different parts of the world. Any that DD can buy will not play on her laptop and they can’t play any of the ones she took with her on their equipment. </p>
<p>Oh, magazines like Seventeen were a big hit, but that is something else that depends on the ages of the family members.</p>
<p>We have two DVD players - one plays US zone, and one plays European. So yes, don’t take US DVDs.</p>
<p>For children, kid’s books in English - like alphabet/dictionary books, or popular fairy tales.</p>
<p>Cracker Barrel country stores often sell uniquely American gift items. We took small “patriotic” Christmas ornaments for a few friends, and for my daughter’s school tree (but otherwise tended to avoid American flag items.)</p>
<p>I love the turqoise suggestions. Native American and/or cowboy stuff is a big deal in Germany. (Although many of the specialty markets - such as Christmas market or town fairs - have a booth that sells these things.) My daughter took all her school friends some Indian bead necklaces that went over well. Inexpensive and easy to transport. Arrowheads are also popular.</p>
<p>Another item that our German friends always take back with them is Crystal Lite. Also sunflower seeds (out of shell) and pecans.</p>
<p>And the things that we seem to get asked for the most is anything from Bath and Body Works or Yankee Candle.</p>
I smiled at this one. Let’s be sure to emphasize globally how STUPID we Americans are about our measuring systems. Just kidding. It’s actually a good idea, but it just made me realize how isolated we Americans remain, never learning metric in the domestic sphere. There are some dual-measuring liquid measure cups that might be novel. I have a large clear container that lists things in metric and imperial on diffeent columns down the outside, rather useful here in the U.S. </p>
<p>Switzerland…how about a digital watch? again, just being a rascal today. That’d be the worst gift ever.</p>
<p>With Switzerland officially bilingual, what if you found something American that had both English and Spanish text on it, just as a curiosity and talking point; for example, the calendar idea but with both languages in the text, or a stovetop spoon-holder. </p>
<p>Other idea: CD of American concert music by Aaron Copeland such as Appalachian Spring, or some current New Orleans jazzbands, John Williams’ film scores, or redigitized greats from the Harlem Renaissance era like Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw or Billie Holiday. Something that is pleasant to hear in any household, but truly American.</p>
<p>It is a lot easier if you have American cookbooks to take American measuring cups. It’s not that a person is too dumb to convert, but it is just so much easier.</p>
<p>tango’s idea of coffeetable US books was a good one. Made me remember thinking pictorial calendars/journals or books of National Parks is a thought.</p>
<p>Had another idea: high quality shopping bags. Europeans bring their own bags when shopping. If you could find nice (ie higher quality than the dollar ones with store logos) reusable bags that have local images, they would pack well, and be usable to your hosts.</p>
<p>On the coffee table books…Abrams publishers has a series of state books called the Spirit of America. I don’t know whether every state is available, but surely New York is. The books are about six inches by six inches and a nicely done. And best of all, they weigh very little.</p>
<p>Also I know you are talking about Switzerland, but our German friends bring little gifts to take when they are invited to other people’s homes for parties or dinners. You might try to find something very small that you might buy several of to have on hand.</p>
<p>My parents had a distant relative from England who visited us every few years. I recall a couple of small gifts that she brought from England. One was a teapot drop stopper seen here:</p>
<p>My mother loved this so much for formal entertaining! This was a big hit.</p>
<p>She also brought a bookmark for me that was made out of some type of decorative metal and I don’t recall exactly, but it had some kind of twist to it that it made it more than a typical bookmark. </p>
<p>Both of these ideas are inexpensive and take up very little room in a suitcase!</p>
<p>NYC stuff is a good idea. Also, certain brand name things have a lot of cache in Europe – Nike, for one. Anything with the swoosh on it: water bottles, workout wear and gear, baseball caps. </p>
<p>Ralph Lauren/Polo is huge over there, as well – clothing and accessories.</p>