Thread: Gifts for a visit

I am soon to be in Russia for a brief visit. It is not only my first time, but my husband and I will be staying with his cousin and his wife who I have never met. I will be arriving first and my husband arrives four days later. I kow to bring a gift to them but is there any particulars on how or when to present a gift or for that matter are there any gifts that are more comon to give? For example here in the US, I would most likely present a woman a bath set but I would never give hard liqour(wine is fine if were having a dinner together and liqour would only be fine if I had traveled somewhere and brought it back, but otehrwise it would be very odd to bring vodka and such to a woman) Thank you for any help or suggestions you may have.
p.s. VM-you are not welcome to reply to my post. You bizarre, paranoid and inconsiderate ramblings are not welcomed here. So do the respectable thing and ignore my post.

Originally Posted by American

p.s. VM-you are not welcome to reply to my post. You bizarre, paranoid and inconsiderate ramblings are not welcomed here. So do the respectable thing and ignore my post.

Obviously, politeness isn't your middle name. Sorry, but I don't take orders from you - I reply to posts as I see fit. Anyway, regarding what to give as a present - bring a bath set, it sounds like a good idea, but please don't bring alcahol, it won't be appriciated.

Thank you everyone for all of the private messages! I didn't even realize how to access all of them--I thought the number was a mistake that so many of you had written to me! I am thankful for all of the support and suggestions you have sent me. I think you are corect andI will follow your advice in all matters concerned. I appreciate all the commisery(I feel bad that everyone has had the same thing for so long) and for all of the advice! I think I am all ready for my trip so this is goodbye for now!
Oh and thanks for all the suggestions of the landmarks to see, I'll be sure to try to see all of it and email you how it all went!

How about a loaf of Wonderbread? Unlike Russian bread they could squash this stuff into a little ball and later play tennis with it.

Isn't it strange that instead of thanking each one of her benefactors personally in private messaging mode, she writes a pompus thank you note through the forum? Methinks she never received any PMs at all... Looks like eveyrone's slighting her. Alright, alright, I never said nowt. Peace?

Bathsets are on every shelf in every cosmetics store in Moscow. They are an inexpensive gift to give to your mom or sister (same as in America). Unless it is Estee Lauder or another expensive brand I would say give something with a little more thought. Something that is specific to American. California wine, Kentuckey bourbon, Macademia candy or something that your home state is famous for. Also my friends and relatives love getting inexpensive items that are fun and only found in America. Big hits have been Silly Putty, Arnold "Govenator" T-shirts, Pez candy, microwave popcorn (although you can find this in the Perikrostok at Novoslobodskaya now) and fashion magazines. Big flops have been peanut butter and maple syrup .

The best gift is few american presidents that would allow them to buy the gifts they like (few Grants would suit I think but it differs of course according to situation) . Proven by practice.
Gone are times when a bubble gum from ,wow, REAL American! would make someone happy. Name something you can't buy for money in Russia .?

I guess the dead presidents are not a good choise. But $2 are really rear in Russia and it could be a little souvenir... such as a $5000 banknote.

vanilla extract, natural peanut butter (Skippy costs about $6 a jar at Стокман) California wines (except for Paul Masson at $10 for 1/2 liter), maple syrup, a good New York steak, real corn tortillas, R.E.I. sports equipment and clothing, a Maytag dryer, Origins makeup, and of course Silly Putty and Pez.
Giving cash as a gift is rude and thoughtless.

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

Isn't it strange that instead of thanking each one of her benefactors personally in private messaging mode, she writes a pompus thank you note through the forum? Methinks she never received any PMs at all... Looks like eveyrone's slighting her. Alright, alright, I never said nowt. Peace?

Well one thing is for sure, she don't like you, mate!
I think that she is probably the Martha Stewart type with little sense of humour. For me, I have found these girls far too expensive to play with.

American, sorry I don't have any good ideas for you. If it was me I would go to Capriola's Saddlery in Elko Nevada and buy a pair of Garcia silver inlaid spurs or something similar. Truly an American work of art.

How perceptive you are DDT! I feel bad that you have such an opinion of me though as I thought my wit and humour came through loud and clear on my posts. i rather thought they seemed quite "playful" indeed.
All the ideas have been very helpful and many have been put to use. Anyone have any suggestions for what to give to children? I already took the candy, book ideas suggested...any others?

Give them something typically american, and which american children would appreciate...Im not american, so you probably know better than I what.

So amny things in America are made in other countries1 Also when you are from a country, you seem to takje evrything around you for granted b/c access to it is so easy, so you think everyone else would be bored with it. My state is known for its pecans, so i always take it for granted that no one would want pecans b/c they are verywhere here! Maybe I should bring Twinkies!
Are those plastic wristbands popular in Russia? They are just made of junk and advertise many things(the original one is yellow and says "LIVE STRONG" on it for the Cancer Society and Lance Armstrong) Maybe I should just bring what the kids here like.(candy and small firecrackers)Please tell me that Pokemon is not in vogue there? can small firecrackers be set off in St. Petersburg legally?

How much are you going to spend? Perhaps a safer bet is not to try and bring them something "exotic" from America, but to rely on common sense. What does children in those ages generally appreciate? Perhaps foods are not the best because, both handling of it, and possible allergies?

Hope you find something good

Please tell me that Pokemon is not in vogue there?

Used to be, still available at every corner shop.

can small firecrackers be set off in St. Petersburg legally?

Small firecrackers! What use are small firecrackers to a Russian? BIG firecrackers are freely available and can be set off pretty much legally around New Year and kind of semilegally (no one cares, anyway) all year round! And I mean BIG firecrackers, like CORSAR 4, which is powerful enough to rip your fingers off through to CORSAR 6 which has been known to take people's hands off in some cases. Go ahead, bring coal to Newcastle....

VM is right about the firecrackers. New Years looked like WW3. Besides, you'll get arrested for trying to take firecrackers on the plane. How about Pecan candy (is it pralines?)? You won't find that in Russia. Don't bring any of the trendy toys. Barbie, Disney stuff, and anything from the cartoons is all available by the truckload in Russia. How old are the kids?

Here is the States, when we say small firecrackers for kids it is usually in reference to little things called "snaps." They just make a a loud popping or snapping noise and children even 4 or 5 years of age can safely use them. You just throw them at the ground and the make this loud snap which children seem to love. These are availbale all year long for purchase here while regular fireworks are illegal to set off anytime other than the Fourth of July (by regular citizens--otherwise professionals can set them off for New Years and other special events)
The kids are 12 and 8. Thank you to everybody for all their suggestions! I hjave so many ideas to choose from, but I am sure to take funny tee-shirts as well as specialty foods(thanks for telling me ab. the maple syrup b/c I had actually planne don doing that) the tee-shirts I found are funny anti-bush ones. I hope they're a hit!
Thanks again ot everybody for your help!!

tee-shirts

Do they play golf?

If the "snaps" have even a small amount of gunpowder in them (just as do the caps for cap guns) the airport security dogs will sniff them out and you'll get searched and detained by airport security.
Russian kids have ready easy access to real firecrackers and the boys are constantly setting them off everywhere. The "snaps" are probably not worth the airport hassel they may cause.

Originally Posted by JB

The "snaps" are probably not worth the airport hassel they may cause.

Moreover, they are available here too. But I suppose only blouses buy 'em. Whatever for when you've got the real thing...