7 Ideas for Memorable Souvenirs: Original Ideas for Your Friends and Family

Please, not another keychain. Mug. Pen. Tshirt. Beach towel. Lightswitch plate. No more kitschy, useless trinkets to fulfill the gifting obligation. Choosier shoppers will consider these 7 suggestions on their next vacation or business trip:

1. The Street - Consider giving friends and family a framed photo of an iconic landmark - taken yourself. With digital photography, even amateurs can get a perfect shot of the sunset in Key West or the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn. If you have a knack for drawing, sketch something striking. Upon returning from Stratford-upon-Avon, my uncle brought back a pencil rubbing of the Latin epitaph on Shakespeare's funerary monument (ask permission before attempting this; New England, for example, has laws against it).

2. Grocery stores - Upon arriving at your destination, browse the duty free shop and note the prices on good liquor and candy. Then visit a local grocery store and compare. Be sure to check out the gourmet aisle for inexpensive, original finds. Bottled sauces and jellies make great presents, and crackers have surprisingly variety around the world. Local wines, coffee, tea, soaps and spices should be priced lower here. Meat products (even dried or canned) fruits and vegetables from foreign countries will not pass muster with customs. For a complete list of prohibited and restricted products, visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website www.cbp.gov. Beware of the overly exotic (octopus spread, anyone?) and stick with popular and somewhat familiar sundries.

3. Nature - It is possible to bring back a bit of nature without harming the environment or violating any regulations. Natural wool textiles, aromatherapy oils made using local plants or a photo book of wildflowers please conservationists and gift recipients in equal measure.

4. Currency - You'll probably have some leftover anyway. Foreign coins and colorful bills make simple gifts, especially when presented in a velvet pouch or money holder. The recipient may even have a chance to use them someday on their own travels