Believe it or not, this post was inspired by a newspaper article.
Can you remember the last time you read a newspaper? Like a real, holding it in your hands, hard-copy newspaper? It sounds like such a romantic idea these days when everything we read seems to be digital.
It’s been so long for me that I don’t even have an answer…but I did read a newspaper clipping today so I’m going to count that – we have to be lenient with ourselves after all.
My grandfather reads at least one newspaper every day and more often than not he’ll cut out an article he thinks is interesting and send it to a loved one. If we’re lucky, he’ll add a note but usually he just sticks it in an envelope and puts it in the mail. My favorite thing about this ritual is that when he sends them to my mom she’ll sometimes pass them to me, so I get not only his notes about the article but hers as well.
Most recently I was passed along an article from The Wall Street Journal about the bookstalls in Paris. Since I can’t send this clipping to everyone, I’ll share the link to the online version.
Basically, the bouquinistes who run the bookstalls along the river in Paris, a tradition that dates back to the 17th century, are being forced to sell trinkets to stay in business. Apparently tourists want tacky baguette magnets more than beautiful used books as their souvenirs. Weirdos.
Did you know that last year the French bought almost two times as many books per capita as Americans? I knew there was a reason I love France so much (other than the food, wine, language, and landscape). Literature and books are a historical part of French culture but tourists seem to be stripping it away one baguette keychain at a time.
Ok, so what’s my point?
If you want that miniature Eiffel tower you should totally get it. But what value does that really add?
I’ve never been able to completely get on the minimalist lifestyle train because I like all my things too much…but I do believe you should only surround yourself with things that make you happy. For me that means objects that have meaning or have a story attached to them.
When I travel, I have three things I look for to bring home: local street art, a Harry Potter in the native language; and something descriptive of that place. I’ll admit I’ve been guilty of buying a thing or two from one of those souvenir kiosks, but the pieces I love the most when I get home are the ones with stories attached to them.
I’m not saying every traveler has to collect the same things I do from their trips or that you should never buy a magnet. I just think that part of the fun of traveling is immersing yourself in the culture of new places rather than bumbling from souvenir shop to souvenir shop.
When you get home from a trip, would you rather have a souvenir with meaning or one that you bought for €2 at a souvenir store next to five other souvenir stores?
Anyways, I share all of this in the hope that this list will spark something for you or give you some new souvenir inspiration for your next trip.
Bon voyage!
4 Unique Souvenirs to Bring Home (That Are Way Better Than Magnets)
1. Local Art
This is my absolute favorite thing to collect. When planning my very first trip to Paris I learned about the Place du Tertre in Montmartre, an area full of artists selling their work, and knew I had to go. No one told me it was at the top of the hill, so we wandered around the bottom forever and just as I was about to give up (and cry), we found it. I bought my first piece of international art there and it’s still one of my favorites.
While art can be tricky to get home depending on size, it’s so wonderful to bring back a little piece of the city. Plus it goes on the wall which means it doesn’t add any clutter to our apartment. And whenever I see it hanging there, it makes me happy all over again.
I’d also like to note that I’m not bringing home “fancy” art. Every piece I’ve bought while traveling was from a person on the street, not an art gallery, and the most I’ve ever spent on a single piece of art is €65. You don’t have to be an art snob to collect art or spend a wild amount of money, just find what you like and go with it.
2. Local Goods
By local goods I mean products that place is known for. This could be soap in Nice, wool textiles in Ireland, or cowboy boots in Texas. These are usually practical things which means you’ll get to regularly enjoy them once you get home and have nice reminders of your trip around you always.
3. Books
You knew this had to be on here, right?
Like I mentioned above, I collect copies of Harry Potter from every country I visit. It started when I got my copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in London (as opposed to the U.S. version: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone) and has turned in to a fun tradition.
You could collect your favorite book in different language like me or just find random books that catch your eye while you travel. Even if you don’t speak the language you can still appreciate books, especially used books.
Now everyone promise to buy a book from a book stall in Paris so they can stay in business, all right?
4. Something from Attraction Gift Shops
If you really just need that magnet or are mug collector like me, the best place to get these is at the gift shop of a place you visit. So instead of buying a baguette magnet at some random kiosk in Paris, get a trinket from the Louvre – it’ll mean more and be more indicative of what you actually did and saw while you were there.
Plus you can actually find some pretty cool stuff in gift shops that you might not find other place. For example, if you’re in Munich and you go to Hofbräuhaus, you can’t go home without an iconic Hofbräuhaus stein from their gift shop. You’ll never forget where you got that stein and it’ll always remind you of your trip.
Does anyone else collect quirky things when they travel? I’d love to hear what your souvenir of choice is!
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