Curating Your Travel Collection: Souvenir Tips and Tricks
Souvenirs are a great way to remember a trip–but sometimes it can be hard to decide what to get. Some people like to have a tradition of getting similar items across different destinations, whereas others will be inspired in the moment to get something super unique to that destination. Finding souvenirs should not be stressful, so if you are not feeling inspired, don’t get something you don’t love! Here are some of our favorites, and hopefully, they will inspire you to find the perfect memento from your trip or start a collection of memories.
Artwork
Paintings, Postcards, Posters: By far my favorite form of a souvenir–I like to buy postcards or paintings of my favorite landmarks.
I love going to local art fairs or markets, looking at the different styles of artwork, and picking out my favorite watercolor painting of a landmark I visited while on the trip.
Handmade Crafts: This can be anything from wood carvings to ceramics to handwoven textiles. Local artisans are a great source for finding authentic items.
Prints of Your Own Photos: After your trip, select your favorite photos to print and display. TIP: Pick up a picture frame as a souvenir.
Ticket Stubs: A small and simple memento–these can be great for scrapbooking alongside photos and journal entries to remember everything you saw or did.
Tattoos: Some people love to get a new tattoo to commemorate a trip! It can be a design specific to the destination or a talented artist from the area.
Novelty Items
Christmas Ornaments: These are fun because you get to pull them out once a year and be reminded of all your adventures. This type of souvenir doesn’t fill your living space year-round, so it prevents habituation–when you see something every day, you stop noticing it. Instead, you relive your memories as you decorate the Christmas tree.
Fridge Magnets: Something small and unobtrusive to bring home and display.
My mom loves old doors, so if I see a magnet with a photo of a cool door, I will get it for her, and then I’m reminded of my travels whenever I go to her house :)
Stickers: Another small item that you can put anywhere! Placing travel stickers on your daily items, like a laptop or water bottle lets you show them off frequently.
Key Chains & Bottle Openers: It is fun to have different keys around the house differentiated with a keychain from your travels.
Consumable Souvenirs
Perfume: Scents play a really big role in memories. Buying a scent and wearing it while on your trip will be fun and novel during your trip and will re-spark memories when you use it post-trip.
Fancy or Fun Soap: Lightweight and easy to pack, you can pick local scents or get customized scents as gifts for friends. Think: Lavender from Provence, France; Argan Oil from Marrakech, Morocco; Sakura (cherry blossom) from Kyoto, Japan, etc.
Coffee, Chocolate, Candy, Nuts, and Wine: Allows you to share your travel experience with others through the things you ate while traveling and relive your own experience. TIP: Don’t save all your consumable items for a “special occasion” once you return, just enjoy them! because you may forget about them, or they could go bad if you wait too long.
Useful Souvenirs
Playing Cards: I love playing card games, so this is a fun opportunity to show off decks from cool destinations you have been to.
My favorites are a deck I got at a speakeasy with intricate cocktails on each card and a deck from Portugal with a recognizable tile pattern as the backing of the deck.
Tote Bags: These are functional and fashionable! There are some really cute options when it comes to tote bags. BONUS: They also come in handy if you bought extra stuff on your trip and need more space to carry it home.
I’m still jealous of an adorable bag my sister got from a picture-perfect cafe in London–I may just have to go back to get one!
Things You Can Wear: A purse, wallet, scarf, jewelry, hat, or clothes are very practical souvenirs. Think of a leather market in Italy: How could you ~not~ buy a new purse?? Also, whenever someone compliments your cool new accessory, you forever get to say, “Thank you, I bought this jacket in Paris!” (even if it was just H&M in Paris!)
Tea Towels: Tea towels are a way to display beautiful art in a mundane way. Every time you have to do the boring chore of dishes, you can pretend as if you are back on holiday!
Shot Glasses: You can’t go wrong here – just remember not to put them in the dishwasher, I can’t tell you how many have accidentally been placed in the dishwasher, and the design has melted off!
More Unique & Specific Mementos
Finding a unique gift, such as a destination-specific memento, can bring memories to life for you or offer a personal touch that makes your souvenir even more special. Here are some examples:
A bottle of Port wine from Porto, Portugal
Tile coasters from Portugal
A tea set from Japan
A handwoven silk scarf from Thailand
Rings with local symbols - a swallow is a symbol of good fortune in Portugal, a lily represents the emblem of Florence
Opal jewelry from Australia
A Venetian mask from Venice, Italy
Olive oil from Greece
Tequila from Mexico
Drums or maracas from Africa
Custom-engraved stationery or wax stamps
Macarons from France
Stroopwafels from Amsterdam, Netherlands
Limoncello from the Amalfi Coast
Leather goods from Florence
I recommend purchasing from local merchants in the places you visit to get authentic souvenirs and support the local economy. Souvenirs are a really fun way to remember a trip, and there are many options, so find what speaks to you and bring home something you truly love.
