Shopping for Souvenirs

When you are eager to find the perfect souvenir for a friend or family member, it can be a very fun experience. However, if you feel obligated to purchase souvenirs for a large group, you may feel a tremendous amount of pressure to find just the right souvenir for each person on your list. Here are some tips that can make purchasing souvenirs a really fun experience.

One excellent tip for buying souvenirs for your loved ones is to keep their specific tastes in mind. You may think that the items are very cute but you have to consider the feelings of the recipient of the souvenir. With each potential souvenir purchase, look at the item carefully and ask yourself what the recipient will think of the item. This will help you to decide whether or not to purchase the item.

Another tip for buying souvenirs is not to get caught up with the thinking that you need to purchase a unique gift for each person. If several people on your list collect souvenir spoons and you find a great one during your vacation that you think they would all like, go ahead and buy one for each of them. As long as it is a gift, they won't care if you give the same item to another person or not.

Finally remember that you are under no obligations to purchase souvenirs for anyone. It is easy to get caught in finding the perfect souvenirs for a long list of friends and family members but if you just can't find something that seems right for a particular person, try sending him a postcard from your destination instead of buying something for him just for the sake of buying something.

Purchasing souvenirs for friends and family members while you are on vacation can be fun as long as you don't get overwhelmed by the pressure to buy a perfect and unique gift for everyone.

Questions for Discussion:

1. In what case will you feel great pressure when shopping for souvenirs?

2. According to the passage, what are the tips that can make buying souvenirs a really fun experience?

3. How do you decide whether or not the potential souvenir is a good choice for the recipient?

4. If you can't find any nice souvenirs at the place you are visiting, what are you suggested to do?

Suggested Answers:

1. When you feel obligated to purchase souvenirs for a large group and can't find just the right souvenir for each person on your list.

2. To keep their specific tastes in mind; not to get caught up with the thinking that you need to purchase a unique gift for each person; to remember that you are under no obligations to purchase souvenirs for anyone.

3. Look at the item carefully and ask yourself what the recipient will think of this item.

4. If you just can't find anything that seems right for a particular person, try sending him a postcard from your destination.

     A souvenir is an object a traveler brings for the memories associated with it. Souvenirs include clothing such as T-shirts of hats, postcards, household items such as mugs and bowls, ashtrays, and many others. These are customary gifts typically given by someone upon returning from a trip to be given to family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, business associates, teachers, classmates and any other socially related to the returning vacationer.

   Sometimes, it is shameful to arrive or return empty-handed. Therefore, buying souvenirs shows that the traveler was thinking of his or her family and community members while away.