If you are going on a holiday,

Do you buy souvenirs for your friends?  - When you travel, do you buy souvenirs for your friends?
@whyaskq (7523)
Singapore
April 15, 2007 12:31pm CST
A friend was going for a holiday trip overseas. She called her friends asking if there was anything we need and she can help us buy back. I was one of the friends she called. I was thinking, how nice of her to offer when we are not that close. If it were me, I would not have called. I simply do not like the idea of spending my time looking for the items my friends wanted when I am on a holiday. In fact, I will not announce I am going on a holiday. I feared my friends asking me to help them buy this buy that. I do buy little souvenirs for my close friends though, if I can find any nice and decent ones. Do you announce to all your friends you are going away on a trip? Do you offer to help your friends buy anything back from where you were? Do you buy any souvenirs for your friends and relatives? What would you buy? Do share your habits :)
7 people like this
23 responses
@bluewings (3857)
15 Apr 07
You are funny,lol.When I go abroad ,I do tell my friends and they come to know even if I don't.Some of my close friends tell me if there is something they would like me to bring for them.If I don't have to pay huge duties for the items ,I usually bring them.If they don't ask me to bring anything,I too bring little souvenirs or something that I know my friends would enjoy.
@whyaskq (7523)
• Singapore
15 Apr 07
I did it once. I have problem carrying the stuffs back, and in the end, it was parcel sent. Once bitten twice shy :)
1 person likes this
@bluewings (3857)
15 Apr 07
Yes, the luggage could get intimidating at times,especially when you have to pay big amounts to bring them along,lol. I remember one of my friends who shopped electronic goods and glasswares while returning back and had to pay through his nose.When he collected his luggage from the conveyer belt ,some of them were broken.Obviously,he wouldn't try it again.
2 people like this
• United States
16 Apr 07
If there good friends, then yes I think I would!
2 people like this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
16 Apr 07
I will ask some close friends and also my family, but i will for sure not ask people that I do not hang with on a regular basis. It was very nice of her to do this - but at the same time she will probably regret it if 10 people says yes and they all want different stuff *lol*
1 person likes this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
15 Apr 07
If I'm going away on a trip, I will normally inform my best friend and my siblings. Otherwise, I prefer to slip away as quietly as possible. I happened to know someone who likes to brag about her may trips. She will SMS message everyone. :/ I wouldn't mind buying some souvenirs. I love collecting it especially if there's mini fork and spoon. I have a huge collections of it and hopefully there will be more to add. For friends and families, its quite obvious that I need to buy for them. I'm a very generous bunny IF I have some money left.
• Singapore
15 Apr 07
If there are close friends and they might be looking for me during the period when I am away, I probably would. Otherwise, I won't - they probably won't even notice I was gone. :P If I am staying there for a long time (maybe a business trip), I probably might ask - but I would tell them that I might not have enough time to look for the things they want. Otherwise, I won't ask them. If I am feeling rich, I will just buy some souvenirs or gifts back for them.
2 people like this
@samrat16 (2442)
• India
16 Apr 07
Last time when a close friend of mine was going to america , I asked him to get a laptop for me. The better part was I paid him in advance to avoid any misunderstanding. This guy than got me a very good HP laptop at very affordable price. Yes, I announce whenever I am going out to all close friends. Yes, I offer to buy anything my friends want from the place. I buy whatever is in my budget for friends I really like. I buy tshirts, mobiles or jewellery item for girlfriends.
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
15 Apr 07
Yes I do and I have always asked if they needed anything bringing back and yes I do buy them little Souveniers I would buy something that I know they would like I know what my Kids and Friends like
1 person likes this
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
15 Apr 07
it is a custom here to bring back souvenirs for your family or close friends. Little things that don't cost a whole lot. I never bought anything big for anyone accept my boyfriend or very close family. But is very nice of her to want to do that. She is a very loving person.
1 person likes this
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
16 Apr 07
I do tell some of my friends, just to let them know that I'll be out for that certain amount of time. I love them, I don't want them to worry about me if ever they miss me. About buying souvenirs or any stuffs, I don't make any promises to them, ask them what they want or tell them what I would buy. I simply ask them on what they want, then I let them know that I'll do my best to look for those items that they want, and I can't promise to them that I would find all of those things that they wanted me to bring for them when I come back home. I love buying shirts, caps/hats, anything that tells about the place, food(delicacies/sweets) and maybe some accessories. I love to travel and go places, but I am sure that I am not that good in bringing up some stuffs for them..
@AmbiePam (91768)
• United States
29 Apr 07
Most of the time when I'm going on a trip, I'll bring something back for my family and closest friends. I'll ask what they want, because I know they will not choose something I cannot afford. On one occasion I made the acquaintance of some girls in one of my college classes years ago, and I liked them a lot. We had fun hanging out. So I asked them if there was something they collected. One told me key chains, and one told me pens. Often, if you ask what people collect, it will be something affordable, or else they themselves could not afford to collect it. So when I went off to Australia, I brought them a key chain and a pen designed in Australian regalia. They were so happy I just thought of them.
• United States
15 Apr 07
I inform my very close friends that I shall be going away on a trip. Most of them (since I know them so well) would ask for some stuff (like souvenirs) for me to bring when I get back. That's fine with me, as I'd gotten used to it. In the same manner, my close friends would also announce their trip and whether we ordered for something or not, would still be bringing some stuff for us from the trip. When I go on a trip, I would usually buy souvenirs (ornaments, shirts, caps) and some food unique to the place for my family and friends. I like doing that. My sister doesn't like doing that, because she hates bringing a lot of stuff back, but I like buying and bringing stuff back. Hehe. Happy myLotting!
1 person likes this
• Philippines
16 Apr 07
i inform my close friends whenever i go somewhere. i'd buy small tokens for them on my vacation but they never let me find or buy things for them. they appreciate anything that i give them, no matter what it is.
1 person likes this
@txwoman36 (173)
• United States
16 Apr 07
i have told my friends that i am going on a trip and they never asked me to find them something they are looking for. now i would buy them a souvenires if i think they might like something then i would get if for them. it has been a few yrs since i have been travelling and i do miss it alot.
1 person likes this
@Liting (55)
• China
16 Apr 07
I think you'd better not to ask her to buy anything for you,,because that is very heavy for a girl to carry,,,I ever experienced such a thing...my friends asked me to bring them a lot of food and other things from my holiday.I promised....I have to buy something for them,,but when that day coming...i don't want to bring so many things becaue nobody carry so heavy package for me.I have to do by myself.So when some friends asking you to buy something or you are asked for bringing something back to them,just refuse!
1 person likes this
@vinu123 (224)
• India
16 Apr 07
The word holiday has related but different meanings in English-speaking countries.Based on the words holy and day, holidays originally represented special religious days. This word has evolved in general usage to mean any special day of rest (as opposed to regular days of rest such as the weekend). In the English-speaking world a holiday can mean a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation (e.g. "I'm going on holiday to Malta next week") the North American equivalent is "vacation" Many Canadians will use the terms vacation and holiday interchangeably when referring to a trip away from home or time off work. In Australia the term can refer to a vacation or gazetted public holiday, but not to a day of commemoration such as Mothers' Day or Halloween. In all of the English-speaking world, a holiday is a day set aside by a nation or culture (in some cases, multiple nations and cultures) typically for celebration but sometimes for some other kind of special culture-wide (or national) observance or activity
• Slovak Republic
16 Apr 07
i do think it is very thoughtful of your friend to ask all of you what you want to buy.. i don't think i would do the same if it was me.. true i will tell a couple of people but definitely not all. i would buy my close friends little souvenirs too if i can.. im there for a holiday and to enjoy myself i don't want to be freaked out because im not able to buy someone this or that..
• India
16 Apr 07
there are many friends of mine who hail from my native in the place i am living now. and i do inform them about my going to my native place and also ask them if i need to convey anything or carry anything to their parents etc. and they do in return whenever they go. and on return if they need something (that we dont get here) i do acceed to their request.
@webbuff (926)
• Philippines
16 Apr 07
hmm usually i dont tell all of my friends that im going on a holiday except for family or close friend that had been on a holiday the same place im going to get tips.. i really do buy something for my family and friends when im on a holiday little things like keychains and postcards will do... and i do share my habits to may family and friends.
@bmodina (241)
• Philippines
16 Apr 07
well sometimes im going alone in a holiday, you know going to the mall, shopping, but sometimes i feel bored then im hanging aroung with my friends and then if i have something to buy, il tell them il be right back coz i have something to buy, we meet here and about 30 minutes from now.
• Philippines
16 Apr 07
If I will go on a trip I will surely announce it to my friends but I will not offer if there is somthing that they want to buy.But if they insist theres nothing I can do hehe.I always buy souveniers for my friends and family.I usually buy those things that are known to be made from the place I visited. Sometimes I buy the special food delicacies for my family