Visiting my SO's family: What do I bring??

[liv4cause]

Hi peoples

I've got 3 weeks until I go home to Switzerland to be with my family for Christmas, and 43 days before I am going to Cairo to finally wrap my arms around HIM again <3
What I'm trying to organise now are the presents. Seeing as his family is Muslim, it won't be Christmas presents. But it will be "hi I'm your son's gf and I wish to stay so, please give us your blessings" type presents.
My mother and sister will be coming with me for the first 12 days to meet them too. So I am wondering what appropriate presents would be.
For his mother, he said kitchen things. (For the aussies here, I hope you know what I'm talking about) I've thought of bringing some Sard Wonder Soap, those amazing kitchen cloths from Coles that last for decades, and some mini spatulas which fit wonderfully into jam glasses and such things. Since I'll be leaving from Switzerland, I thought I would bring the whole family a nice array of chocolates and a small selection from Lindt & Sprüngli each for his mother and father. I won't be seeing them first thing I get there, so I thought if I wrap all that up with a nice bunch of flowers and some freshly baked Swiss Zopf bread, I think it should be alright as a "happy new year and btw I'm the latest addition to your family, surprise!" present.
What do you think? Plus, I will need ideas for many more such occasions, so even if you reckon this sounds fine, bombard me please
For instance, what do I give his dad whom I will probably not see much of and therefore will have to impress by what he hears and sees what I left for him? S: Plus, costs matter. I have a very small budget.
THANKS SO MUCH! I love this community of life savers and mood/morale better-upperers <3
much love
Liv

[Haley53]

I brought some really good American chocolate and a card that I'd handmade thanking her for letting me stay. My mother also suggested kitchen-type items, but I protested to coming with dish towels, but that's me. XD I've always found food to be a wonderful standby, though, and they don't have the brand in Ireland (even though See's ships internationally), so I figured I would share what our equivalent of a fine chocolate is.

[mllebamako]

I usually go with food items as gifts also. How about some nice European coffee/tea for his dad? I think men are harder to buy for so I always buy tea for my SO's dad and fun instant coffees from the US for my SO's friends (all they have here is nescafe, so anything flavored is exciting).
And I'll add, just in case it helps, that for my SO's cousins/sisters/nieces, I usually bring perfume, nail polishes, and purses.

I know how hard it is to come up with gifts though! Here in West Africa, it is customary to bring back gifts for everyone when coming back from a big trip. Well, his family is humongous and I can't afford to get them all nice things. So I usually hit up the dollar store (or the 1,2,3 Euro store when I was living in France) and get tons of perfumes, makeup, nail polishes, coffees, candies for the little ones, etc. And then I try to get nicer things for his immediate family.

[jiynx]

I think your ideas are great!!

As for the fasha, why don't you get him one of those swiss army knives you Swiss are so famous for? When I went travelling there, the ingraving was pretty cheap. Maybe get his initials on it? I'd ask your SO first though. Don't know if giving a weapon type thingy is nice in Muslim culture? It's an insult in some. Better safe than sorry haha.

Hope it goes swimmingly (which I'm sure it will)

[lucybelle]

I think a wind chime is a no-fail present. Really, who doesn't want a pretty wind chime that makes nice sounds??

[liv4cause]

why don't you get him one of those swiss army knives you Swiss are so famous for?

I got my SO one when we first met. He says it's the best thing I could have given him by far. And it served us so well when I was making dinner for us with nothing but a filthy pan and some forks. After cleaning and cutting chicken with the tiny knife I was pretty pleased that he loved my cooking )) Hahah. Good times.
I'm trying to think of typical aussie products they might appreciate. I'm not sure how they stand on vegemite though
Perhaps a pair of salad or rice servers or something made from native wood? Pepper grinders? Haha..

[liv4cause]

I usually go with food items as gifts also. How about some nice European coffee/tea for his dad? I think men are harder to buy for so I always buy tea for my SO's dad and fun instant coffees from the US for my SO's friends (all they have here is nescafe, so anything flavored is exciting).
And I'll add, just in case it helps, that for my SO's cousins/sisters/nieces, I usually bring perfume, nail polishes, and purses.

I know how hard it is to come up with gifts though! Here in West Africa, it is customary to bring back gifts for everyone when coming back from a big trip.

You genius. The nescafe idea is perfect for his friends etc. About coffee and tea, I'm not sure S: Egyptians love their own tea and coffee, but they may appreciate an Aussie herbal tea of some sort that they haven't tried before. Oh! Honey! We have great honey! That might be an idea...
And the nail polish, perfumes etc, great idea too! He has 2 sisters and two young nieces.
Thanks so much!

[Kiara]

I have basically the same problem. I'm Italian and my SO is German. I'm visiting his family on Dec 28th: pretty soon! I'm so excited! I'll stay at his family's palce for 3 nights, and I don't know what to bring them! He has two younger brothers, plus mum and dad. I thought about food, some traditional italian food. My SO brought them some Italian food and they loved it. But... I'm travelling with Ryanair (only 10kg alloweded on the carry on luggage)!!! That's a problem! If I want to bring panettone or pandoro, or any other food, I need more space and kilos! I should probably buy a luggage, so I can bring more prensents!
Also, beside food, do you have any idea for his brothers? They are 16 and 19 years old.
Thanks ;-)

[Alemap]

Cultural gifts are always a winner; https://www.australiagift.net/categories.asp

[DarkStarrx]

I totally agree on the cultural gifts!

Kiara: Younger brothers hmm I know all of my German guy friends lovee clothing and food. haha

[Kiara]

Mmm... cultural gifts... I was so disappointed when I discovered that most of the Murano glass sold in Venice is made in China :-( That's not traditional anymore! I think I'll have to bring some food, like a lot a lot a lot :-))) Everybody should be happy then!

[Engel]

Swiss chocolate. yummy!

[liv4cause]

Swiss chocolate never fails. I'm back home in Zurich now...I got them honey, the girls little purses with this and that in them, and tshirts with cute koalas and kangaroos on them, and some useful things like tea tree oil and such. I will get them some chocolate here as well. I've got a wedding to go to as well, so I'll get the bride and groom a lovely box of selected Lindt chocolates as well. I hope that will do ....

[Engel]

It will, shirts and food are gifts that never fail!