What are your views on bringing souvenirs for your family on a holiday trip?
My family has a unspoken rule of buying souvenirs for extended family/ everyone and i feel that it is really burdensome.
On one hand, it is a waste of resources when I receive souvenirs like pens/ shirt/ keychain, and just adds to pollution and clutter since i dont really need any pens/ keychain/ cringy shirt.
However, when i am receiving the gifts, i am pressured by my mom to “like it” and send it to the extended family group to thank them which i feel so fake.
Also do not want to seem ungrateful and reject it as it will hurt my family’s feelings.
Lastly, i do feel like it is a waste of money for them to buy for me as i do not need anything and they are from low income family.
Similarly, i feel like when i am going overseas, i have to stress about buying things for everyone and really would prefer giving meaningful souvenirs instead of the standard keychains/ pen etc that they probably wont use.
Also, they might not want the gifts as well. A lot of the times, I’ve not seen the gifts i bought overseas been used or i never see it ever again.
Is buying souvenirs overrated?
Netizens’ comments
- What about simple food or snacks? I think that’s easier compared to like pens or other stuff which most people don’t really need.
I did bought a bag and watch for my parents once and I never saw them used it ever. Since then I just buy food or snacks for souvenirs as they can just consume it and not leave it around at home like pens. - It’s my holiday, my time, my money. I’ll buy a gift if I want to, not because I’m expected or obligated to.
My family does the same thing, but they don’t really know what to get me because I like really weird shit. I straight up told them not to waste money on shirts and tokens because I’m not gonna wear or use them at all. Instead, I said I like exploring the food of a country, and since then all they ever get for me is instant noodles unique to whatever country they went to.
I do the same for them too, I tell my family in advance where I’m planning to go, and if they’d like anything from that region. It’s a gift, not a surprise, there’s no harm in telling them what you want/don’t want and vice versa.