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OT- my son is going to Ireland.. what should I have him bring back?

Queen Mum

Veteran

My 13 year old son is leaving in 2 weeks to spend the summer in Ireland with a missions organization.
While I am prouder than punch of him, I'm not going to trust a 13 year old to pick out a souvenir for me (no, I don't want a T-shirt that says "kiss me I'm Irish")

I know some of you here are seasoned travelers and we even have a native (where has Dawn been?) so I know you all can tell me just what I want from Ireland!

He'll be staying in Dublin btw....

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15 replies

Latest reply was from julijuli

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

Irish lace!

Queen Mum

Veteran

ooh, that's a good idea Khris!
I'm guessing he won't be able to bring back Irish whiskey

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

How splendid, Kim! How about some Irish Cadburys, tea and something green.

wilson

I am impressed your son would want to do a missions trip like that at such a young age. He must be getting trained up well. I truly regret not having brought back some lace from Ireland so that would be my suggestion too.

Ele

(website)

I've only been through Dublin airport on a horrible trip home from Sweden, but with my limited experience with the country, I suggest getting him to bring you home a border official. They were all unbelievably hot.

No, not appropriate? Then lace, tea or chocolate all sound good!

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Tee-hee at Ele's comment!

OK, now this is my take. I would say that if he was a 13 year old astute shopper with advanced tastes any of the above suggestions sound fantabulous! If he is, ummmmmm how to say..... not (sorry, I can't help but keep having flashbacks of my brother who at 13 was very sweet but had NO idea when it came to gifts for girls!), I would possibly even just ask for a tea-towel.

My reasoning being that a tea-towel is:
a) Cheap (no opportunity for cringing over an expensive gift that you wonder "what was he thinking?! I mean the thought was sweet, but the reality.........????????!");
b) [Trust me] they are everywhere! He'll have millions to choose from and if he doesn't have much time to shop, he needn't stress over finding the "perfect" gift for his beloved mum;
c) it is light and incredibly easy to pack; and
d) it gives him something useful to dry the dishes with when he gets home! Bwahahahahahahahahaahah! Oh I am such an evil mum!

[Edited to say, that of course, if he was older or adult, I would most certainly be expecting something a tad more creative (and expensive!). I'm just trying to think of all the 13 year old boys I know and what they are like at shopping here!]

anne

Veteran

Further to Katiepeas suggestion, Irish Teatowels would be made of the famed irish linen, wouldn't they, ie very good quality!

Queen Mum

Veteran

haha- I'm not sure I'd trust a 13 year old boy to pick out a hot border official... you're too funny :-0

I do like the lace idea... I figure if I point some things out to him via google he can have some ideas of what might be nice.

The tea towel is a good idea too Katie...maybe I'll suggest he grab half a dozen of them for Grandma's and Aunts.

Chocolate is a fab idea too, but after Ireland they come back and spend a week in Florida for a debrief... so I'm not sure chocolate would survive the heat.

I don't know how much time they will have to shop, and I'm not trying to burden him with having to bring back a bunch of stuff, but I know he'll want to buy some things (money burns a hole in this kids pocket) so I figure I'll atleast point him in the right direction.

MNsara

Veteran

What a great thing for him to do (and be able to do!). I second/third the tea towel idea for all the ladies he needs to buy for. They travel well, can be bought way ahead of time, Irish linen is so nice, etc.

I don't think I would have entrusted any of *my* kids to pick out woolens, crystal, or Celtic jewelry for me. . .

I wish we would have sent our older two on missions trips when they were teens. . . I saw the vast changes in a teen's perspectives it brought about (and mine could have used it!). Now our third is such a stay-at-home that it would border on abuse if we made him go anywhere but Scout camp. So, kudos to your son

Rosie

Veteran

I don't remember exactly where, but I think when I was in the UK I bought a tea towel with an old Irish Blessing on it. It was one that I grew up singing as it was one of my dad's favorites and he would play the guitar at our chapels at the Episcopal school I went to. (Not Episcopal, but my parents worked there.) The tea towel had this printed beautifully on it:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Not to get into religion (my background is really complicated!) but especially considering he is going on a mission that might be church-related, this might be a lovely thing to come back with. They are probably everywhere. No matter what one's beliefs, these sentiments are beautiful.

I also agree with everything above: lace, Celtic jewelry, crystal... so lovely! Ele's is my favorite suggestion, though. He can bring that back for me!

Dawn

(website)

Ooooh I'm here! I've been busy recently but I like Angie's suggestion! Personally I would have suggested a couple of boxes of Irish whiskey but he's 13 so I guess that won't work. The exchange rate doesn't really work in his favour either at the moment so I'll suggest some cheaper things.

Maybe he could bring home some Irish chocolate- either Cadbury's, Butlers or Lily O'Briens- and some linen such as these: http://www.blarney.ie/catalog/.....interface=

They wouldn't be wildly expensive and he could buy six napkins, and they could be used for special dinners rather than being abandoned like most souvenirs.

Another place he could go to for gifts is Carroll's souvenir shop (http://www.carrollsirishgifts.com/) which are quite big and have loads of different things from soft toys to tshirts and yes, tea towels.

Is your son going to get to see much of Ireland outside Dublin?

Rosie, you are right, that is the translation of a traditional Irish blessing but it has caused much grief for Irish speakers as it was translated literally into English instead of translating the idioms within it to their nearest English equivalent. The sentiments are the same though.

Dawn

(website)

Forgot to say, there are loads of Carroll's around Dublin city centre and there also will be lots of souvenir shops with all the main sites.

Kim, if you have any questions about Dublin or anything about Ireland, please feel free to PM me. I don't live in Dublin any longer but I lived there for a while and I know the city quite well.

LuAnn

I agree with Ele- a hot irish speaking dude. Seriously- send a camera w/ him and have him take photos of the buildings and landscape.

Queen Mum

Veteran

oh Dawn, I love the idea of a set of napkins. I'll suggest that to him.
I don't know how much sighseeing they are going to be doing and if they will be spending much time outside of Dublin, but I do know that they do plan to do a bit of sightseeing and souvenir shopping so I want to send him with some ideas so he doesn't come home with an ugly t-shirt or something like that Thanks Dawn.. I will certainly PM you if I have any questions that come up!

Luann- yes, he'll be taking his camera to get lots of pictures.

rosie- that tea towel sounds lovely... it's neat to have things that bring back childhood memories! And yes, it's a Christian Mission organization that he is going with.

julijuli

I LOVE this thread as my son (16 yrs old) is also going to Ireland in a couple of weeks on a school trip. I've asked him to bring something back but he's not a shopper so the thought of giving him an easier assignment (like a tea towel) is very helpful! He'll be going all over Ireland - are there any other crafts that are well know there and reasonably affordable? I know he wants to pick up a Fisherman's sweater for himself. I've warned him that they may be pricey!