After extensive shopping research, I have found that there are gifts for everyone that will sum up a Spanish experience perfectly.
Finding the perfect souvenir for everyone you love back at home is a stressful process. You want to find one that sums up your experiences, one that will be treasured, and won’t break the bank. During the last few weeks of my time in Spain, the anxiety of what to buy set in. I wanted to show the recipients of my Spanish gifts that I had been thinking of them while I was away, and that their gift emulated the love I felt for the Spanish culture and my experience there. Sounds like a tall order, right?
For the foodies
If you are searching for that perfect gift for your parents, your friends, or want to have a few extra gifts just in case, wine and olive oil are a great gift! There are many bodegas (vineyards) around Spain and you will find some quality brands at the liquor stores in the Spanish cities at a lower price than in the United States. Personally, I opted for a couple bottles of olive oil as gifts because I have more chefs than wine connoisseurs in my family. If you are going to buy olive oil in Spain, look for a brand that was made in the southern Andalucía region of Spain. Be sure to take care when you pack these fragile items!
For your female friends
When I was searching for the perfect gift for my best girl friends, I immediately thought of the Spanish National Soccer Team. As any soccer fan knows, La Roja are a national obsession in Spain and you cannot watch TV without seeing one of the players in a commercial or playing for their respective Liga teams. As it turns out, the players on La Roja are also quite attractive. For my girl friends, I purchased a couple of sets of postcards with various players on them.
For your football fanatics
If you are looking for a gift for a soccer fanatic who is interested more in the game than the men who play it, the options are boundless. There is a bunch of great memorabilia in the department stores: I bought my soccer-obsessed father a Euro Cup champion shirt and a popular La Roja keychain.
For your mom
I wanted the gift for my mother to be unique and useful. When I was traveling in Sevilla, Spain, I fell in love with the mosaics that are featured all over the city. I decided that the perfect gift for my mom was one of the beautiful mosaic coasters. She truly enjoyed the gift because she knew that it was authentic and representative of my love for Spain.
Take the stress away from souvenir shopping and search for items that represent your favorite part of your trip, items that represent the culture of everyone you love or nation you just visited.
