Typical British Gifts

[mikewall01]

What typically British gifts can I take to a Russian couple (both aged 55) They live alone in a small apartment in a remote town. I am visiting their home for the first time and don't know them too well. Any ideas please?

[Cathy]

You could take them some food. Things like bars of chocolate, Cornish pasties, Welsh cakes or anything like that.

[mikewith]

Music, perhaps - though don't assume they have a CD player. Their tastes may be hard to judge, but you can't get much more English (in the eyes of the world) than the Beatles. A coffee table book of photographs of Britain will introduce them to the life you have here.

[quattro]

How about Welsh love spoons Scotch whisky and English tea.

[Cetti]

I don't think you could go wrong with decorative tins of Highland Shortbread or Devon Fudge denoting British scenes - and the tins would be useful afterwards. Also you might want to consider gifts that are easy to pack - as well as the dreaded customs.

[RCP]

It might be worth checking out the restrictions on what foodstuffs you can bring first. My mother and her relatives always seem to exchange tea towels. I know they are considered kitsch but those ornamental country cottages are small & inexpensive & typically British.

[rekstout]

I believ that the Russian (hot) beverage of choice is tea so why not a selection of typically English teas from somewhere like Whittards - get ones in decorative tims which can then be re-used.

[vittoria]

A small piece (ashtray or similar) of Wedgwood porcelain; in some dept.stores they sell these china bell shaped things for cooking an egg, with a silver or chrome lid; and there used to be a kind of china ball, with a thread to hold it, containing herbs to keep in the linen drawer... all quintessentially British, and my apologies if I could not describe them well. And a tartan scarf.

[vittoria]

also portmerion pottery

[fraserjim]

two goats