Europe Archives - Study Abroad Gifts

The best American things to send to Germany

A lot of snacks that can be found in the US aren’t available in German stores. By the way, do they have Reeses in Germany? If they don’t, I am not moving there anytime soon. Well, anyway. If your friend is missing some American candy you can’t get in Germany, then this giant bin of peanut butter M&Ms is the right gift to get them. It is huge, and it will hopefully last them for a few days.

This next gift idea is one of the best German host family gifts that you can get. This is a great idea if your friend is currently living in a German household. You will not only make your friend happy, but also the hostess that is taking care of your friend. These dishtowels are made out of cotton and they each have a very unique and beautiful design.

It doesn’t mean that you cannot find a travel mug anywhere in Germany, but this gift can be one of the best gifts for someone moving to Germany. This Hydro Flask Watter Bottle will come in handy to your friend every time they go on a new adventure in German cities. They can keep their beverage cold everywhere they go. This gift is something that someone wouldn’t even think about buying it for themselves, but when someone gets it for them, they cannot stop not using it.

Your Favorite Board Game, like Code Names

“Codenames” is a board game that belongs to the “American things you can’t get in Germany” club. Codenames is a social word game and it is perfect for game nights for the entire family. There is no age limit, so everyone will enjoy it. Your friend might need something to make them feel like home, so why not get them this cool game.

If you are still looking for some American things to send to Germany, don’t worry. We have listed some more interesting and unique gifts. The Trader Joe’s Spice and Seasoning set has 7 flavors of spices that your friend can use to cook for their German friends. This is a very thoughtful and amazing gift which you can give to your family member as well. Just make sure they enjoy cooking and put these things to use.

Your friend has probably told you that Germans love beer. But who doesn’t? Anyway, this next gift is probably one of the greatest American gifts for German friends. It is a bag that your friend can use to put the beers in when going on a trip or a picnic. It holds six bottles of your friend’s beverage and it also has an integrated bottle opener on the side. How cool does this get? It is a very affordable and one of a kind gift.

If your friend or family member loves Cherry Cola like me, they would be so thankful to you if you got them this gift. Order a pack of 18 cans of Cherry Cola and make them happy for a few days, because they are probably craving it so badly. It is not something that they can keep for long, but it is the thought that counts. They will never forget how you remembered what their favorite drink is!

We all have played Monopoly at least once in our life. And we all love it, that’s for sure. This gift is unique in its own may. If your friend misses visiting the national parks of the US, then deliver them to their apartment’s doorstep, with this National Parks Monopoly Board Game. They will immediately feel like they are at home. And when they invite their friends over to play, they will be the coolest American with the coolest Monopoly in the neighborhood.

One of the last American things to send to Germany is Grade A Maple Syrup! Your friend or family member cannot find it anywhere in Germany, and they probably miss having pancakes with maple syrup. It is a great gift for pancake lovers. They will be glad they have you as a friend when the mailman delivers the gift to them. You should ask them to record their expression because it will be very entertaining to watch.

Here you are, suddenly browsing gifts for someone going to London. You only just found out that your best friend / child / grandchild / niece / nephew is going to study abroad in London—and it’s caught you quite off guard. Yes, it’s a long way, yes, you’ll worry about them, and, of course—you’ll miss them like crazy!

But, you’re also incredibly happy for them, too. This is the trip of a lifetime, after all. Think Harry and Megan, Big Ben, Platform 9 ¾, traveling on red buses, watching musicals on the West End, not to mention all of those cheap flights to mainland Europe. So, to send them on their way, why not treat them to thoughtful London gifts to help them make the most of their adventure?

Read on to find a comprehensive list of great gifts for someone going to London to study. From budget-friendly keepsakes to blow-the-budget backpacks, you’re sure to find something to mark this very study abroad trip!

9 great gifts for someone going to London for study abroad

1. Travel themed hanging photo display

photo display for someone going to london

This great little pack includes hemp rope, rainbow-colored wooden pegs and cardboard frames with a variety of cute travel-themed patterns for displaying photos. Your loved one can use the set to hang visible reminders of their nearest and dearest back home, or to show off snaps of the new places and friendly faces they’ve discovered in London.

2. Customizable leather passport holder

Send your student traveler to London in style with this beautiful leather passport holder. Not only is it the perfect pouch for a passport, it also has three pockets that can be used to hold boarding passes, bank notes, and credit cards. It’s available in a wide range of wanderlust-inspired designs with tons of fun quotes to choose from—and you can even add customizable text to the front cover. The perfect example of both a sentimental and useful travel gift for a student studying abroad.

3. Moleskine Voyageur travel journal

This beautiful travel journal is available in brown or blue, and is of the same high quality that you’d expect from a Moleskine product. This is a great gift to give before your loved one heads off on their adventure, as it includes packing lists, to-do lists and budget pages, as well as lined pages for writing and a pocket in the cover to store souvenirs like tickets

4. Europe Scratch Off Travel Map

One of the many benefits of living in London is that flights to mainland Europe are short and cheap. As your loved one travels, they can scratch off the gold foil of the country they’ve visited, to make a lifelong memento of all the places they go to while they’re studying abroad. The map is 32.5 x 23.4 inches and comes in a sturdy cardboard tube for safe transport in a backpack or suitcase, making it one of the best gifts for someone traveling to Europe!

5. Polaroid pocket photo printer

polaroid pocket photo printer for study abroad

Save your friend the trouble of finding a photo printer in London by giving them this pocket-sized photo printer. They simply download the app, transfer photos from their phone to the printer via bluetooth and select their favorite pictures from their study abroad trip to print. The printer uses zero-ink paper, meaning that they won’t need to buy expensive ink, and the paper is sticky-backed so that the photos can be conveniently stuck into a journal.

6. JBL Waterproof portable bluetooth speaker

Make your friend the life of the party on the beaches of Ibiza or while doing morning yoga with friends in the Plaza Torre Eiffel! Everybody needs a portable speaker to bring their favorite tunes abroad with them, and your friend is no exception! And, at less than 7 inches long, it can be easily packed into a backpack for that next weekend getaway.

7. A stylish but high quality carry-on backpack

A huge part of any study abroad experience is traveling to other parts of your host country and, in this case, to other parts of Europe. The Cotopaxi 35 L backpack opens like a suitcase and has built-in compartments to keep all of the essentials organized, without the need for additional packing cubes. There’s also a hidden sleeve big enough to hold a laptop.

Pro tip: This pack is compliant for fitting not only in an overhead compartment, but also under an airline seat. This means you’re giving your loved one the gift of simple check in and budget airfares, too! We can’t get enough of London gift ideas like these.

8. Osprey 65 L backpack with wheels

Similar to our carry-on study abroad backpack recommendation above, one of the best gifts for someone going to London to study abroad is a high-quality backpack. This 65L option from Osprey, from high-quality materials, padded straps, and a padded hip-belt, can be easily carried when necessary but also features two large, durable wheels. Perfect for when they’re bumming around the train station, waiting to travel to Paris and beyond!

What’s more, this Osprey backpack opens like a suitcase, making it easy to store and access contents quickly. For a quick airport experience, its loose straps can be tucked away into a zippered compartment to avoid getting caught up in conveyor belts. #TravelPro!

9. A water-resistant, classic trench coat

study abroad london trenchcoat rain jacket

The first thing you learn while studying abroad in London? It’s probably going to rain. A lot. Help your friend fit in with the locals and keep themselves warm and dry with this classic unisex trench coat from New York Rain. It’ll set you back a few dollars, but will prove to be a worthwhile investment that they never forget in the tube station or the back of a hack!

P.S. A mini travel umbrella would round out this gift perfectly.

Make your London gifts ones to remember!

Buy thoughtful gifts for someone going to London to let a loved one know how much you care for them and, when they’re far from home, it’s often a great reminder to them of the special people in their life.

Have you bought one of these gifts, or do you have other suggestions? Add them to the Comments section below.

Authored by Kay Brown

Kay is an international teacher, currently living in Yangon, Myanmar. She blogs about travel and expat life in El Salvador and South East Asia at Kaybee Travels.

Follow Kaybeetravels on Instagram

The best American things to send to Germany

1. Giant Bin of Peanut Butter M&Ms

2. New Dishtowels

3. Hydro Flask Water Bottle or Travel Mug

4. Your Favorite Board Game, like Code Names

5. Trader Joe’s Spice/Seasoning Set

6. A Custom Craft Beer 6 Pack

7. Cherry Cola

8. National Parks Monopoly

9. Grade A Maple Syrup

What great American gifts for German friends did we miss?

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