Back in the USSR. Those same sweets. What to bring from Japan in terms of female logic: souvenirs and memorabilia from the trip

Residents of many countries of the world traditionally winter holidays decorate New Year's or Christmas - whoever is closer - a Christmas tree, pine or even a palm tree. In most countries, the New Year tree, according to ancient, still pagan traditions, is decorated with candles symbolizing the stars - today they are most often replaced with garlands of multi-colored light bulbs - and apples that symbolize the tree of paradise - in modern interpretation red and not only shiny balls.

But there are also differences. So, the top of a spruce or pine in our country is most often decorated with a star or an icicle, but, for example, in USA along with the traditional star, angel figurines are very popular.

IN China all kinds of paper products are very popular as Christmas tree decorations - lanterns, garlands, flowers.

And what about the Australians? New Year for them it is the height of summer, and a Christmas tree or a pine in australia not easy to find. But there is always a way out - traditional Christmas balls and garlands are hung on special form bushes, which is distinguished by small red leaves. And the inhabitants of Africa, who see spruces only in pictures, decorate their homes with bright fabrics.

IN England in addition to traditional Christmas decorations, mistletoe is popular. Wreaths from it were used in rituals by the ancient Celts, but now the place under them is considered the best for kisses.

IN Spain On Christmas trees you can always find a lot of sweets and decorations.

In some countries decoration christmas tree not so popular tradition. IN Italy or Mexico beautifully decorated nativity scenes are much more common.

Japanese Christmas trees are imprinted national culture. In addition to the usual decorations, small dolls are popular here, paper fans, lanterns, bells and, of course, origami, “cranes” folded from paper are especially popular.

IN Sweden popular Christmas decorations from straw - stars, the sun, snowflakes, various animals.

IN Greenland They love to decorate Christmas trees with lit candles.

IN Brazil where there is no snow, pieces of cotton wool are generously thrown on the Christmas trees, which should symbolize these traditional European winter precipitations. Vatu is also willingly used in South Africa, for the same reason.

But our country almost lost the tradition of decorating the New Year tree. In the early years of Soviet power, Christmas trees were almost banned, the New Year was considered a frankly bourgeois holiday. An indulgence was made only by the end of the 30s. At the same time, the production of the first Soviet Christmas decorations began. Very popular were bright red balloons depicting leaders, a sickle and a hammer, five pointed stars and other similar symbols.

the most expensive Christmas tree toy the creation of the company was recognized Hallmark Jewelers, which in 2009 presented a ball of white gold, adorned with 1500 diamonds and 188 rubies. The cost of this jewelry at the time of appearance was about $130 000 . It took about 130 hours of painstaking work to create it.

What to bring from a trip so that all this does not lie around with unnecessary rubbish? Shall we discuss souvenirs from Japan and other countries? How to buy them, based on the principles female logic and economy.

The other day we discussed souvenirs from trips and travels with a friend: what is better to carry and how to apply it later. And now I want to talk about this with you too 🙂 Well, since my most recent trip is to Japan, I will mainly cite Japanese souvenirs as an example, based on my experience.

Souvenirs from the trip are a separate and important part” cultural program". But you also need to purchase wisely, so that later you can use them for their intended purpose. For example, it is always believed that shells should be brought from a trip to the sea. Yeah, we brought the shells collected in the ocean to Koh Samui. A whole shoebox. And where is she? I don't even remember. And it was hard to carry. That's why I always demand from souvenirs practical application and maximum economic benefits.

So, how to choose souvenirs?

First of all, what comes to mind is what the country we are going to is associated with. Egypt is the Pyramids and the Sphinx, right? Japan is a kimono, Paris is the Eiffel Tower... so of course the first impulse is to buy some of these.
I had an idea to buy a kimono in Japan, or wooden clogs, or those funny two-finger socks. And then I just remembered the Thai sarong that is lying around in the closet. Am I wearing it? No. Do I use it at home? Also no. I take it out and show it when talking about a trip to Thailand? Also no. And I immediately lost the desire to attach a kimono to it. Because I will not wear it, I will not hang it in a conspicuous place and show it to everyone.
The same with socks. Well, I'll buy it, well, we'll laugh at home. And then what to do with them?
And the desire to buy a Japanese national costume disappeared by itself.

But key chains bought in in large numbers in different places. Now all of us, even our teacher, have plastic sushi from Daiso, velvety deer from Nara and figurines from Disneyland dangling on our keys and bags. Chopsticks and Japanese bowls went to those of our friends who are fond of cooking.

But Japan is famous for more than just that! Let's see what else is in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Japan is known for unusual sweets and good cosmetics.

Kit-Kat with green tea, snacks called “persimmon bones”, all kinds of sweets and cookies with unusual flavors - all this is sold in huge quantities and is very cheap. Such souvenirs are interesting to buy, try yourself and give to friends. True, not everyone likes the taste of Japanese sweets. Even my child (a - a sweet tooth and b - a lover of everything Japanese) said with a sigh: “The Japanese have delicious sweets that do not contain green tea. But they add it to almost everything!”.

Therefore, my advice to you: give Japanese sweets in small quantities, just to try. And then your friends will have half a kilo of tasteless sweets lying around 🙂

Japanese cosmetics can also be a good souvenir, especially for yourself - your favorite

What tricks await here:

• On many packages of skin care cosmetics, the inscriptions are only in Japanese. That is, there is no way to understand: it is a cream, a cleanser, a peeling or a shampoo in general. So, either you need to look for cosmetics with English-language inscriptions, or communicate with consultants (I don’t know how to explain with gestures that you need a cream, not a facial wash 🙂), or find it on the Internet in advance necessary cosmetics and carry her photographs with you.
• Foundation is focused on Asian type skin and has a yellowish tint. Therefore, it will be difficult for owners of white skin with a pinkish tint to find their color.

But you can buy more or less neutral decorative cosmetics local brands: mascara, eyeliner, shadows…

There are a lot of masks with different impregnations in cosmetics stores and pharmacies. They are sold in packs of several. I bought these masks for myself.

It was more difficult with girlfriends, because I don’t know the skin types of my girlfriends and their requirements for cosmetics. And then there was a souvenir in the Daiso store - silicone mask. It can be used as an independent mask, creating a sauna effect on the face, or it can be covered with it. sheet masks enhancing their effect. And most importantly - all this does not depend on the type of skin and cosmetics. By the way, such a silicone mask is included in the top souvenirs from Japan.

A good souvenir can be an item for a collection or a hobby.

Someone collects magnets, someone collects mugs, someone collects key chains. All this, of course, is available in abundance and for every taste. Everyone has it different hobbies and interests, I even saw reviews from tourists who brought knives from Japan, because the knives there are excellent and, apparently, someone really needs them.

For example, I bring pictures from each trip that I immediately hang on the walls. It happened somehow on its own and not on purpose. First we bought an elephant painting in Thailand, then we brought papyri from Egypt, and now here are paintings from Japan. At the same time, the main thing for me is not the paintings themselves (the most ordinary, not copyrighted, well, except for the elephant, printed in a mass way), but the stories associated with the purchase. Looking at the papyri, I am happy to tell how I bargained with an old Egyptian for them. And it's really very funny story If you want, I can write it separately. Japanese paintings remind me of when I bought them, which I already wrote about, but there is another story connected with this painting, it is also better to write it separately ...

In general, what I wanted to say with all this long text? In my opinion, you need to buy useful things that will be used by you, or remind you of a trip. And I'm going. But a little. 🙂

The easiest way to find out the character of the country is by national music, religious traditions and ... cuisine! In addition, overseas delicacies seem doubly delicious due to their rarity, and therefore bringing authentic delicacies from abroad is a common occupation.

From Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and other countries of Southeast Asia, it is customary to bring fresh or dried fruits and aromatic spices. From Spain to Russian tables usually arrive different varieties jamon - dry-cured pork meat. The Czech Republic is famous for its delicious Oblatka waffles. From Greece, you should definitely grab a bottle of high-quality olive oil cold-pressed, and from Montenegro, tourists like to bring prosciutto as a hotel - smoked and sun-dried meat.

Alcoholic drinks from different countries

This is another popular type of tourist souvenir. Czech Slivovice tincture or Bekhterevka liqueur, Greek Metaxa, Brazilian Caipirinha cocktail or a bottle of champagne from France - all these intoxicating gifts are universal and always welcome. These are appropriate gifts for friends and acquaintances, colleagues, bosses and even business partners.

The most popular souvenirs from the Dominican Republic are rum, cigars, jewelry with a rare local larimar stone or local coffee.

However, travelers should be aware of the customs regulations of different countries, which may restrict the export of alcoholic beverages. So, only people who have reached the age of 20 can export alcohol from Finland.

Authentic jewelry, national attributes and interior details

Selection of souvenirs from this category in various countries really huge. After all, the traditions, customs, styles of craftsmen differ even in different regions of the same state.

From different countries, in addition to delicacies, alcohol and handicrafts, it is customary to bring products from local cosmetic brands as gifts and souvenirs.

For example, among the souvenirs in the Czech Republic are pomegranate jewelry, Bohemian crystal, and live roses simply preserved in the thermal springs of the Karlovy Vary resort.

From Australia, you can capture national works of art or typical household items of local aborigines: boomerangs, spears, paintings on fabric, etc.

It is customary to bring figurines of elephants from Thailand and neighboring countries of Southeast Asia, silver jewelry, pearl, Coconut oil High Quality etc.

About what you can give to foreign friends and relatives. cool ideas there were so many that from them - and also from everything that came to my mind and that is offered on the Internet - this post was formed. Here are gift ideas from Russia with love for different ages, different situations and different countries.

Edible gifts and sweets

In my opinion, the most appropriate and simple gift. Firstly, food tells a lot about the country from which it was brought - to the delight of those who like to expand their horizons. Secondly, in any case, food will come in handy and will not lie in an unnecessary dust collector for years. Thirdly, it will not be necessary to puzzle over the cost - edible gifts can be bought at a completely reasonable price. What could it be:

• Belevskaya pastila is terribly tasty and is sold in almost any hypermarket, in addition to the traditional apple, there is cranberry and blackcurrant.

• Chocolate or sweets - I like the production of the Krupskaya factory, but it doesn’t matter, there is Babaevsky, and any other. Grillage, “Bird's milk”, “”Little Red Riding Hood”, sweets “Alenka”, toffees, bars - this is for fans of the legendary classics. And there is delicious sweets"Ozersky souvenir" - these are Chernosliv Mikhailovich, Kuraga Ivanovna, Cherry Vladimirovna, Strawberry Nikolaevna and Fig Kirillovich :)
• Marmalade
• Tula gingerbread
• Sushi, bagels and bagels
• Cake "Honey cake" - I take it to Barlas every time I fly to Turkey. The main thing is to bring not a store, but buy in the "North" or "At Palych"
• By the way, about “North”: cake “Potato” or a set of cakes “North”
• Tea: aromatic teas beautiful boxes(like those produced by HILLTOP) or traditional herbal teas (ivan tea, linden tea, thyme tea, herbal preparations)
• Honey, of which we have thousands of options (linden, buckwheat, flower, chestnut ... there is where to roam). In addition, it looks very authentic if brought in a wooden barrel or pot.
• Jam (what could be cooler than raspberry, for example?). If you have a grandmother at hand who makes jam, you can bring homemade. I once brought strawberry jam with a hand-drawn label with an inscription in Turkish - happiness knew no bounds.

• Condensed milk
• Zephyr
• Red caviar (needs no comment)
• Pine nuts (they can also be provided with a list of recipes in which nuts can be used, for example, they are ideal for many salads)
• Pickled cucumbers and tomatoes, sauerkraut, salted or pickled mushrooms.
• Soaked apples or lingonberries.
• Dried / salted fish
• Kvass or tarragon.
• Wine - I am not a big expert in wine, but a couple of times I pleased foreign friends with Inkerman wine. Yes, I know that it is Ukrainian, in the context of gifts it is not so important.
• mead

Cloth

The probability of not getting in with a gift in the form of a clothing accessory is, of course, higher. But, on the other hand, the food was eaten “and fiso”, as my Turkish teacher says. And clothes will decorate, warm and delight for a very long time.

• Pavloposad shawls - what I was advised several times in the comments on Instagram, and then gifted for birthday. I confirm - a wonderful gift :) Orenburg downy shawls also go to their company.
• Valenki - yes, beaten up. But beautiful and functional! The story about felt boots can be illustrated with songs - first with folk “Valenki”, and then with modern processing of Pelageya.

Such a funny cross-border family look from here :)

• Mittens
• Knitted socks or scarves
• Sweatshirts (only, please, no “The most polite of people” prints! There are cute sweatshirts with city logos or our traditional patterns - for example, a patterned sweatshirt for a couple, a girlish sweatshirt, or a hoodie with a palekh).

For kitchen and home

This kind of gifts seems to me also very appropriate - it's not scary to miscalculate with the size and style, it will serve faithfully for a long time.

• Various dishes painted with our traditional patterns - Khokhloma, Gzhel, Palekh, Zhostovo painting. It can be anything: spoons, bowls, plates, cutting boards, trays, vases and other items that your fantasy tells you.
• Juniper coasters
• Clay pots for baking in the oven (you can supply your favorite recipe for stewed potatoes with meat - for me this is the taste of childhood and grandmother's dinners)
• A set of imperial porcelain (for example, such as our Leningrad Porcelain Factory produces). I'm sure everyone has seen the legendary pattern "cobalt mesh" - you can still tell foreign friends that this pattern symbolizes the lights of searchlights and paper strips, which were pasted on the windows by residents of besieged Leningrad so that there were no cracks from explosions.

• Linen tablecloths and towels with our traditional patterns
• Birch bark dishes (for example, you can store sugar, salt, dried mushrooms, dried fruits, cereals, and so on in a birch bark tueska)
• Faceted glasses in beautiful patterned coasters at first seemed to me a strange and obsolete idea, but then I read that they can please those who feel the romance of trains and dream of traveling across Russia along the Trans-Siberian Railway.
• Samovar - not the best budget gift(starts from 7,000 rubles), but is 100% associated with Russia. fun fact: the word “samovar” is one of the few words that passed from Russian to Turkish language(semaver means teapot itself).

Souvenirs for body and soul

• Bath set. Suitable for everyone who loves water procedures even in the bathroom. Of course, I don’t propose to give a broom, but a washcloth, a set essential oils spruce and cedar, soap self made can be donated.
• Matryoshka - and hello again, a hackneyed, but correct idea: I have never seen a foreigner indifferent to a nesting doll. In the words of one of my friends, who took nesting dolls to his homeland, this is a very economical gift: he took out all the nesting dolls from each other - he gave the whole large family :)
• A book with beautiful illustrations is about painting, your city, colorful guidebooks or cookbooks dedicated to Russian cuisine are suitable. You can also search for your favorite work in the language of the country where the gift will go.
• Calendars with beautiful photos cities and countries (it is a pity that they have a pronounced seasonality). As an option - a puzzle with one of these types.
• Painted boxes

• A doll for a teapot - I must admit, I’ll have to carefully look for a pretty one (I don’t want to give Baba Yaga, right?)
• Porcelain dolls - oh, these faces, long eyelashes, gentle blush, curls and hats with flowers! I think you understand that I breathe unevenly towards them :) Yes beautiful dolls V traditional costumes- the main thing is not to forget to pack them well, they are very fragile.

The title picture of the post with a matryoshka brooch