hostess gift

we will be in Paris for Christmas. Visiting with son and his family. we have never met our daughter-in-laws parents. we will be meeting them for the first time. Mother speaks no english at all (and we do not speak French). Father does speak english. we would like to take a nice gift from USA to them. any suggestions?

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What about some nice candles? Not too bulky or fragile. If you can find some made in S.C., so much the better. A gift that reflects your home area might really mean something extra for them.

candledelirium.com/Archipelago-Candles/…

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A great California wine ?

When in doubt I always bring a CD of the Boston Symphony or Boston Pops. The album %26quot;Green%26quot; is a favorite.

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Check out this recent TA thread:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g187147-i14-k15651…

It%26#39;s not quite the same question, but you might find some of the responses helpful.

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My French cousins request dried blueberries and pecans.

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If the mother is a baker, a high quality maple syrup for glazes would also be unusual and easy to transport- not fragile.

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The traditional gift in France would be a coffee table book of your region. A good California wine is usually a sure fire hit and I have yet to offer maple syrup without receiving squeals of delight.

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Maybe placemats, quilted in South Carolina? I like the maple syrup more than the wine. The syrup is unique to the US. The wine is like coals to Newcastle.

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thank you for all the ideas. some I would not have thought of. I really like the idea of a table book. there are quite a few on South Carolina but there is also a beautiful book %26quot;Christmas in America%26quot;. wine is a good idea but I don%26#39;t think there is anything better then French wine. thanks again for all your help. I am sure I will be back with more questions!

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We were considering the maple syrup option. I assume it would have to go in the checked luggage? (3 oz. doesn%26#39;t seem like a good gift!)

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What about a calendar for next year, or a craft either made by you or from a fair. Bottles of U.S. wine are great- if they drink wine- pack them in your checkin wrapped in bubble wrap and zip bags, snugly padding them next to your clothes(no wiggle room!) same with syrup, or mustard. Coffee table books were a good suggestion. How about bringing a recipe and cooking something you do well. It really is important that you bring a gift, you are smart to think ahead.