Hi! Have a trip planned to Germany in September to see family. I%26#39;m sure the family will have things planned for us to do while we are there. I would like to buy some gifts while there for Christmas. Any suggestions on what would be good ideas? Also can anyone tell me what prices are like there compared to here? I know they are Euros but I%26#39;m trying to judge amount of USD to take and then convert over to EUROS. Thanks for any help out there.
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Better would be if you brought something that was typically from Tennessee or American. Perhaps something Cherokee or a basket from the Appalachians, or a coffee table book with photos from Tennessee.
Check the dollar/euro exchange rate online over a period of time to get an idea of whether it is going up or down. This isn%26#39;t something any of us can predict, otherwise, I would go make a killing buying dollars or euros.
Accepted wisdom is to not take dollars with you but to get your euro out of an ATM. It is a pain sometimes to exchange your dollars and you seldom get a good rate, in fact it will cost you more to do it this way then to just get money from the ATM. Please no travlers checks!
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Sorry, don%26#39;t think I was real clear on the gifts. I want to buy gifts in Germany to bring back to the US. Thanks for the tip on the ATMs.
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Well, where are you going? Souvenirs in Bavaria will be different then souvenirs in Frankfurt, or Berlin or Cologne. I would not plan on anything, just buy what you think people would like when you see it.
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As to things to buy in Germany as gifts, it is partially dependent on where you are going. I know for Stuttgart I like the wine jellies and local special chocolates, but most food is probably best purchased nearer to Christmas, also the car related items from Mercedes Benz and Porsche which can vary from expensive to cheap.
What I think makes excellent gifts are quality items such as old jewelry, china, beer steins, etc. bought at a flea market, auction house, or antique store. For what you get the price is inexpensive, and the items have real value, some will be worth a lot more when taken to the US as they are real antiques.
As to prices, the euro is worth much more than the dollar, and even if the two currencies had the same value, things will be much more expensive in Germany where discount shopping is largely unknown.
People sometimes inquire about buying German-made items when in Germany thinking they will get real savings. I%26#39;m sure that things like Birkenstocks are cheaper in the US than Germany where they are made.
Metzingen ( www.metzingen.de ) a short distance SE of Stuttgart has the most factory outlets in Germany for some inexpensive shopping.
I would take little US dollars, just use the common ATMs. Also let your bank and credit card company know you will be traveling in Germany, so that the transactions will go through, and have a contact number to call if they don%26#39;t.
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I like ornaments, etc by Kathe Wohlfahrt.
Check out the online store.
You can find those things on almost every Christmas market in December and also in department store or specialty store somewhere in every larger city.
https://shop.wohlfahrt.com/startseitebestofchristmas/startseite.cfm?pSessionSessionID=75297602-euen-76581702032009;eshop;4%26amp;pSessionKundenID=0%26amp;pSessionSprachID=2%26amp;pFolderFrom=World2004%26amp;pWAidentID=eshop%26amp;pWAStufeID=4
THese things are not cheap but are all handmade and in my opinion typical German. Especially the insense smokers give you a %26quot;christmasy%26quot; feel.
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here again the proper link
https://shop.wohlfahrt.com/startseite_shop2/startseite_shop2.cfm?pSessionSessionID=75297602-euen-76581702032009;eshop;4%26amp;pSessionKundenID=0%26amp;pSessionSprachID=2%26amp;pFolderFrom=World2004%26amp;pWAIdentID=eshop%26amp;pWAStufeID=4
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Soaps are fun. Also small scarves. Some magazines, esp. on themes (children, sports, home deco, computers, art, etc.) Foods like spice packets, and a tube of Tommy%26#39;s mustard! (yum!)
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