Three Rules for Finding the Perfect Travel Souvenir
I was recently on a guided tour with a handful of other travelers when the topic of travel souvenirs came up.
One of the older gentlemen I was traveling with was intent on finding his preferred souvenir: a refrigerator magnet. Every time we were near a gift shop, he would search for one. He kept asking the tour guide, "Do you think they have magnets in there?"
At first, his determination seemed kind of silly to me, but who am I to judge a traveler’s preferred keepsake? His wife later explained that he had already covered an entire refrigerator—from top to bottom—with magnets from their travels, as well as some gifted by friends and family.
The visual of a fridge completely covered in a diverse array of magnets from around the world made me smile. Suddenly, I was rooting for the guy to find his magnet.
As someone who appreciates consistency, I like the idea of having one thing you collect in every place you visit. I’ve known people with all kinds of travel traditions—collecting snow globes, shot glasses, and other keepsakes.
Over the years, I’ve cycled through my own versions of the refrigerator magnet idea. When I was a kid, tagging along on my parents’ road trips, I collected postcards. They were cheap, easy to find, and not too much to ask of my parents.
As a young adult traveling on my own, I switched to stickers, which I used to decorate a dorm-quality wooden table. Since I could barely afford the trips themselves, extravagant souvenirs were out of the question. Big or bulky items were also a no-go since I was constantly moving from apartment to apartment.
Eventually, when I had a few more dollars in my pocket, I upgraded from stickers to patches. A little more sophisticated, a little more elegant—at least, that was the idea. I envisioned sewing them onto a travel backpack, but for years, they just sat in a bin, only pulled out on occasion.
More recently, since moving in with my travel-friendly girlfriend—who has embraced the patch-collecting tradition with me—we’ve started displaying them on our wall alongside a scratch-off map of the countries we’ve visited.
I’m proud of our travels. I guess that’s why I like patches—they’re sort of like merit badges.
What you collect doesn’t really matter, but I do believe it helps to think it through. After traveling the world for 20 years, here are a few rules I’ve come to live by when choosing the perfect souvenir:
1. Make sure your souvenir has a place or purpose in your life.
Choose something that won’t end up forgotten in a drawer or shoved in a closet. It should be easy to tote around while traveling and simple to display or store at home. I’ve seen plenty of once-beloved souvenirs—like six-foot giraffe statues—end up at Goodwill.
Whenever possible, pick something useful. When I moved into a new apartment, I needed coasters to protect my furniture. So, during a trip to Mexico, I grabbed a set of small, beautifully crafted coasters. If you drink tea regularly, maybe a tea set makes sense.
2. Choose a souvenir that reflects who you are.
A good friend of mine buys a piece of art from every place he and his wife visit. It’s a perfect fit for them—both are creative types who love music and theater. Another traveler I know, who enjoys trips with friends, always brings back bottles of wine. A year later, they gather, open the bottles, and reminisce about their travels. What a great way to relive a trip.
3. If you’re going to Japan, throw these rules out the window.
For some reason, Japan makes it really easy to break all your personal souvenir rules. My girlfriend had the brilliant idea of packing an extra suitcase just for souvenirs—something I would have never considered before visiting Japan.
The Japanese put incredible thought and effort into everything they create, and their goods are often uniquely designed and beautifully made. You’ll want to break your usual habits and just indulge.
For example, I generally dislike trinkets, but in Japan, I became obsessed with them. Enter Gashapon—capsule toy vending machines that dispense small, plastic-encased figurines. I brought back a bag full of these little toys to keep and share with friends and family. They’re often cute, silly, and great conversation starters. My personal favorites? Tiny figurines of various animals peeing in urinals. For some reason, that just feels very Japan to me.
Final Rule: Do What Feels Right
At the end of the day, the best souvenirs aren’t about following a set of rules. Choose something that evokes the spirit of the place you visited, reminds you of the people you traveled with, or makes you yearn to return.
CRAIG SAUER is a writer, communicator and former journalist living in Fitchburg, Wis. He has traveled to all seven continents.
