Buying Gifts in the USA for People in Italy

Today, people can get gifts from all over the world on Amazon, so it can be a daunting task for American travelers seeking the perfect gift to bring to people in Italy. Rest assured that there are plenty of options. Whether it’s Rome, Venice, Florence or Sicily Italians will love getting American-style food items, candy, t-shirts or print media like books and magazines. Keep in mind that your gifts don't have to be overly high-quality or fancy gift baskets; the best gifts are those that are indicative of American culture and representative of your home state or town. Think about what a typical Italian gift might be, something like olive oil, balsamic vinegar or limoncello, and use that to find an American version to match.

For the bookworms out there, American novels, comic books, magazines and other forms of print media are all great gift ideas. Not only is print media a fabulous insight into American culture, but this will provide a fun way for your Italian friends to practice their English. If the people you're buying gifts for have kids, a children's book or two would make for the perfect present. Get a few titles that you loved as a child; you also can't go wrong with classic titles like "Goodnight Moon", "Where the Wild Things Are" or anything by Dr. Seuss. For the cooks and foodies, a traditional American cookbook or coffee table book is a fantastic gift. Books are also not likely to be damaged in transport like ceramics and won’t spoil like food gifts might in the long voyage over.

Do your Italian friends have a sweet tooth? Another great American gift idea for Italians is candy, cookies or other types of desserts. There are lots of candies and desserts from the U.S. that you aren't able to find in Italy. The sky's the limit: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cookie dough, chocolate-covered pretzels and brownie mix are all good options. Think of fun things that aren’t popular or typically made in Italy for a unique and special present your friends will be sure to remember!

And of course, you can't go wrong with bringing 'American food' as a gift. Any food items that are quintessentially "American" (or considered American by the culture at large) will do nicely. Cream cheese, chip brands like Doritos or Pringles and Chex-Mix are all popular foods to bring to Italy.

When in doubt, go local. If there's a regional specialty or other local food item that's popular in your hometown or state (like Tex-Mex food from Texas, cheese curds from Wisconsin or maple syrup from Vermont), this makes for a fantastic gift for people from Italy. Just keep in mind that the EU does have strict veterinary standards when it comes to bringing in certain food items, so any fresh meat or dairy products are a no-go. It also might be a good idea to leave your mom’s risotto at home and avoid bringing “American” Italian food. From Milan in Northern Italy, to Naples in Southern Italy, Italians generally do not like Italian-American food, as they see it as just a weird version of their normal cuisine, so for the perfect Italy gift get something unique that they are seeing for the first time.

Finally, your Italian friends will need to wash down all that food with a regional drink. Root beer is a classic American beverage, as are whiskey and bourbon.