When buying souvenirs in a foreign country, be sure to pick up a copy of the local newspaper. Even if you don’t speak the language printed, the newspaper makes interesting wrap for the gifts you’ll take home.
Bonus points if the recipient is studying foreign languages, as newspapers are good tools for practice.
A great take-home and space-saving souvenir for wine lovers are corks from bottles you’ve enjoyed while traveling.
What to write on the cork is up to you, but I usually include the date, where, and with whom I drank the wine.
At home, purchase or salvage an empty vase, bowl, or jar and simply start keeping the wine corks in there. The cork-filled vase also passes for decoration over the fireplace or on a coffee table.
Over time you can re-visit your trips by pulling out a cork and reminisce about that day.
Have you ever tried to recount an exquisite meal from a trip a couple months prior, only to discover that you really can’t remember that memorable meal?
Restaurants can help, as many of them provide their own unique “notebooks” to jot down those menu memories while they are happening: cocktail napkins and beer coasters.
Just make sure you carry an ink pen in your pocket or purse. When that fantastic bite of cheesecake or grilled lamb chops has your taste buds spinning, jot a few notes down on the napkin or coaster. It will make a perfect addition to your scrapbook.
Pro tip: note who was with you at that great meal, so you can reminisce with them later.
So, uh, let’s say I have this friend. We’ll say her name is Emily. Everywhere she travels she pulls out the same tacky Ricky Martin T-shirt, puts it on, and has someone snap her photo. Ricky in front of the Hollywood sign… Ricky at Machu Picchu… Ricky at the Vatican… you get the idea.
You don’t have to use a Ricky Martin Tee, though. On your future travels, pack along a unique shirt — or better yet, buy one on a trip — and snap a photo wearing the shirt at all your favorite spots.
Next time you unpack after a vacation, comb through your luggage to see what you’ve collected. Chances are, you’ll find itineraries, attraction brochures, guidebooks, maps, local coins, postcards, matchbooks, ticket stubs, and even packaging from small purchases.
Arrange the most attractive pieces (you can enlarge them with a color copier) along with favorite photos, and mount them in a frame. Now you’ve got a conversation-piece and souvenir that reminds you of what you did rather than what you bought.
Need a how-to for collages? Check out Wikihow.
Want to frame your incidentals the easy way? Check out AOL Shopping.