Travelers stick family and friends with untold zillions of worthless or gratuitous gifts each year, but almost nothing good ever gets done at the last minute. The first rule of souvenir shopping? No buying gifts at the airport. Ever.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
Travelers stick family and friends with untold zillions of worthless or gratuitous gifts each year, but almost nothing good ever gets done at the last minute. The first rule of souvenir shopping? No buying gifts at the airport. Ever.
KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images
No plush or inflatable gifts for anyone over three years old. You're better than that.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No plush or inflatable gifts for anyone over three years old. You're better than that.
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
No leftover foreign coins as "souvenirs" or collectibles. This is worse than giving nothing, because it shows how lazy you are.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No leftover foreign coins as "souvenirs" or collectibles. This is worse than giving nothing, because it shows how lazy you are.
JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images
No athletic jerseys, caps or visors. Especially visors. And Beckham. And Messi.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No athletic jerseys, caps or visors. Especially visors. And Beckham. And Messi.
PATRICK KOVARIK/AFP/Getty Images
No exotic alcohol. Funky label or not, that local rotgut is a hoot when you're in country, undrinkable everywhere else.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No exotic alcohol. Funky label or not, that local rotgut is a hoot when you're in country, undrinkable everywhere else.
CNN Travel
No Eiffel Towers, Statues of Liberties, Mt. Rushmores, Taj Mahals, Aussie koalas, Chairman Maos or anything that would fit perfectly in the back of a closet or bottom of a drawer.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No Eiffel Towers, Statues of Liberties, Mt. Rushmores, Taj Mahals, Aussie koalas, Chairman Maos or anything that would fit perfectly in the back of a closet or bottom of a drawer.
LOIC VENANCE/AFP/Getty Images
No key chains, coasters, mugs or plates. And, whatever you do, no double-whammy Eiffel Tower key chains.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No key chains, coasters, mugs or plates. And, whatever you do, no double-whammy Eiffel Tower key chains.
BERTRAND GUAY/AFP/Getty Images
No more little bags of rock, black, sea or flavored salt. The whole designer salt thing is done.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No more little bags of rock, black, sea or flavored salt. The whole designer salt thing is done.
CNN Travel
No bottles filled with sand, coral bits, shells or pebbles.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No bottles filled with sand, coral bits, shells or pebbles.
CNN Travel
No items that require assembly, watering, sunlight, maintenance, lubrication or refrigeration. Or excessive explanation.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No items that require assembly, watering, sunlight, maintenance, lubrication or refrigeration. Or excessive explanation.
PHILIPPE MERLE/AFP/Getty Images
No "I (heart)" anything. Even if you do.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No "I (heart)" anything. Even if you do.
Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
No books. We believe you, it was an amaaaaaazing art exhibit. We just don't have 37 hours to spend reading about it.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No books. We believe you, it was an amaaaaaazing art exhibit. We just don't have 37 hours to spend reading about it.
MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images
No traditional ethnic clothing for non-ethnics.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No traditional ethnic clothing for non-ethnics.
Kenichi Murakami/AFP/Getty Images
No items you wouldn't want to get or wouldn't proudly display in your own home.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No items you wouldn't want to get or wouldn't proudly display in your own home.
Oli Scarff/Getty Images
No plastic leis.
15 biggest souvenir-buying no-no's —
No plastic leis.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images