What NOT to buy on holidays

Souvenir shopping is part of the holiday experience. Everyone does it but somehow it has stopped being an enjoyable part of the trip. "We still need something for grandma!" The end of the trip sneaks up on you and you spend your entire last day frantically shopping instead of enjoying yourself. There are a lot of things that should never be bought as souvenirs. You want to bring back a momento that your family and friends with cherish, not hide behind a picture frame on the shelf. It is estimated that last year alone travellers spend $2.3 billion US on souvenirs that were ignored and unappreciated.

The worst part? An estimated 427 hours of holiday time was wasted buying those unused souvenirs.

Here's a few tips on what NOT to buy while you're on holidays.

1. First rule, no shopping at the airport. There is nothing worth buying at the airport except duty-free alcohol which doesn't count as a souvenir.

2. Next, do not under any circumstances buy a plush toy or anything inflatable for anyone that is older than the age of 3. No excuses!

3. Foreign coins as "collectibles" is just plain lazy. Don't gift your spare change.

4. No mini statues of monuments. That means Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Big Ben, Mount Rushmore... you get the picture. None of it. Not even little figurines of kangaroos are okay. We'd even go so far as to say no keychains, mugs or coasters!

5. Don't buy anything you wouldn't genuinely want to receive yourself. No "I <3 ____" t-shirts or ethnic clothing you will never have an occasion to wear except Halloween. Souvenirs should each be different and reflect the person you're giving it to.

What do you usually buy as souvenirs? Any go-to items?

Image: presentlog / Flickr cc.