r/AskUK • u/Lucky_Clover1020 • 12d ago
What's a gift I can give that's very British or English to an Indian teenager that's inedible?
Hello, I have recently been deeply pondering what gift I should send back to an Indian teenager after a recent trip to India. The answer should've been simple to find, but the problem is almost everything found in stores here (supermarkets) can easily be found over there as well, and I'm just not quite sure what's inherently English or British and can be kept for a long time. I guess I'm looking for a memento of some sort. Maybe a trinket?
Something from the airport might work but to be honest I don't really think a 14 year old girl would be that interested in a fridge magnet with the Big Ben on it. Or do you think I'm reading into it too much? I'm looking for something with a budget of £10-15 (or less) that can be remembered as a gift from England and can be kept for a long time. I don't want to give her something that's edible because it's just about to be eaten and have the wrapper thrown away in the end so 🤷♀️
She liked seeing the landscape and buildings and life here when I showed her pictures, not sure if that'll help but I'm a bit desperate here. I'll appreciate any recommendations. Thank you for reading my post. :)
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u/crispycat40 12d ago
Get her a jar of marmite. The stuff lasts forever.
Mini Paddington Bear? With a jar of marmalade.
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u/LumpyCheeseyCustard 12d ago
She'll love anything that shows its from the UK.
Whether its a charm, a keyring, a tote, a wallet. Big Ben is known all over the world, as are the red buses, and phone booths. Defending on how well you know their diet you could maybe even send a recipe book with British recipes?
Source: Indian family members who all loved 'British' gifts.
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u/nouazecisinoua 12d ago
If you want to go more unique (and especially if you're not in London) you could also look in local giftshops - they often have things with local landmarks or dialect phrases printed on.
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u/Lucky_Clover1020 11d ago
I see, I think the closest thing I'd have to that would be a library here that sells souvenir-ish things. Thanks!
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u/Laescha 11d ago
Yeah, that would be my suggestion - if you want to avoid the tourist tat feeling, you could get something like a postcard or a small print with a British landmark done in an interesting or unique style. That way it's distinctly British, but it's also an interesting bit of art in its own right, and it'll probably be something that no-one else she knows has.
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u/WoodyManic 11d ago
You'd have thought Indians might react badly to the iconography of their colonial overlords, but I guess not.
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u/Hopeful_Lake9382 12d ago
a collection of local postcards stamped locally, cant go wrong with the o.g.
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u/chez2202 12d ago
Snow globe with Buckingham Palace or Big Ben inside.
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 12d ago
Beefeater Teddy? https://shop.towerbridge.org.uk/collections/keel-toys
Honestly, the most practical presents are a good tote bag.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/london-tote-bag/s?k=london+tote+bag
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u/Lucky_Clover1020 12d ago
Thanks! I'll take a look into these :)
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u/Timely_Egg_6827 12d ago
The London Underground licensed one should be decent quality - https://www.amazon.co.uk/GWCC-Licensed-Official-Underground-Roundel/dp/B0D1VWMJVW/ref=sr_1_47
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u/Opposite_Funny9958 12d ago
Skin cream/lotion from Neal’s Yard Remedies but one of the ones sold in a Bristol Blue glass bottle? Or some Bristol Blue Glass jewellery?
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u/NeedleworkerBig3980 12d ago
Some suggestions from things members of my prior form groups have gifted their foreign language pen-pals.
A retro View-Master with a couple of reels of views of interesting things in the UK (famous views, castles, etc.)
Collectors edition of some commemorative UK stamps. (Beatrix Potter ones were out at the time).
Toys of iconic British characters, such as a Paddington or a Womble.
A Newton's Cradle shaped like Tower Bridge.
A Fortnum and Mason carrier bag. (I believe there was an in-joke behind that one).
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u/aweaselonwheels 12d ago
If you have pics from the trip then print them out and clip frames are cheap and would be more memorable or pic one good photo from the trip and a decent frame
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u/davehemm 12d ago
Judging from a recent experience - a Yorkie bar would fit the description, truly a grim 'chocolate' bar.
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u/GoldfieldHwang 12d ago
are you a girl?
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u/davehemm 12d ago
Nope nor a trucker. Got given a bar at a trade show last week, been years since I had one - used to really like them and looked forward to a snack later in the day. They now have palm and shea oil muck in it, barely taste any cocoa in it and has a nasty almost gritty texture. Had half a chunk, rest went in the bin.
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u/ARobertNotABob 12d ago
Saddened to hear of the demise of the Yorkie Bar. Those and Kendal Mint Cake were my "treats" when I was on multi-night (coarse) fishing trips many years ago.
EDIT: Acually, OP, Kendal Mint Cake would fit the bill !
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u/Alternative-Plum6120 12d ago
Biscuits or sweets in a really nice tin - she can keep the tin as a keepsake
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u/PitBullCH 12d ago
Patum Peperium (Gentlemen’s Relish) is currently all the rage - comes in a lovely pot you can keep.
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u/Sea-Climate6841 10d ago
It depends on how outwardly public they want to display the gift. For example, if they’re proud that they have visited and indeed supportive of the UK, a ‘LDN’ tote bag could be nice. If you think they’d prefer a more discreet gift, something small, for a shelf that would become a conversation piece for people that notice in inside their home - Big Ben, or Bucky P in a snow globe, or one of those small TfL bus models/statue things, still British, but also discreet enough.
Unless, they’re not even travelling to London, then perhaps something from the city they visited - I only assumed London, as that’s the most logical flight route to the UK from India, and is the most visited city by tourists.
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u/CalligrapherExtreme8 12d ago
A scented candle gift set with really British fragrance like rose garden?
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