International Gift Baskets - Strange Christmas Goodies

[Linda Buquet]

Was just trying to buy a gift basket in Thailand for one of my clients that is based there.

WOW do they put different stuff in their GIFT baskets!
Things that in the US raise an eyebrow if included in a gift basket.

Kellogg's Cornflakes 150 g.
Best Foods Strawberry Jam 400 g.
Scotch Essence of Chicken Boullion
50 packs of SUGAR???
Jack Daniels

Guess these things are sought after delicacies over there.

Anyone buying gift baskets in other parts of the world that are filled with interesting goodies?

 

[Linda Buquet]

The more I think about this, the more I crack up!

Can you imaging being CEO of a US company and getting a gift basket from a major vendor
that has Kellogg's Cornflakes in it???
What kind of message would that send???

 

[Sarah_Webinc]

I am American but have lived in the UK for the past decade. There are regular everyday American items that I would love to have in a gift basket that you just can't get here. A lot of things you can get things that are almost the same as the items back home but there are some things that you just can't get. At the moment I am craving graham crackers..they don't exist here.

 

[Teli]

OMG!! I can't believe how much stuff I take for granted here...and no Linda, I could not imagine getting a gift basket with Corn Flakes in it and sugar packets(!). I'd definitely look at the sender with a skewed eye.

But, while there are some things you can't get overseas (they really don't have graham crackers in the UK? Seriously?), there are some things that I've been treated to overseas that don't exist over here...when I went to Australia, they had these really yummy biscuits...I believe they're called Jotz or Jots...haven't been able to find them here.

~ Teli

 

[Sarah_Webinc]

yeah it is just one of those things they don't eat here...many things are available both places but there are somethings that are just cultural. We certainly have cornflakes and a ton of sugar..lol

 

[Linda Buquet]

The basket I was shopping for was for Chris Sanderson and the AMSWO team.
He's sending me a gift basket too. Have not gotten it yet, but here's what he had to say...

"Local gift baskets here feature some weird stuff, usually, one bottle of whiskey and then all the stuff listed along with things like tooth paste, chips and other assorted weird stuff."

"Please let me know when our basket arrives, it'll be the one with Thai delicacies in it, crunch grasshopper, dried fish, fried silkworms and raw ants eggs, yummy I can hear you drooling from here."

Can't wait! Chris picked out all my favs!

 

[Sarah_Webinc]

sounds like you will be set for edible insects for a while

 

[Teli]

crunch grasshopper, dried fish, fried silkworms and raw ants eggs

o_0

OMG

I thought people only ate candied (and various other) insects on shows like Fear Factor and Ripley's Believe It Or Not!

Please be sure to let us know how it goes for you, Linda.

~ Teli

 

[Sarah_Webinc]

Thai food also has a lot of really nice (but often spicy) dishes.m Maybe that is just the shock basket.

 

[Linda Buquet]

Just got my gift backet from Chris. Filled with all sorts of yummy cheese, crackers, candy and other NORMAL goodies.

None of the insect delicacies he promised me were included!

 

[Chris83]

Hi Linda

Sorry to dissapoint Linda, we had issues with the high protein basket, customs said it'd take way too long to clear and by then some of the "protein" might have given birth, which, while a good thing in many respects, can reduce the all round crunchiness

That said, I have a friend who ships Tinned fried insects.... so next year......

By the way I don't want everyone to get the idea that the things in the gift baskets are not available here in Thailand. They are, it's just that it is so hot and humid here that things like cheese, bread and anything perishable will perish very very fast, so the focus is on more mundane items that won't start to perish within 24 hours

Cheers

Chris