Are there any neat items that can't be purchased in Germany, but can be sent from the USA?

Question

I have a friend in Germany and want to send him and his wife something neat from here (household stuff... maybe) that they can't get there. having neer been to Germany, I'm not sure what that would be.

Answer 1

Books in English!  Of course you can get many here, esp. through the internet, but some titles are not available or the the price is just not convenient.  You just need to find out what they could be interested in.

I would not recomend sending food or cooking books unless your friends are from the US as well (or unless they ask you for it).

Answer 2

Washing machines and fridges in US sizes are almost unknown in germany, at least lots of americans in germany complain about them being too small, but I guess thats way too big to send.Plus, different electrical system.

Apart from that, you could try candy (lifesavers for example) or, if they like to read english texts, books in english, which are usually hard to get by.(To get french comic books, for example, I usually have to travel to France.)

Answer 3

well our foreign exchange student from Austria had never had samores and they dont' have the stuff there (minus the chocolate) I believe we always send her that.  as for anything else they pretty much have everything....maybe a homemade item from you or your family or a little picture book of all of you through the years!

Answer 4

That's a tough call. Though Germany offers the same things as the US in a manner of speaking, none of it is the same.

Like Peanut Butter. Or ketchup. They don't do Ranch salad dressing or dipping sauce.

I'm living in Germany now, and I got my German friend hooked on Chicken nuggets and ranch. (my husband is military so we can get american stuff here).

Where I'm from in Cincinnati, OH... we've got Skyline Chili, and I have my inlaws send it canned. That's been a big hit. Like someone said, think like a tourist and send what can't be found anywhere else. For me it's been Skyline Chili Dip... it's the first thing gone at the BB-Q's.

Doritos are good, as are Cheetos. They don't have them here, and if they do, it's a knock-off that doesn't taste at all as it "should".

If you send an American cookbook, send a measuring cup and a set of measuring spoons as well.

Answer 5

Too bad you can't send them an American toilet.  The toilets here in Germany are so terrible.  They have like a shelf in them where solid waste lands and it's absolutely awful.  I know that sounds weird but it's true.  As far as household stuff goes, I've never been able to find those wire pastry cutters here.  Pie pans are also hard to find, if your friends enjoy making American-style pies.  That's all I can think of now.  You can get pretty much everything here that you can in the States.

Answer 6

In the past 10 years the opportunity to buy stuff made around the world has exploded over here.  So mostly anything can be found, but there are still a few thing as stated above by the others.  Here is what I recommend:

I once found a really nice book about America and it had a map to hang on the wall.  I think it was called Our 50 States or something.  But it was a great hit with my German friends.  I think from Book a Million, but the fold out map was what it special.

Peanut butter, wow Europeans really dig American Peanut Butter, favorite seems to be Skippy Extra chunky.  Peanut butter over here is usually like the type you get in a health food store and very exspensive.

Do NOT send anything with pork in it....  big no go.

Marshmellows, I can't seem to find them in the german stores.  Most really don't get into eating them, but find them really cool and funny.

T-shirts or Sweatshirts with some kind of local print on them.  Usually can be found at Walmarts cheap.

You should make a box and fly on over here... beautiful place to visit.

Answer 7

This hard to answer because Germany has pretty much everything we do, and also they have stuff we don't have.  I have a friend over there who has the following wishlist of items she wants me to send to her: poppyseed bagels from Dunkin Donuts, Powdered Donuts from Duncan Donuts, Ranch Salad Dressing (any brand) Ranch flavored Doritos and Pringles. White Cheddar Popcorn, and believe it or not - Coors light! (I don't know why she loves that crappy beer water when she lives in the country that makes the best beer in the world, but, she loves it)  So I send stuff like that.  She used to send me Paprika pringles (because we don't have that flavor over here) Sonnenbasserman meals for 1, Nivea Shampoo (again, something we can't get in the USA.) REAL German Beer, DuschDas, Algaemarin,  Nivea Cosmetics (Eyeliner, Mascara, Foundation, Blush and lip stick)  Sometimes just for fun, we used to send each other laundry detergent, dish washing soap, toilet cleaner - just for the fun of doing house work with products from another country. (Hey!  You have do to something to make cleaning more fun!  Sometimes, to motivate myself - I tell myself - "If I wash my windows with this German window cleaner - suddenly instead of a view of the East River, I will magically have a view of the Rhein River.  LOL!)

But now shes had a death close to her and also has a very ill relative that she cares for and a daughter, so she can't exchange with me anymore at the moment.  And I'm so deperate for my SonnenBasserman dinners!  So desperate that I actually posted a question here asking if anyone in Germany want to swap things with me.

I'd send them some Bagels.  Get a mixture of flavors - Plain, Seasame seed, Poppy seed, Pumpernickle, etc. But do not get garlic because it will make all the other bagel flavors taste like garlic.  If you don't live close to NYC, the next best bagles you can get would be Dunkin Donuts.  They can get Phiadelphia cream cheese at any grocery store over there.  I saw it everywhere. So, just tell them to pick up some cream cheese, from their local food store and expressmail the bagels to them.

Answer 8

Great suggestions so far! Especially cookbooks with measuring spoons and local touristy stuff from your hometown.

Here are some more ideas:

1. If your German friends are style/label conscious they might like  American brand name clothing and accessories like Tommy Hilfiger, American Eagle, Gap and anything from Ralph Lauren. Most of these things are  available in Germany but quite a bit more expensive than what you can find in the states. Same goes for brand name department makeup like Clinique, Origins or Estee Lauder.

2. Along the same lines but a little more traditional is the "Americana" style of home accessories, like Route 66, old Coca-Cola or billboard style advertisements.  I've noticed that some Germans quite like this these kinds of things. The house I rent has a US Mail mailbox, kind of ironic! This might be a little to kitschy, though.

3. I can't speak for the whole country but I know in the south of Germany, where I live, my neighbors entertain quite a bit so any kind of serving dish, table or kitchen accessory would be appreciated and used even if it doesn't scream "America." Specifically, something that I had to order on-line (Williams-sonoma) was stemless red wine glasses. Hope this helps!

Answer 9

All of the above have had really good ideas so far.

There is one thing I'd like to add because I fell in love with it during my last time in the US and couldn't find it here, yet.

Send one of those big Yankee Candles housewarmers, I'm sure your friends will love them

Answer 10

In Germany you can buy anything what you want. Also on the Internet, you can shop round the globe. I don't know what you can send to your friends from the US.

Answer 11

Well, in Germany you get everything that you also can buy in the U.S. -- maybe not the same brand or the excactly item, because most products in Germany are made in Germany under another name and producer.  

Germans loves chocolates, sweeties, candies - but, Germans are very spoiled and I don't think that they'd like American candies & chocolates...I am a German myself and knows about the difference.  And don't send your German friend any American coffee - that's also a HUGE mistake! ;-))) (Germans wouldn't like it)

Household stuff....maybe you should ask your German friends what they could need and want.

Another suggestion:  try to find a good cooking book with many American (or regional) cooking recipes, maybe even in German language - or a good book about your town or state with many nice photos of your community/state as well.  Also nice gifts are some coffee mugs with your town's logo or of your state, etc.

Greetings from Germany...

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@liebekatz2: please, dont tell too much nonsense here - most news toilets today in Germany are not much different as US toilets - and these old toilets also were made for some medical reasons.  If you have no clue about this, you shouldn't post such a thing!

Answer 12

Foodstuffs? Jewish or Muslim food ingredients, if your friends are Jewish or Muslim.

For example, I am muslim and it is awfully difficult for me to get halal gelatin in Germany (for Jell-O and cakes). My last batch I brought with me from a holiday in Iran. Kosher beef gelatin would suit me, but I have been unable to get my hands on the stuff. Same for marshmellows made with kosher beef or fish gelatin. I fell in love with the stuff during my time in the US, but I cannot get it here in Germany.

Answer 13

Torsten B is right, and everything you can get in the USA is available in Germany. It might be a different brand and not look exactly the same, but it's there.

Consider sending something that is very specific to your home area - something not available in other parts of the USA, much less Europe. For example, I am from New Orleans and frequently give local spices and coffee as presents (Cafe du Monde coffee & chicory is NOT like Folger's & Maxwell House....).

Think like a tourist and look at your area - decide what you might want to take home and send that to your friends.

Answer 14

Send  them  Brownie  Mixes  ,  Muffin  Mixes  and  a Muffin  + a Brownie pan .

BUT YOU MUST SEND  THEM  ALSO an  american Measuring Jug  (for  the  cookie mixes )because  in  Germany  we  use  the  Metric  system

They  gonna  love   it  ...

Answer 15

I'm from the US and live in Germany. The thing I miss most about the US is the food. There are so many products Germany doesn't have, I wouldn't know where to begin. They have 100 different jars of hotdogs and brats, but only 4 different kind of salad dressing. They have an endless candy row, but I can't find a jar of jalapenos anywhere.

Some ideas:

chocolate licorice

greek salad dressing

a box of stuffing (like Thanksgiving style)

jelly beans (Easter style)

a box of brownie mix (they have one here but it's bad)

jalapenos

a box of nature valley granola bars (they have something here , but they are not baked and not as good)