I went home rarely the first 15 years or so here so I took maximum suitcases (a lot with the kids were small) with minimum clothes - filled 'em with clothes over there to bring back here that way they would fit properly and wear well. One year I filled two large suitcases with small boxed Chinese cork carvings encased in the glass & rosewood frames. Everybody loved the heck out of them and coming near 20 years later, they are still on display in various homes. Another year I took back a suitcase full of hand massage balls. My mom, after working in a book bindery for many years eventually, had arthritic hands and renauds disease. The massage balls didn't cure the renauds but the massage balls coupled with tins of Tiger Balm (always makes a nice gift as well) and her hands are again as flexible as ever and she's now 83. The massage balls usually come in a typical Chinese cloth covered silk lined box so make good gifts. Another good gift which is very small are internally painted snuff bottles. These also usually come in the same type of boxes.
For a really unusual gift, go down to Chinatown and find a
jade carver who make chops and give him the person's name and he will do the character translation and carve a seal, put it into a cloth covered box along with a small tin of red ink. Batiks are also good. Or if you find yourself in Thailand, go to
Jim Thompson Silk stores and pick up some Thai Silk.
Just some ideas.....
