IRAN SOUVENIRS

Why buying a souvenir?

Take a look around you, or around the places that you commonly love, your home, your own bedroom, your work office.  It is full of some stuff and memories and nothing more. Of course, you have some or at least one good or bad memory with any of the stuff surrounding you. Those that you don’t remember any specific thing about, are meaningless and not important at all. What if you're going somewhere, and start making memories with your surroundings? The place that you are in, let’s assume is absolutely new, you may have seen pictures from it or not.

You may take a physical piece of your sweet memories from your trip with you.

Think need, not want

Keep a list of practical, everyday items you know you need, like a frying pan or a new pair of sneakers. If you buy something from this list while you’re on vacation, it’s a double-whammy of a souvenir win—the item is guaranteed to be useful and will evoke memories of that destination every time you use it. “We needed some salad servers, so I bought some beautifully curved ones from Lalejin, Hamedan,” Button says. “They’re not something that I’m going to stick on a shelf, but an active part of my life.”

If your willpower is wobbling over a little souvenir that isn’t as useful as salad tongs, Button suggests asking yourself: “If I buy this Sofaline, am I willing to keep it on my desk?” If the answer is yes, there’s meaning to the purchase. If the answer is no, you’ll probably regret buying it far more than putting it back on the store’s shelf. 

GIFTS SOUVENIRS SHOULD BE DELICIOUS, NOT DURABLE

We’ve all felt that urge: the obligation to bring home a gift for friends, family, or co-workers. So many souvenirs, though, are decorative or ornamental—and since taste is so personal, they’ll effectively just end up as dust-catchers. As gifts, only buy edible items: head to a supermarket and browse for unfamiliar local candy, chocolate, or other non-perishables. (Yes, you should fill your bag with Gaz at every Esfahan supermarket.) These types of souvenir gifts are interesting, unexpected, and can be sincerely loved.

Finally, Traveling is about experiences, memories and sharing them when we return home. For many of us, souvenirs that remind us of a special place on our travels also make their way into our backpacks. But is our keenness to have a physical reminder of our trip helping or hurting anyone?

Always try and support local producers, makers, and artisans. This way, you are giving back to the community that is supporting you on your travels, you will meet fascinating people and have more interesting stories to tell.