Ah…yes true 
(and I was going to mention, they don’t have Jello here!!!) but Englishboy knew what I meant…PB and jellyintheamericansense/jam/preserves, and such like, and was still freaked out. And this is the guy who does eat Marmite. And PB and chicken flavoured crisps…
*bete now contemplates a peanut butter an Jello sandwich :eek: *
I will second the beef jerky; I have a friend in London who is mad for the stuff.
Grape jelly is practically non existent in the UK.
I have another friend in London who adores Tastikakes. Cannot get enough of them.
Now as for my list of what can be sent to *me[\i] from the UK…
Then obviously the British are not as civilized as they want us to believe.
Lok
Another candy idea is anything with peanut butter and chocolate. My British sister-in-law stumbled across Reese’s cups and fell in love and my husband’s favorite chocolate (aside from expensive imported Yorkie bars) is the Reese’s Fastbreak bar. I don’t think they have Twizzlers, either.
Ditto on the jerky. My step kids in Scotland always request jerky. And Reses PB Cups, a jar of Goober Grape, Lucky Charms, Oreos, complete pancake mix with a bottle of Aunt Jemima syrup. Send a bottle of your favorite barbeque sauce. Or maybe some Six Gun Chili Mix.
And that mentholated gum is called Airwaves. I love it (especially the black currant flavor)
Advil? Maybe I missed it, but whenever I get a toothache, headache or body ache I reach for Advil because it seems to get rid of any pain. I couldn’t find Advil overseas to save my life. I ended up getting some weird aspirin, and needless to say it was not the same. Do they call Advil something else, or did I just miss it?
My English cousin brought back “Darwin Fish” and those little plastic clip things that re-seal coffee bags. Wild rice may be an idea.
You can get ibuprofen at any Boots in the UK; I had to ask the chemist directly for a fairly large bottle (100 tablets), but there are smaller packets on the shelf.
Good suggestions everyone! I’m working on the first package. This is what I plan on sending:
[ol]
[li]Foam finger. I have one from a Cincinnati Reds/ Atlanta Braves game last year. I went early to batting practice, so I managed to get some autographs from the players. I’ll send those too.[/li][li]Beef jerky. There’s a brand made locally (Bob’s) that you can pick up in gas stations and convenience stores. I think I’ll go with that.[/li][li]Small Velvet Elvis (if I can find one).[/li][/ol]
ticker - I actually asked for some Marmite. I’ve read enough about it here on the boards that I have to try it, even if it is nasty.
Celyn - I must confess I’ve never seen “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, but I seem to recall that the main characters DON’T end up together, right? That’s most definitely not where we want this to go. In fact, I’ve been invited to visit him across the pond, and will be doing my darndest to woo him while there. I may have to go back and watch the movie, though I harbor an intense dislike for Hugh Grant. Something about his simpering countenance drives me batty. Rupert Everett though - mmmm. What a shame he plays for the other team.
Keep the ideas coming!
Seconding the suggestion to be careful when posting plants…or food, for that matter. Story time:
When I spent a semester in Australia, my beloved back in the States attempted to send me some Kraft Mac -n- Cheese. Yes, they had it in Oz, but it was decidedly different than the blue package to which I was accustomed. Their cheese is different, sweeter somehow. Not as good, to my Merkin tastes. However, the package was intercepted at the border - not allowed thru customs. Something about the powdered cheese. It’s not even real cheese! Still couldn’t come through. I could send them $50 to send it back to the States, tho.
So be careful, especially with heightened hoof & mouth or mad cow concerns. Powdered, floured, or chocolate goodies may not make it past customs - read their guidelines carefully.
I think you’re right, Celyn. I noticed the similarity myself when I lived in the UK. I don’t know which came first, though. (Incidentally, I would steer any US Dopers away from Tunnock’s Caramel Biscuits, which never go stale because they are already stale. But I have to admit that I actually liked them, partly because they were cheap.)
Sports have already been covered, but I would suggest something with a college football logo, too. Preferably something with an obscure slogan touting the superiority of the program. Brits know some things about baseball, but nothing about the sub-culture of college football.
I like the college football logo idea. How about something from the college with the world’s greatest mascot. No I didn’t go there I just love the mascot.
I don’t suppose there’s any easy way of getting boiled peanuts over to Britain…
Wait, does Ohio even have boiled peanuts?
Cowboy hat or boots?
Sports stuff- like minor league baseball or college baseball hats, or other paraphrenalia.
Fun idea! Send him some little reminders of your past or being a kid here:
Oh, and send him a bacon crisper for his microwave. I remember when I was there I was always asked if I wanted my bacon “burnt”…of course I did, who wants floppy bacon?
Books:
Have fun with this!
The obvious suggestion, which hasn’t even come up yet, is to send the young man some of you panties.
Over there they just have knickers.
Now I can relate something that I wanted to start a pit thread over but never had the energy. At my grocery store they have seasonal items. You know, Halloween stuff (in august) Christmas stuff (Setember) and in May and June they had patriotic stuff for I guess Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July. They had a series of T-shirts in this stuff. Each shirt had an ‘item’ named and then the words “An American Tradition”. There would be a photo of the item and it was colored red, white and blue.
So you had shirts like
HOT RODS
(photo of RW&B Hot Rod)
An American Tradition
Fair enough but they had some other American Traditions shirts. For example:
Guitars
(photo of an electric guitar)
Fishing
Going to the Beach
(picture of a sea shell)
and finally
Puppies
(photo of red white and blue Labrador Retrievers)
Yes, other countries are copying us when they fish or go to the beach or play with puppies.
How about something like a photo book on the American West, or Motor City, or Graceland, or other uniquely American times and places? Or maybe a guide to our National Parks or Monuments? Maybe a book by Ansel Adams?
I was thinking beef jerky too, but that’s been well covered. Are Corn Nuts universal? What about a classy american cheese, not that processed junk, like a dry Monterey Jack? Or a California Olive Oil or honey?
You’re from Columbus; send buckeyes! (Going along with the chocolate and peanut butter theme.)
How about a Longaburger/berger? (I live less than twenty miles from the damned giant basket and I still can’t spell the name.)
Something Amish would be fitting. There are lots of books about them, but you can also find crafts and foodstuffs. Honey allegedly tastes different when it comes from different bees using different plants. So Amish honey would taste different than UK honey.
Maple syrup. Maple butter. Apple butter?
So many salsas; so little time. I’m sure you can find one that’s off the beaten path.
Local wines! Some of them are said to be pretty darn good, though I wouldn’t know.
Good luck!
Canned medium New Mexico Green Chile like Hatch. Or some good Chimayo Red Chile powder from New Mexico. Or some of Tabasco’s products ( a whole family of small bottles perhaps ).
A Shaker box
A Southern cookbook, but don’t forget to send the measuring spoons and cups with it!