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gift suggestions for a German host

I second @LucyPurrs 's suggestion of a coffee-table book (is that a Britishism?) Or if the host family have pre-teen children, some classic picture book like Make Way for Ducklings.

When I was a child my parents took in a succession of JYA students from Hollins University. One of them gave us a boxed set of EB White novels. I'm eternally grateful to her for introducing me to The Trumpet of the Swan, which is unfairly overlooked compared to Charlotte's Web IMVHO.
 
I second @LucyPurrs 's suggestion of a coffee-table book (is that a Britishism?) Or if the host family have pre-teen children, some classic picture book like Make Way for Ducklings.

When I was a child my parents took in a succession of JYA students from Hollins University. One of them gave us a boxed set of EB White novels. I'm eternally grateful to her for introducing me to The Trumpet of the Swan, which is unfairly overlooked compared to Charlotte's Web IMVHO.

Americans call them coffee table books, too. The big box book stores like Barnes and Noble usually have nice ones on sale all year round but especially at Christmas.
 
Therapy Llamas are a big big thing in Germany. Germans want Llamas. Germans need Llamas.

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You're hilarious! Maybe Germans like llamas' wool to make leiderhosen (not sure how to spell that) and boiled wool jackets.
 
Although stereotype associates Germany with beer, sausages, cream-topped cakes and speed-limit-free Autobahnen, most Germans are actually quite health- and environment-conscious. So I would definitely advise against the processed food suggested by @55853 . If you want to bring something comestible, aim for something more artisan or organic. And do make sure you don't fall foul of the airline restrictions on liquids in hand baggage!

Responsible Travel has this to say about Germany:
Germany is about so much more than lederhosen and beer festivals, Christmas markets and city breaks. And Germans are also so much more than their serious stereotypes. Wanderlust is in the genes, green and sustainable development is too. They care about their landscapes, culture and communities – and it shows. In their well managed national trails, local markets and low carbon transport systems.
...
‘Don’t mention the war’ is not only an insensitive cliché, it is shortsighted. Apart from the fact that Roman, medieval, Prussian and many other historical influences can be seen throughout Germany, so can its steps towards truth and reconciliation. Camps such as Bergen Belsen and Dachau are open to the public. And Berlin’s Jewish Museum is painfully poignant, as is its Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe.

Full article

Also see Lonely Planet's summary
 
So I would definitely advise against the processed food suggested by @55853
It was copy and pasted from a wiki written by Germans. I know first hand that many Germans love walking, but it's not mutually exclusive with US snack food. You can find a section for American food in larger supermarkets in Germany, and it will have what's suggested in that wiki with less flavours to choose from.

I only watch airport security on TV, but doesn't food have to be declared and it's more likely to cause problems if it's not mass produced? That's what I would worry about for artisan or organic food, but I've only been on a plane as a child, so I'm not familiar with the restrictions.

I like the suggestions for something local to where you're from (like souvenirs), that's definitely not going to be found in Germany.
 
As a 100%Hongkonger, I read the gift giving etiquette in Hongkong on that website, to see if the information they provide is valid and applicable.
My answer is, NO.
At least not all of them.
No surprise many non-HK people is not familiar with our Cantonese culture and language, instead, they confused we're just the same with mainland China.
I personally is meh when people confuse our social norms here, but it is not acceptable/offensive to me when people say Mandarin and write simplified chinese in here HK.
If someone is interested in Chinese history, they should know Mandarin and simplified chinese is not an official language(they don't even exist before PRC) until PRC is established.
It blows my mind actually when people who claimed they love the Chinese characters or culture or so on, while in fact, what they're hugging is stuff from the new China.
I believe people here are willing to teach you our language and traditional, and most of us can speak English, don't try to speak mandarin/write simplified chinese to us as you're not in PRC.;)

By the way, can any Germans here @Nightingale121 to take a look of the website?
I would love to know if what the website wrote is correct.:D
 
American food is quite widely available in Germany especially in Berlin. Germans themselves take flowers or plants as gifts when visiting and they love to receive those. A lot of German women will buy flowers for the home every Saturday at the market. They are also very big on decorating their homes with seasonal ornaments and displays.
 
Heineken Beer? Bratwurst Sausages?
Heineken is Dutch beer, so that would not work.

I would advise against bringing beer, as Germany is very much a beer-producing country.

I’d personally go for something neutral, like a bouquet of flowers.
I agree with @Bolletje about beer and would also advise against bringing Bratwurst. Bratwurst is very common in Germany anyway, so I don't think that this is a particularly creative gift. I would rather go for the opposite, i. e. something that is not common in Germany as many others here suggested.
A bouquet of flowers would work as well though; it's often given as a gift. But given how neutral it is it might not be exactly what @paloftoon is looking for. His question "What is something from the States that someone in Germany might want- any ideas?" indicates to me that he is rather looking for something more typically associated with the States than a general, neutral gift.

So I would definitely advise against the processed food suggested by @55853.
It was copy and pasted from a wiki written by Germans. I know first hand that many Germans love walking, but it's not mutually exclusive with US snack food. You can find a section for American food in larger supermarkets in Germany, and it will have what's suggested in that wiki with less flavours to choose from.
I agree with @55853.
Apart from the already mentioned flowers it's actually common to bring some chocolate, such as Merci chocolate bars, as a gift too. So I wouldn't dismiss these suggestions.

By the way, can any Germans here @Nightingale121 to take a look of the website?
I would love to know if what the website wrote is correct.:D
Like you said about the Honkong gift giving etiquette I would say that not all of the provided information about German gift giving etiquette is valid and applicable, although some listed facts are true.
But maybe I'm just bad at etiquette and that's why I haven't heard of some of these as common guidelines or appreciated gifts. In fact, I am bad at choosing gifts like this, e. g. for hosts, so I usually go for some chocolate, which is mostly appreciated.
 
Well they will act delighted, but that is probably due to politeness. In fact they are very health conscious in the main and will only eat chocolate at holiday times, not scoff it daily like Brits. Besides they will have their favourite make.

One thing that costs a lot in Germany and is very good quality in the US is cotton products. Why not ask if they want some levi jeans or something brought over?
 
Well they will act delighted, but that is probably due to politeness. In fact they are very health conscious in the main and will only eat chocolate at holiday times, not scoff it daily like Brits. Besides they will have their favourite make.
What is your basis for this? How can you generalise entire nations this way? Besides, Germans have one of the highest per capita chocolate consumption:

20150722_Chocolate_Fo.jpg


It's an American source, but that's 7.89 kg of chocolate per German per year, to save others doing the conversion. I've seen other sources state it even higher.
 
LOL they're probably buying it to send to relatives in the US where chocolate is not as good.
 
LOL they're probably buying it to send to relatives in the US where chocolate is not as good.
Do you honestly believe that? In a country where 64.3% of men and 49.0% of women are overweight (BMI ≥25, includes category "overweight" and "obese"), and 21.9% of men and 22.5% of women are obese (BMI ≥30, only category "obese") [1], do you really believe that the whole nation is very health conscious? You believe, instead, that each German is exporting kilograms of chocolate to the US? That hundreds of thousands of tonnes of chocolate is being exported each year by citizens is ridiculous, if you honestly believe that.
 
I only watch airport security on TV, but doesn't food have to be declared and it's more likely to cause problems if it's not mass produced? That's what I would worry about for artisan or organic food, but I've only been on a plane as a child, so I'm not familiar with the restrictions.
The restrictions on liquids in hand luggage forbid any quantities over 100ml. I have heard of jars of honey being confiscated, which does seem to be stretching the definition of liquids somewhat.
More info

I like the suggestions for something local to where you're from (like souvenirs), that's definitely not going to be found in Germany.
I see the OP is from Philadelphia, so how about a souvenir from the Liberty Bell? Calendars and teatowels are always good fallback options (and easier to carry than coffee-table books).
 
I see the OP is from Philadelphia, so how about a souvenir from the Liberty Bell? Calendars and teatowels are always good fallback options (and easier to carry than coffee-table books).
Keep in mind, though, that souvenirs from a country/city someone’s never visited can miss the mark as well, if the person receiving the gift doesn’t really have a point of reference for it. For instance, when I was a kid, an American family came to stay with us for a week. As a gag gift, they got me a Ronald Reagan caricature bobblehead that shrieked when you squeezed it. I can safely say that, at 4 years old, I had no idea who Ronald Reagan was, and I was just terrified by the thing. They also brought some typical American cereal and candy, which I found way too sugary (even as a kid), and which was tossed after the guests had left.
 
Books or a Philly souvenir would’ve been fine. It wasn’t me. I went with odd flavored pop tarts and odd flavored Oreos. I also ended up saving a bag of oreos for my tour guide since he is also German and the hosts on this trip only had to provide snacks.

Tour guide was ecstatic with the peanut butter oreos.
 

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