A friend from college ended up marrying and living in Norway. When she returns she fills luggage with packaged foods /toiletries they don't have there.

Honestly, I would take a bunch of American snacks. Especially for the teens. She can do a little research and find out what sort of chip flavors or candies are common in Ireland, and bring the flavors they may not have over there. One of the most fun gifts I ever received was from a truck driver from England. his name was Clive and when he went home to visit, he brought me a HUGE stash of snacks and other food from over there. Roasted chicken, prawn cocktail and beef and onion potato chips. Heinz beans (to be eaten on BUTTERED toast i was told). Twiglets, which are horrible but I am glad I tried them. Lots of candies and chocolates I had never seen or heard of. It was great fun to try them all. Surely there are snackies and treats that are uniquely American and would be a fun novelty.

I am told that peanut butter and ranch are not common in Europe either. I do not know if that is true or not. I KNOW I have seen Nigella Lawson cook with peanut butter before. Clive told me that Ranch dressing was Americas greatest contribution to the planet. 🤣

Anyway, just an idea.

Both Under Armor clothes and peanut butter are widely available in Britain and Ireland. Under Armor even makes rugby kit. Ranch dressing is also available in supermarkets. Thinking of Europe as a homogeneous place doesn't work.

Something which is not common is candy flavoured with cinammon or wintergreen. But then, they may well not like them. You could try jelly beans or gum, just for the weird flavours you have.

Don't take Hershey's chocolate. It will compare very badly with what is available there. Why is American chocolate so disgusting? You really don’t want to know | Arwa Mahdawi | The Guardian

p.s. Twiglets are delicious if you've grown up with Marmite.

How about 100% maple syrup?

Jelly bellys have the weirdest flavors of jelly beans if you go with floral's suggestion...

the reality is that most of us in the industrialzed world can pretty much get what ever we want in these modern days.

I think the suggestion of maple syrup may be a good one, but not sure that it would really be welcome by teens so much. They might like something with a bit of novelty to it.

Thats a tough question....what is American, and that teens would like?

Tshirts are probably the most common. Far be it for me to recommned thsirts, though, as I absoutely dislke them, myself. But, teens like such things.

Bringing gifts from abroad is not the appeal in our modern life as it used to be.

If you bring candy I recommend Payday candy bars made with peanuts or something with candied pecans. Peanuts and pecans are both pretty American. I suspect that pecans would be a bit more of a novelty than peanuts.

Really, that is a tough question to find something that is exclusive to the US. We have become so global in our lives. Most of our material goods come from places other than the US.

How about moon pies? They are purely American and delicious and would travel well. Get the original ones.

Salt water taffy or Mallowmar cookies? A t-shirt from an American college or sports team?

Well, there are the maple syrup candies...

Something with macadamia nuts?

We have a gift shop that's full of locally made products...salsas, dressings, jams, soup mixes, soaps, lotions, etc. Maybe there's a similar place near you?

Sports team tee shirts, specialty BBQ sauces or rubs, coffee mugs with a team, city, or state theme, art museum items featuring US artists (aprons, tote bags, posters, etc.).

When I travel, I take hats and T-shirts with Colorado logos. Those go over pretty well. We have a Pikes Peak Vineyard...my brother collects wine. Or...flower seeds: Indian Paintbrush & Columbine our state flower... for instance. People who visit me: I've received home crocheted slippers, a pin cushion(for my sewing hobby), tea towels with embroidery, an oil painting....things people made and are unique being hand made one of a kind. Or USA celebrities ie: Cheech Marin Hot sauce....:0)

My GF just came back from New York...with a NY sweat shirt and one for her dog! A NY logo umbrella would be cool too...lots of umbrella collections in Ireland. How about shot glasses from NY? or beer glasses...?

I've bought items from this company. DD2 has a whole collection of glasses from every place she has ever lived.

https://www.catstudio.com/

Teens and twenties have very firm notions about clothes and I'm not sure they would wear hats or T shirts chosen by someone else, however politely they thank you when they are handed over. But maybe baseball caps from local teams would be acceptable? Regarding the peanut/pecan idea, it's a bit risky these days since there are so many nut allergies around.

If you suggest unusual candies etc I am happy to tell you if they are available over here.

Obviously, I don't live in Ireland but goods are pretty much the same as here, especially if the relations are in the North.

The catstudio stuff looks likely, although its expensive, considering you have lot to buy for.

I'm not familiar with Ireland, but when family comes every couple of years from Croatia they have shopping lists. Things that are not readily available to them or unaffordable in their local stores.

Good quality sheets, converse high top tennis shoes, panties, sports themed tees local to this state. Levi's jeans. Good quality cosmetics. One little girl, younger than teen though, had an absolute meltdown at rows of Barbie's and toys when she realized she was being invited to pick something for herself from a huge array of toys...in Walmart.

Tees would work for boys, and Kiehls, Burts Bees are made in US for young girls (ie lip gloss, hand lotions etc). The young women love Kiehls - love skin and body care items.

I don't remember anyone being overcome with peanut butter, but were used to nutella readily available to them. Margarita mix was a favorite. So were paper party and picnic items, napkins, disposable table cloths, plates and cups. They didn't have a source for ziplock bags - that may not be true of Ireland.

Things they've brought me: excellent olive oil. Handpainted ceramic pieces local to their town. Small paintings of their coastal community done by a neighbor that are wonderful.

I still like the tee shirt idea, universally appreciated by young people of all genders! There are tees that feature iconically American animals or butterflies, National parks or trees. You can purchase items from sources that benefit the parks. What about those mini bottles of liquor? There are some nice American bourbons, tequilas and other spirits.

I would advise against anything political, or with the American flag on it. Seeds are a no-no as all countries have their own strict Federal importation regulations for plants, seeds and other plant parts.

Maybe ask the son in law? He is likely going to be more familiar of what might be a good idea to bring over since it's his family.

How about an actual piece of America? Some rocks. Maybe fossils? Smooth river rock? Whatever is the bedrock from where you live? They would just be a non-manufactured novelty.

I wouldn't take any alcoholic beverage to teenagers, and I'm not sure you would be allowed to transport it to a foreign country anyway. I think American candies would be well-accepted by young people. American-made jewelry is something they would probably like and it's easy to transport in your luggage. There are many sellers of handmade jewelry on Etsy.

Croatia would be utterly different from Ireland regarding availability of things. I keep trying to emphasise that 'Europe' is just a continent. It isn't a homogenous entity. You can buy any of the items on that list in Britain or Ireland except the local branded sports stuff. There is definiteley no shortage of levis or knickers! And Irish textiles are world famous.

Bear in mind these are youngsters and there is a good number of them. Some of these suggestions would cost a fortune and weigh a ton. Rocks??? Also check import regulations. There are limits on alcohol, for example. You are looking for small, light, unique and economical. I'm sure the relations are not expecting jeans or bedsheets. I think the snacks are a good idea. There's no guarantee they'll like what you bring but it will be intriguing. You have some weird stuff from our point of view!

American college sweatshirts have been popular gifts to French hosting families in experience.

Thanks everyone, good ideas. Alcohol is out! I like the idea of maple sugar candy. I also thought tee shirts from national parks or something NYC.
They have limited luggage space. I’ll pass along these suggestions to her.
Thanks, again!!
Jane

Yeah, luggage is an issue...otherwise I recommend bringing them all NY pizza!!

Your q reminded me of a time we visited a friend in Seattle back in the 70s. She'd left the east coast and moved back there for retirement. She complained she couldn't get Thomases English Muffins and Old Grandad bourbon which were her favorites. So when we got home, we mailed it to her as a thank you.

And the maple syrup came to me from our many travels in the US where so many "brown" syrups they used at breakfast hadn't been within a 1,000 miles of a maple tree and tasted nothing like the real thing.

I think that if they make something to give that that would make it American and also more personal. I have made hot sauce from chilies that I have grown and fig preserves from figs that I have grown to give as gifts.

If your relatives have any special talents, then they could use those to make special gifts.

Mexican food items might be less available in Ireland and while not actually American, they are more common here than in Europe.

When I first went to Canada, I was unable to find fresh corn tortillas, which shocked me, since I was so used to having them.

Rocks???, you ask. Well, yes, rocks, not boulders. I just weighed a roughly 1.5 by 1.5 cm druzy quartz piece from my backyard. It weighs three grams and has plenty of sparkle. This is not my piece, but very similar.

A bunch of those is not going to weigh down the luggage or take up much space. It would be less voluminous and lighter than a bag of candy bars.

When some guys from England came to my husbands work they took home Pearson's Salted Nut Rolls. When my husband visited them 6 months later I made sure he he took a box for them. It was much appreciated.

You’re in NY? NYC? Anything that references NYC. or anything, a treat or a craft (especially if it is usable) locally made or sourced. A French teen we hosted brought us this, it was the year France hosted the World Cup. He wasn’t from Paris, but the Eiffell Tower is a symbol of France as well as Paris. Hard to tell in this dark photo, but it is a bottle of wine shaped like the Eiffel Tower straddling a soccer ball. We keep it on a bar tray with some other special (empty) bottles.

Our Dutch student brought us this, touristy yes but it hangs in our back hall that we use all the time, and we use that shoe/clothes brush inside it and we also hang our ikea long shoehorn from it (removed for the photo).

I’ve posted these before as stocking stuffers but they have many non holiday options They are a hit with kids and teens but are not keepsakes, just something fun. https://topsmalibu.com/collections/surprize-balls

LOL. floral, that was a couple of meandering paragraphs and I deserved your attention. There's a reason I don't write for a living. I was only thinking about things our extended family will want when here to make their lives easier at home. Life, budgeting in general isn't always easy in Croatia. Which clearly has nothing to do with Ireland.

I really wasn't suggesting sheets, or underwear and went off topic. I'm still surprised at how the women/girls struggle to find comfortable stylish underwear that would fall someplace in between granny panties and Brazilian thongs.

I may stick by my suggestion for small cosmetic items and tees though. As for the food items, we've been brought chocolate covered cherries - a real treat for them but not unusual for us. Some highly decorated peppery holiday cookies that are meaningless to me. The family will try to cook a very special meal for us when here and with beef being so dear in their coastal rocky area (it's a holiday splurge) they will make their traditional beef and plums dish. I really dislike meat and fruit combinations and will absolutely never ever admit that to them when the prep takes two days. I eat it and make all the appropriate raves and Thank Yous.

We will usually donate an old suitcase from their shopping experiences and just pay the additional airline fee. One year when they weren't coming, we bought the household goods and shipped. My SIL picked up the bill and paid it without complaint while I was gasping at the cost. The goods in the packages equaled what it cost to send them, and without all tags and pricing stickers removed there is no guarantee they will go through customs and be delivered to them.

Can 'foreigners' collect lottery winnings? (Small, lightweight, fun to scratch off.)

Are any US professional ports teams highly regarded in Ireland? (Hats, shirts, mugs.) Teens like to display such things to their friends.

If the visit will take place during some exciting event in the US, could that be a theme? (Mardi Gras beads, sports event, pop concert, election buttons, movie openings?)

There are many prominent Irish-Americans, living and dead. Anything along that line?

Baseball caps with team logos. Girl Scout cookies.

Floral, send me some Jammie Dodgers. 😉

Pez dispensers and an assortment of flavors

I bought a bunch of American snack items for my family in Japan a few years ago when we visited them. I only remember one thing I got them and that was some spicy sauce (maybe bbq) from Cabellas. I thought it was funny, it was jarred in a bottle shaped like a cowboy. I originally went there to look for American fishing lures for my one cousin because I knew he and his brother liked to fish a lot. They didn't have any lures for use in the ocean, though, so I didn't get any.

Other than snack food items, I have no ideas.

I don't have any gift item suggestions, just a comment on a suggestion that a few others have already made ---

If peanuts and peanut butter are not common there, I would hesitate to bring peanuts or peanut butter because you don't know if someone might have a peanut allergy.

Dried cranberries?

Since you are in NY, what about tote bags from iconic places, like MOMA or NY public library or from Columbia or for the kids FAO Schwarz, or other museums that might have cool bags? I just looked at the library gift store and they have some cool ones:

Moma has some good ones, too:

They have a bunch, including some Warhol and many nice MOMA designs.

Touristy key chains? Packets of NYC post cards? Water bottles with logos? Buttons or stickers with non political sayings?

I am in England and have US relatives. T shirts are a good idea for younger kids as are baseball caps and I like Olychick's idea of tote bags for older relations.

Be aware in the UK and probably Ireland Customs have cracked down on 'imports' and love putting a hefty surcharge/tax to provide extra revenue.

T shirts or similar garments would be better brought in unwrapped and with price labels removed. Avoid any sort of booze and flower and veggie seeds can be a no-no. A 'gift' of heritage seeds was sent to us by well-meaning cousins and were all confiscated as they didn't meet the then EU import regulations.

This also applies to stuff sent by post. The same US cousins send us an annual 'arty' calendar. This year it has held back by Customs as the sender had written on the **customs form** that it had cost $40 which was above the allowed amount for a 'gift'. We had to pay over £17 including 'handling charges' to have it delivered by Royal Mail . . .

**It may have cost $40 to buy but as it was now second-hand worth much less!

Both Pez and dried cranberries are available in Ireland. And peanuts, I repeat, are universally available. I buy PNB in kilogram tubs and always have it in the pantry.

The tote bags would be uique and easy to pack.

ded tired, what you really want is chocolate Hobnobs or Bourbons.

I LOVE the tote bag idea, especially the bottom bag from the NYPL. I have that one, and the lines of the picture of the lion are actually words--title of books--so you would be giving a reading list as well as an ecological gift. Unfortunately, it comes with a price.! But the library has this for $2:

https://shop.nypl.org/products/dollar-nypl-tote-bag?_pos=1&_sid=95eb76e06&_ss=r

I have this one as well. Great and light-weight.

I think the tote bags are a winner winner chicken dinner idea.

They are totally useful - take up no space- and are relatively inexpensive.

I think Jane was in NY but moved?? Anyway, cool tote bags from anywhere would work great in my eyes.

If you're thinking candy... See's Candy is made in the United States.

I also really like the tote bag idea - even for the teens. It would be a unique item for them - I know that I would have liked it at their age.

Is there any major tourist attraction near you, that has a gift shop that you can access? For example, IIRC, Sea World had a gift shop that could be entered without a paid admission.

For teens, yes to T-shirts/ ball caps. I would choose from iconic American teams like Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Astros, NY Yankees...

and avoid teams that have bounced cities (like the Dodgers, Giants...)

Thanks again, everyone.

Just to fill in, we retired and moved to Florida, my daughter lives in Connecticut. However, she is a New Yorker as she was born and raised there and Ct. is just next door.

Spoke to her on the phone and gave her all the ideas. She was thrilled to hear about maple sugar and is going to get some maple sugar candy. A new shop opened nearby which sells everything maple sugar.

Her husband has aunts, uncles, cousins and lots of kids. Most are teens or early 20's. My daughter said they will be visiting most of them. He really doesn't know them well as he was born in the States and only met some of them years ago.

They are leaving on Wednesday so had little time to shop. Today hit the mall and yesterday bought some things mentioned.

She and I loved those totes but she didn't have enough time to order anything delivered.

She is going to get tee-shirts, sport caps for the boys. She didn't know about the girls and decided to go to the Mall and look for some small gifts.

Luggage space is limited as my two granddaughters are going with them and all are carrying luggage.

She loved the tote bag ideas and thought she might find something along those lines at the mall.

Vee thank you for that information about Customs. She was surprised and wanted me to thank you for that information. We both appreciate all the great suggestions from everyone. Talk about 'short notice!'

Jane

Why not T shirts and sports caps for the girls?????

Check customs regulations on-line. The Republic is in the EU. Northern Ireland is not. Regulations will vary and since Brexit the whole thing is a mess.

Every teenaged girl I know loves T shirts! Famous bands, earth themes, animals, universities. I know a lot of teenagers these days, believe me.

MDLN you beat me to it. Darn Tough socks are the best. They aren't cheap but they are the best. I give them out regularly as gifts and I have become a socks snob now and will only wear Darn Tough.

Taking wool to Ireland? Hmmmm...

We had a brief visit with a young man from Liverpool. He was wild about Oreos. They do not get the genuine Oreo in England.

Too late for this trip, obviously, but I had an another idea. Still T-shirts but T-shirts from national parks/ landmarks. Like Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Great Smokies, the Alamo, Everglades, Mesa Verde....