Hi – Please help us out with some gift ideas.



My wife’s sister is turning 40 in a few weeks and we’re looking for unique gift ideas that are made in Italy or have a very strong Italian significance.



She’s married with 2 year old twins. Not very religious, so we’re not thinking religious gifts. We want a gift for her, not for the kids, this is her special day. As much as we love the food stuff here in Italy, it doesn’t ship well and we’re inclined to stay away from food related things. Wine is also great but shipping can be restrictively expensive.



The main criteria is the gifts must be only available in Italy. She lives in LA and you can get just about anything in LA, so it’s important that we find something truly Italian. The types of things we are thinking of are:



Special clothing made in Italy – semi formal to casual.


Jewelry – more modern, perhaps special glass necklaces, etc..


Unique shoes – fashionable, comfortable, casual.


Special leather goods – hand bags (not the kind sold on the sidewalks in Venice)


Art – did you find any great and interesting artists recently?



Any other ideas you may have? We’re counting on your collective power of knowledge and creativity.



Price? What normal people can afford for a special family member – around the $100 range but that’s flexible.



So, please send along your best ideas. I’ll need a website or some pictures to help decide.

Thanks everyone!

I know you are in the Veneto, but I'm fairly sure Papiro has a shop in Venice, selling Florentine paper and books. Most people I know have loved receiving photo albums with either leather or marbled paper covers - my sister got one for her 60th, so I think they are pretty special. Prices start from around €35 in Papiro and go into the hundreds. In Florence there are hundreds of other shops selling the same type of thing but I think Papiro is in Venice.

I always like the surprise of a box from: "Cookies from Italy.com"!!!

I wanted to thank a volunteer who went above and beyond helping my wife with her genealogy. I sent her a beautiful Friulian hand-painted porcelain bowl with a basket-weave design formed into the porcelain. She really liked it.

quote:

Originally posted by alyson:
I know you are in the Veneto, but I'm fairly sure Papiro has a shop in Venice, selling Florentine paper and books. Most people I know have loved receiving photo albums with either leather or marbled paper covers - my sister got one for her 60th, so I think they are pretty special. Prices start from around €35 in Papiro and go into the hundreds. In Florence there are hundreds of other shops selling the same type of thing but I think Papiro is in Venice.

Very good recommendation alyson, thank you. I am now thinking of a nice family album or baby log - I have seen the books you are talking about - both the Papiro brand and others in Venice. I agree the Papiro things are usually very nice.

Welcome! Hope you find something.