When we are doing an extended trip, space is at a premium and we travel light. More often than not, in this instance the ornament will be a magnet or something similar that we turn into an ornament. They take up no room, are unbreakable and cheap.

As we unpack our ornaments and decorate the tree each year, we say the name of the place and get to relive the trip. It’s alot of fun.

In my passport, I have the visas and entry/exit stamps, complete with dates, of every country I have been to. I even have a little residual ink from a country I (according to U.S. law) shouldn’t have been visiting!

It’s up for renewal in 2 years. Receiving “virgin passport” will be a little sad.

I often will buy a calendar. Especially if it is in the local language, and has lots of info like saints or holidays or history. If it is just pictures I can make it myself.

Something that I look for but don’t always find, is a miniature painting. These take up less room, and are somehow more personal than photographs.

And usually some kind of small knickknack like my small brass split-tailed lizard from Volterra, the silver model trulli from Alberobello, a little brass owl from Bath. They are all very small, but somehow characteristic (at least to me!) of the place or the journey.

I almost forgot the “big” collectible – I try to find one very cool piece of jewelery from where-ever I was.

masks
cookbooks
grocery store item
a turtle figurine
christmas tree ornament
jewelry
local artist work
item that area’s known for

They rarely have the name of the place on them. It’s all things I truly love – my memories, that people will only question if they’re interested in them. I answer initial questions quite broadly “I got these on a trip”. And people can ask more if they want to. It’s funny because you wrote “… showy display of your own worldliness.”

I see it differently. My home is me and I travel. I like to travel and feel I have tasteful things in my house. If I had the choice, I would rather things from it’s point of origin than proof that I spend a lot of time at the local mall. I only purchase (or mostly purchase) decorative items while on a trip. It’s rare that I’ll buy some cool, international piece at a store like pier 1 imports. I want as much of my “stuff” as possible to take me back to that place. Also, I hate having things that’s easy for people to get.

Oh and purchasing food items (seasonings and such) and recipes are awesome because nothing in the world takes you back to a place the same way food does.

When the sweaters/fleece wear out, I just transfer the patches.

Sometimes, I try to bring back small symbolic shelve pieces like a small wooden kiwi bird from New Zealand or a small wooden elephant from Cambodia.

Sometimes a CD, a book, or the right piece of clothing (something a little more meaningful than a cheesy souvenir t-shirt…?) can be a great reminder, too.