don’t buy me stuff kthx
That came off sounding rather ungrateful, doesn’t it? Well, in my defense, I think it’s a well-intended message on my part to friends or anyone in my life. They should be thankful to me, and I’ll tell you why.
You know how people go on holidays and they come back with trinkets and souvenirs ‘exclusive’ to the countries they’d been? Not only are they all made in China, they serve absolutely no purpose except to assure your loved ones and friends back home that you thought of them while you were out having fun. Or so you assume anyway. Why, thank you for the lovely koala bear key chain; I’ll just put it in my closet along with the 14 other koala bear key chains that I already own.
You see, if you go away for a holiday, I’d want you to thoroughly enjoy yourself without a burden on your shoulders thinking that you are obligated to get me something. If you are there for work purposes, work! Spend whatever extra time you have exploring new places, or holed up in your hotel room emptying the mini bar (hello G). If you think of me once in a while, well it’s nice and I appreciate it. But I am not a shadow constantly whispering to your conscience that I am in need of a souvenir from wherever you are at. If you know me well enough, know that I’d want you to utterly, exhaustively and soundly (how’s that for my Shift+F7 skills?) have fun! Feeling compelled to spend some money on something that I would probably never use (ever) does not sound like fun to me. And if it is not fun to me, I don’t reckon it’s fun for you.
A couple years ago, FA went to Thailand for a few days of sun, sea and sand. She came back with fancy incense kits for some of us. It was pretty, no doubt, but if you think of it, a waste of money. One year later I got fed up with the thing taking up space on my table, so I teared it open and proceeded to lit the incense. It went poof within an hour. When a few of us went to Redang, we felt obliged to get her something. So I got her a colourful paper fan, which I don’t remember if she ever received (since I mostly throw my stuff in various places and proceed to forget about them). But you get what I mean.
When KY went to Myanmar on a working trip, he came back with gifts for us — the first one was a rather heavy golden elephant key chain, and the second one was a jade-ish pendant. When he returned from Japan, we got a cute Japanese paper doll. I love KY, but I also told him off. KY being KY grinned, and I understand that it is in his nature to look out for people. But I think we established that we should no longer give each other souvenirs (FA included) from different countries.
Sure, I love presents. But presents should only be given if you sincerely wish to give, and it should be something special and unique based on what you think the other person would like and appreciate. If you do not think enough of me to get me something, then don’t. I am not going to sulk and cry 
And I don’t want any of you (family members included) to feel any need at all to get me anything unless I specifically asked you to get them. If you still feel beholden to the traditional culture that you should bring something back, buy some chocolates (that are unavailable locally) to share. Or spicy beef jerky from Taiwan. Or Brazil nuts in their kernels. Or macadamia nuts from Australia. Or a cup of sand for KY. Or a hunky male Spaniard. Now, THAT I would appreciate 
Kthx.
I never got the colourful paper fan btw.
next time, gimme stuff that u emptied from the mini bar. now THAT’s a gift.
Agree, that shit always get’s thrown away in the end and it’s all made in China.
I’d much prefer the person to take everyone out to dinner, share stories and pictures of their adventure and then move on.
Don’t buy trinkets for people - yes it’s sweet, but it’s also wasteful, commercial and mostly unrequired.
Unless it’s food…I always appreciate that.
Mango from Philippines
Reese from USA
etc etc
Have u finished the nuts I bought u? hehehe
Buy me a China Doll, 10q.
i remember the useless Cambodian statues I bought back as gifts from my Honeymoon….err…hope nobody that got those is reading this…
The spaniard bloke will not come quietly after seeing your photo
Just kidding
I still need to go collect that cup of sand!
fa: i must have thrown it away then bwahahha
eyeris: … the bottles? that’s another waste of space too
ST: yeah just go to william’s dutch, tok kok sing song
kim: i hope so, it’s been over a year!! lmao
SF: need to buy one ar?
davidlian: bwahahha prime example
mingsy: that’s why sleeping pills are essential
ky: bwahahaha i thought you did!
Wahey! Same thing!
Only I have never told people this. So they keep buying me stuff, but I never reciprocate. I think they will get the hint pretty soon.
can we be friends?
i hate buying souvenirs, but i’m expected to do so. sigh..
huhu suanie just make alot of people lives easier.
Anyway u got a point there. Souvenirs that were bought from west but made in china. Funniest thing ever. I have been thinking about this my self for quite sometimes and even discuss it with some people which have the same agreement where souvenirs from foreign country should be unique otherwise dont ever susah-susah wanna buy for someone. A piece of key chain just to symbolize that u went some place. I dont need that either.
And u mention to give u chocolates huh…tehre u go again u make someone lives easier. LOL TO bring a chocolate let say from london sampai sini it might cair…So one solution buy it at the KLIA lounge. hahaha
Well, I did bring you a box of Aussie Tim Tams but you didn’t want them, so FA is getting your box and hers! I also bought minties and you didn’t want them … and I’m eating them. lol
I can’t go back to Aussie to get the Macadamia nuts. I almost bought you a Murdered Kitty T-Shirt, but they didn’t have your size [it's got a decapitated Hello Kitty on it. I thought you'd like it].
So now, you’ll just have to eat whatever I get you … which is a keyring with a koala lumpur on it.
Actually, I collect key rings from everywhere I go. The operating words being ‘WHERE I GO’ and not places I haven’t been (so I don’t like to receive them). Yes, I already have my KL Malaysia Key ring for this trip.
Venice I bought two key rings as the key rings were so good.
Would you like a KL key ring from my trip to the city today?
I don’t even like the idea of buying birthday or christmas presents… I’d rather just “feel that this is just right for him/her so I must buy it” and get it done, not due to a particular occasion or something..
.. that said I am still the kind who buys tchotchkes from wherever I happen to go.. usually fridge magnets. But I do look for stuff that’s different from the standard plasticky variety..
friends always asked me to buy stuff for them
and it’s not fair coz i travel more than them
Weren’t you linked/mentioned in a Spanish blog once - about your “Date Suanie Campaign”? My memory’s not very good.
Nothing you’d like from Ipoh, then? LOL!
woooiiiii next time dabido buys you aussie tim tams and you dont want them, give them to me!!!!!
Ya la… I also dont understand this BUY present while you are holiday nonsense… thats why i dont buy… Yah, everyone says I am selfish and not caring.. Hahahahaha!!! I dont care la..
confession of a food junkie
i have a big pack of York which B gave me for bday ….. it’s mint chocolate, you want? and suddenly i remember THAT spaniard. hahaha!
I received many shirts, yay for practical friends!
Though Macadamia Nuts are always welcome.
OK no japanese chocolate for you then! =p
vincent: or you will continue to end up with a huge lump of stuff that could not even be donated
nurulazreenazlan: hehe i guess you being a different country makes people want more stuff
zaque: or bangladesh. yah all the chocolates are bought at klia anyway, alongside perfume and alcohol and smokes for some
the chocolate my brother in law bought from japan airport was kept in a case that was supposed to cool it all the way
dabs: thanks for your chocolate
no i don’t want a key chain 
suertes: stuff for yourself is fine. but not stuff for other people
Nicole: oh well comes with traveling i guess
GS: that was a chick
Grant: a boyfriend?
LT: haha sowee
Notty Gurl: i also don’t care
RonT: it’s loved by everyone mah
Pinky: lmao yeah i miss THAT spaniard lmao
albert: cool and funky shirts are fun i guess. but i don’t like people buying me clothes cos they won’t know my size
Doomlord: oh how ever will I live… bleh
I’ll just buy you a pint or two or three.
[...] more than awesome, seeing that I neglected to get him anything from Hong Kong, thanks to my no souvenirs stand. He didn’t ask for anything from me also [...]