Thrift Shop Souvenirs

I admit, as a child (and also as I grew older), I enjoyed shopping at souvenir shops that sell an array of stuff to show that you’ve visited a place: stuffed animals, picture frames, shot glasses, key chains, mugs, t-shirts, etc. I’ve bought my share of things over the years, and those things I accumulated now sit in a box—a box of unnecessary things. [Pause.] I don’t buy these types of items any more.

So when I went to the coast with a friend, we didn’t look at any of the touristy shops. But we did happen upon a thrift shop and each found stuff to buy. I found more sewing supplies. Yes, I don’t need any more, but I got eyes and hooks, twill tape and 10 zippers for $3.35.

I think the seam binding packaging is pretty cute (feels quite patriotic). And I think the zippers are adorable. These five and a half inch long zippers look like they’re made specifically for pouches, as there are stops at both ends of the zipper. I like the metal zipper handle that is so much cuter than the average zipper.

These are the only souvenirs I got at the coast and I think they’re good ones because they’re useful (assuming I use them). It also makes any items I make with them feel a bit more special because I got them on a trip so there’s a memory attached to them. 

Japanese Key Chains

While in Japan, I went through a phase of getting key chains as souvenirs. It was an easy souvenir to get since they're small, sturdy and there was usually a wide variety to choose from. I would get one (or more) at any place I was visiting. I never really thought too deeply about what I would do with them in the future, I just wanted something tangible from the place I was visiting. Basically it was a souvenir for souvenir's sake, as I never actually used any of these key chains. [Sigh.] But some them are interesting to look at:

A Shot Glass of Convenience

When I was a kid, I thought shot glasses were just small cute glasses (like those found in a make-believe tea party; I was too young to know that they were actually for adults taking shots of liquor.) If my parents went out of town for some reason, they would often bring me back a shot glass as a souvenir. Maybe that seems like a strange souvenir for a child, but really it was probably a souvenir of convenience (and certainly not any sort of promotion of underage drinking).

Shot glasses are super easy souvenirs since they can be found at many airport gift shops, they’re fairly inexpensive and there’s a variety to choose from. A good shot glass design should reflect the specialness of the place, whether it’s a particular monument or attraction, symbol, color, idea—just something that shows its personality and how it’s different from other places. It can be a challenge to find an attractive shot glass (since most fall into the bland or ugly category), but a few of my cuter shot glasses are in the photo above.

It’s been years since I got a new shot glass because I just don’t have the need (or the space) for more unnecessary stuff. I admit that if I’m waiting in an airport I might peruse a gift shop and see what they have to offer, but I practically never buy anything. After a while you have less of a desire to collect “evidence” that you went some place (because isn’t a good photo and the memory enough?). Souvenir knickknacks are inevitably items that you’ll probably never use (whether it be shot glasses, key chains, postcards, etc.) and will just inconveniently take up space…even the cute ones.