A stray dog desparately in need of help.
You can actually buy these! I found some in a vending machine on the way to Taichung…
$500 NT each and they come in a huge plastic ball (about the size of a grapefruit)
I love Taiwan 
These guys piesay.com/index.htm have some nice uniquely Taiwanese T-Shirts. I have some of them and they’re really nice. The folks back home also liked them.
You can actually buy these! I found some in a vending machine on the way to Taichung…
$500 NT each and they come in a huge plastic ball (about the size of a grapefruit)
I love Taiwan [/quote]
Do they fight if ou put them in the mud or large quantities of Jell-O? I’m sure some people would love that…
Betel Nut Beauties with New Hair-Pulling and Bitch-Slapping Action!
I’m sure some forumosans would appreciate it even more if they came in a blow-up doll form…
Anywho, back on topic…
Any souvenir in the shape of Taiwan seems a little, no offense anyone, tacky. Why not get them something that is a more culture-oriented souvenir? I take it these guys are professionals so cheap gifts, keychains et all, would be a little a propos. A book of Chinese poetry with traditional calligraphy, a nice Chinese watercolor art print, or a small crystal piece of art from someplace like Liuligongfang would be a much more memorable souvenir. Chops make nice gifts. Even a nice set of embroidered dinner settings with matching chopsticks would be good.
Ghost money is always popular.
I book?
I don’t know if there is any pucture-book called “Taiwan”, but it should be.
If not, ask your bloody boss to get it himself.
Signed,
BOSS
Blue slippers and a package of beetlnut.
There are little name chops made in Penghu out of a kind of marble-like stuff (i.e.“marble”) that only exists in Penghu and somewhere in Italy (!?) I am told. I remember hearing something about it being volcanic or something. Anyway it is unusual looking stuff. They are rather nice and are I suppose uniquely Taiwanese in that the material only comes from Taiwan. You can get the recipients’ Chinese names carved in them.
NB. I could be completely wrong obviously. What about little talking figurines of whichever comedians are up for election at the moment? Remember the talking Ah Bians and Lien Chans they had last election?
ImaniOU, Lord Lucan, thanks for those suggestions. I don’t know about the OP, but I’ll definitely use them.
How about that souvenier I brought from Croatia that had the Croatian flag on it, but the packaging had a “Made in Taiwan” sticker on it?
A picture book called “Taiwan beetle-nut beauties”. 3 languagues inside. Made by a Belgian guy called Boris Artemieff. Must be around 800-1200 TWD. Not vulgair or too explicit.
There is simply nothing more “Unique and Taiwanese” than that…
[quote=“Lord Lucan”]There are little name chops made in Penghu out of a kind of marble-like stuff (i.e.“marble”) that only exists in Penghu and somewhere in Italy (!?) I am told. I remember hearing something about it being volcanic or something. Anyway it is unusual looking stuff. They are rather nice and are I suppose uniquely Taiwanese in that the material only comes from Taiwan. You can get the recipients’ Chinese names carved in them.
NB. I could be completely wrong obviously. What about little talking figurines of whichever comedians are up for election at the moment? Remember the talking Ah Bians and Lien Chans they had last election?[/quote]
That’s right, its black, right? Shit, i have a cool one of those somewhere.
I quite like those Hakka raincoats and hats made from straw.
HG
Take them out to Carnegies on a wed night and then give them a Carnegies Mug with 台北 on it.
Good ideas there.
Good ideas there.[/quote]
Yeah, but now I’ve run out of ideas for Christmas presents since I’ve given all of these things in the past. I didn’t include the prayer bead bracelets, jade band bracelet for my granmother, kaoliang for her husband (he’s not very appreciative of gifts but has a nice bar in the basement so people usually just give him liquor every year), chipao dresses for the niece with matching hand-embroidered slippers, a pajama set with hat for the nephew, handmade aborigine toys for the kids, traditional candies in flavors like green tea and sesame for the neighbors, and personalized scrolls where I gave every adult in my immediate family (from my grandmother and stepgrandfather to my 7 aunts and uncles, my siblings, their s.o.'s, my parents, and older cousin and her now ex-husband) their own Chinese names and then painted them onto red paper with a black inkbrush with the translation in gold ink…that took a few months to complete. I’ve even done the coffee table book route.
Anyone got any ideas for me for memorable souvenirs for my family with this being my last Christmas in Taiwan (for a while?)?
[quote=“ImaniOU”]
Anyone got any ideas for me for memorable souvenirs for my family with this being my last Christmas in Taiwan (for a while?)?[/quote]
ImaniOU, I feel so guilty, taking all these great ideas from you and I’ve got nothing for you… If I think of anything, I’ll definitely let you know. When are you going home?
Are funny gifts ok, too? In that case you can find T-shirts with (unintentionally) funny Chinglish at night markets and street vendors.
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination…
Dear all,
Once again, thank you for your suggestions. I know these ideas have helped me and others.
For the record: my boss is really nice and helpful, it is just that he really wants to make a good impression on these colleagues from overseas.
There are some really elegant and nice liquor bottles available for a few hundred NTs. Unfortunately, I think that current safety restrictions prevent taking liquids over 5 oz. on the plane, am I right?
The picture books available are fantastic. We have included a pack of tea and a lovely Taiwan appointment diary - with quite nice pictures actually- in the welcoming package.
While looking for the gift items I found some pretty nice wall calendars, one with traditional Taiwanese agricultural items and other with cartoons of traditional celebrations, only 100 NTs each. Those I’m taking home as gifts. I’m also taking key chains with Chinese watercolor paintings and also some in metal, quite cool actually. I am taking a couple of mechanic “dancing lions” for the kids, too. So, this search has proven quite productive for me. 
I found some appointment diaries that resemble old style doors -made out of fabric and with a wooden lock -, other with nice watercolors and pictures of antiques on each page, and various with different picture themes. They make nice gifts to send by mail, I think.
[quote=“Icon”]There are some really elegant and nice liquor bottles available for a few hundred NTs. Unfortunately, I think that current safety restrictions prevent taking liquids over 5 oz. on the plane, am I right?[/quote]That’s just for hand baggage, isn’t it? I think checking liquids into hold baggage is alright, though of course they need to be packed well. It might be worthwhile checking customs regulations for the various countries. I think most places allow you to bring in at least a bottle of wine while still going through the green channel, but it’s worth checking.
[quote=“tash”][quote=“ImaniOU”]
Anyone got any ideas for me for memorable souvenirs for my family with this being my last Christmas in Taiwan (for a while?)?[/quote]
ImaniOU, I feel so guilty, taking all these great ideas from you and I’ve got nothing for you… If I think of anything, I’ll definitely let you know. When are you going home?
Are funny gifts ok, too? In that case you can find T-shirts with (unintentionally) funny Chinglish at night markets and street vendors.[/quote]
teehee, I bought some chinglish shirts for my sisters a few weeks ago that were too funny to pass up. One shirt says “hamburg friend” and has a picture of fries on it 
What about chinese slippers or fans with calligraphy on it? How about getting those mugs from Yingge that they can personalize (i.e., put your name on it)? I found some tea cups with a dragon design that come in this nice box. It includes the cup, lid, strainer. Other stuff that I got includes some chinese style paintings, chinese theatre puppets, & lanterns. I also like to go to this super cheap store in the Taipei city mall that has all these little coin purses and mirrors for 20 NT each.
You can take as many bottles (volume 3 oz or less) as you can fit in a transparent one quart-sized bag with carry-on onto any plane heading to the US. Other liquids can be packed in the checked luggage. Dunno about the UK.