Bearing gifts

 I'm heading off to the UK soon, to visit my family.  The last time I was in England was March of 2020 and we all know what happened then! Consequently, I haven't seen my sister in four years. Since my last visit, we have several new family members whom I hope to meet. I am buying gifts for all the littles and I have found it is very difficult to find things that are 1) Typically American  2) Not made in China, 3) Not widely available in the UK. I went to Lake Geneva, which is a popular tourist destination, busy even on a Monday in April!  There was a lot of cute stuff, and I did find some gifts. I checked the origin on each item and found that much of it was made in China (cheap-ish items) or South America (for the higher priced items).  Then I tried the Mars Cheese Castle, which is as Wisconsin as it comes but also heavily reliant on mass produced items, many made in China. My remedy was to look to local small businesses. 

I loaded up on locally made artisan lotions and soaps. They are made from goats milk and I actually met the goat, with her adorable triplets. I had some personalized gifts made by a local print shop, and, when all else failed, yes, I did turn to Amazon. Now my case is full of gifts and I have to figure out how to get in some clothes!  At least it will leave lots of room for bringing stuff home.

After so many years in the United States, much of what I used to bring home from Britain is now available locally or on Amazon. I get my English tea bags from Amazon and my favorite cookies from the local grocery store. The same goes for taking gifts to the family. For example, Bisquick pancake mix used to be a coveted item but it's now available in Britain. A lot has changed in the 47 years that I have lived away from my homeland. When I was first married and living in California, I remember calling my mother at 3am because of the time difference and the "cheap" overnight rates of only $1 per minute! Now I can use my cell phone anywhere in the world and video chat with family and friends on Facebook or Zoom.

So connection is easier these days but we still have to make the time for it.  It's been 12 years since I took a solo trip home and I admit to a little trepidation about the long trip alone.  I'm looking forward to seeing as many family and friends as I can and eating my favorite foods. My gifts were chosen with love and my cameras are packed. It's time to put my shiny new passport to good use!