Eight Unusual Souvenirs to Bring Home from the London Olympics

If you headed to London for the 2012 Olympics this year and perusing for the perfect memento to remind you of your adventures beyond the fridge magnet? Here is a list of the more unique keepsakes that you can bring back for yourself or loved ones.

British Brands

Classic Burberry Trench makes a great gift

Those with a taste for luxury will want to stock up on designer brands before you head back home. Iconic British designers like Mulberry, Barbour and Burberry are available from fashion concessions in elite stores like Selfridges and Harrods, so why not indulge yourself with a key accessory or wardrobe staple
that you can wear with anything, to remind you of your London hotel break.

Edible Mementos

Local delicacies make great gifts or tokens of your travels, and Britain has lots of tasty treats to take home. Artisan jams, jellies and preserves, marvellous marmalades, buttery British biscuits and shortbreads, indulgent fudge or rich butterscotch are all non-perishable and will survive a rough ride in your hand-luggage, or alternatively, why not purchase a pre-packed specialty hamper?

A Spot of Tea

A Quintessential London Tea Set

Reminisce about your British adventures over an English-style afternoon tea. Novelty tea sets are ten-a-penny in souvenir shops, with teapots or caddies shaped like London buses, Big Ben, red telephone boxes and other British icons. For those with an eye for style, Wedgewood and Royal Doulton make beautiful bone china tea sets, or you can pick up some vintage porcelain at one of the London markets. Don’t forget a quirky tea cosy to keep your teapot warm!

A Trophy in Tweed

Treat yourself to a bit of traditional attire with some genuine Scottish tweed or tartan. Impress your friends with your dapper dress sense by sporting a distinctive Harris Tweed jacket or a heather-coloured Highland tweed suit. You can even celebrate Scottish heritage with a regional tartan kilt — if you’ve got the
legs to pull it off!

A Bit of British Literature

What better way to relive your UK visit than by losing yourself in a classic British book? Leafing through Dickens will remind you of the streets of London whereas poring over a Brontë novel will bring back fond memories of the rugged landscape of Yorkshire, so be sure to tailor your literary purchase according to
your personal visit.

A Sporty Souvenir

You’ll no doubt want a keepsake that celebrates the sport-fever provoked by the 2012 Olympics. Why not bag yourself a soccer strip from your favorite British team or recreate your own tournament back home with a cricket set? If you’re more a fan of country houses than Olympic sports, take home a lawn croquet set to liven up a summer afternoon stately-home style.

Get your Game on

Best of British, a game for the whole family

Refresh your memory with a British-themed board game that you can play with friends and family. There’s a few to choose from, such as Mind the Gap — based on the London underground, or the Best of British Game, which quizzes you on quintessentially British things. Plus, Monopoly fans will love the British version,
with its well-known London streets and landmarks.

The Gift of Giving

A green gift will cut down on your excess baggage and reduce your carbon footprint, as well as giving you that warm and fuzzy philanthropy feeling. The National Trust offers affordable gifts such as donations towards saving the endangered honeybee or red squirrel, the opportunity to have bulbs planted in
your honor or the chance to fund a valuable painting restoration. This kind of gift is ideal for nature lovers, eco-enthusiasts or culture-vultures, and it’s a great way of giving back after your enjoyable stay.

Written by Show and Stay, the specialists of West End theater breaks.