Souvenir Collecting – A Tale of Two World Travelers

Souvenirs

Who do you think the souvenir collector is?
Two World Travelers, two vastly different ideas on Souvenir collecting. Both of us loved Dubai.

At my house we have The Tale of Two Travelers. One of us (Alex) LOVES gift shops and collects everything. One of us (me) is a more specific souvenir collector and could generally pass on the gift shop.

Because of our differences I have some thoughts on souvenir collecting, specifically how much is too much. 

Alex’s Souvenir Collection

Alex is an Eagle Scout and as homage to his Boy Scout days he buys pins and patches everywhere we go.

Pins

In his office he has hundreds of pins from places all over the world that are sitting in a jar near his desk. To help him display his massive pin collection, my plan is to pop these pins through some dark-colored velvet, place it on a big coffee table and protect it with glass. I’m hoping this display will be tasteful, artistic and memorable.

These are Alex’s pins, they’re stored in a cigar box. I don’t know why.

Patches

Alex also has hundreds of patches from places all over the world. I have no idea what to do with this collection.

I’ve considered making an enormous patch quilt. I worry though that the quilt be too heavy and unusable if it’s weighed down by hundreds of patches.

I’ve considered buying multiple banners and attaching the patches to the banners. However, I’m not sure what to do with a bunch of banners full of patches. It seems like it would be weird to drape them from the ceiling.

To be honest, I’m not sure what the solution is.

The camera zoom lens isn’t wide enough to get all of Alex’s world patches in one photo.

Awesome Replicas

Alex also has also bought dozens of small replicas of places that we’ve visited and statues we’ve seen. These replicas and statues are awesome, but they take up a lot of room. There are so many replicas it’s difficult to know HOW to best display them so they each stand out.

I can’t imagine how much money he has spent on these things.

Emmys and Awards

Near the statues sit the Emmys and dozens of other awards Alex has earned throughout his career. (If it were me the Emmys would be front and center!)

I’d display the awards first, with shiny lights.

Rocks from Around the World . . . and Other Stuff

Alex also has collected rocks from every country he’s been to. They are labeled in black marker and sit near the statues and are surrounded by the many liquor minis and Coke bottles he’s collected from all over the world.

Alex shopped at Michael’s for fine tipped markers of different colors.
Alex isn’t even a drinker. He says the bottles “look cool.”

Nearby is his collection of tickets from planes and train rides and admission to events and museums. 

Some of these might still have money on them.

Casino Chips

On one shelf are stacks of chips from casinos Alex has been to. He says he has to make at least one bet in order to get a chip… he just can’t buy one. This is absolutely a guy thing.

We could probably go out for a nice dinner if Alex would cash these chips in.

Throughout the room is memorabilia he’s collected from covering multiple Olympics.  

Alex has covered five Olympics. So far. I don’t think his home office has room for any more.

National Parks, Baseball Collection and Local Artists

Scattered around the room and between his National Park and baseball collection is a cute art collection, small pictures he’s bought from various artists around the world. These talented artists paint their local tourist sites and sell their art from a chair on the sidewalk.

Here is one of the paintings Alex bought. This one is in Paris and is a little larger than a postcard. I wish he would collect more of these!

And the Pictures!!!

In digital storage Alex has about 30,000 vacation photos that are backed up in three different locations.

Here’s something crazy about the photos. In 2020 I went through 25,000 of our vacation photos to start my Instagram. Only about 2,000 of the photos were usable . . . and keep in mind Alex is a professional photographer.

That means we’re holding onto 23,000 vacation pictures just in case the police need help tracking down a serial killer!

There are currently 66,000+ pictures on Alex’s computer and backed up on hard drives. Zero of them are in photo albums.

Is the Souvenir Collection Too Much?

While fun, does Alex’s travel collection sound like a lot?

Even Alex is starting to think it’s way too much.

A lot of the “treasures” he’s bought along the way are still wrapped up in their original paper bags and stored in various drawers throughout the house.

While recently remodeling his office Alex started to unraveled his travel collection. He ultimately decided it was “kind of overwhelming”. 

I’m wondering if this would make for a good episode of Hoarders.

Kylie’s Souvenir Collection

I also love souvenirs, but what I collect is a bit more specific. 

Christmas Ornaments

Christmas tree ornaments are my favorite souvenirs! I get one from each place we visit.

Every November, right before Thanksgiving, Alex and I put the Christmas Tree up together and we enjoy a yearly wander down Travel Memory Lane. It’s one of my favorite traditions. 

We love putting up our tree! It’s fun to remember our travel journeys.

Meaningful Statues and Trinkets

I’ve collected a few small to medium-sized statues or trinkets of places that I visited . . .  Day of the Dead pieces from Mexico, a one-of-a-kind handmade porcelain heart from Austria, some water and sand from the Jordan River in Israel, a rustic Chichen Itza pyramid. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of my favorites.

The items I choose to display are from places that spoke to me, and I love wandering near my bookshelves and reliving memories of the places the treasures came from.

Trinkets from Mexico, Abu Dhabi, Austria and Spain.

Jewelry is My Favorite Souvenir!

My favorite thing to collect when I travel?

Jewelry!

I buy earrings, necklaces and bracelets everywhere I go, and I try to support local artists when I can. I find costume jewelry to be a good souvenir “investment” because I can wear it every day and it reminds me of the amazing experiences I’ve had.

The earrings I’m wearing today came from Budapest, my wrist full of bracelets came from a glassmaker in Venice and my necklace I found in Amsterdam at a half-off sale.

The only problem with jewelry (especially with my job) is that sometimes it breaks and occasionally something will fall behind a bed or table at a hotel and get left behind (one of my favorite bracelets from Istanbul fell under a bed in Fort Wayne, Indiana and I never got it back, BOO!).

I try not to get too attached, but I lost one of my very favorite earrings in an unfortunate bee-sting incident in 2019 that I’m still upset about. However I’m constantly updating my collection so the broken or lost pieces don’t hurt quite so bad. 

Earrings, necklaces, charms… I love them all!

What Interests You?

Before you jump in and start buying patches, pins, jewelry, rocks or Christmas ornaments, I recommend you do a little research online to see what people buy and how they display it.

If you have an empty wall you’d love to fill up with pictures from all over the world, it would be helpful to see how other people have tastefully accomplished this and copy their ideas.

Perhaps you like our Christmas Tree idea. It’s a lot of fun and I’d recommend it.

Maybe you’ll want to collect larger stand-out statement pieces.

Or you might be like Alex, you love the idea of starting a collection of rocks, patches, pins, mini-liquor and Coke bottles.

It’s okay to collect whatever calls to you, but make a plan on how to display your treasures before it becomes overwhelming. 

Spend Your Money Wisely

I love to buy, and I try really hard to spend my money on things I’ll use.

Our house is decorated with framed old world maps and watercolor paintings I’ve collected from print shops across Europe, some of which were difficult to bring home without causing permanent damage to the paper.

Love our wall art.

I have a set of four votive glass candle holders from Prague, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest and whenever I light them up I remember the fun memories I made in each city.

Candles . . . hard to get home, very much worth the effort!

I have a couple of ceramic ladle holders from Toulon, France that I keep by my stove. Whenever I’m making a sauce and dirty the ladle holder that made the journey across the Atlantic with me, I happily remember our fun experiences in the south of France. 

How cool are these spoon and sponge holders?!?

What Will Make You Smile?

Take some time to consider what will bring you joy.

People collect spoons, bottle openers, thimbles, plates and art work.

Be Cautious of Antiques . . .

Antique collecting is also popular, but be careful what you buy and attempt to bring home. In some countries it’s illegal and considered smuggling to take antique pieces out of the country.

Antiques are awesome. Make sure yours are legal AND allowed to travel with you.

Souvenirs Should Enhance Your Life

I’m not suggesting you go open season on souvenir buying. Take some time and thoughtfully consider what types of items will both enhance your trip and bring you the most joy in your everyday life.

If you decide to create a collection of small items, do a Google search and see how others tastefully display their collections.

For those into photography, four big photos framed nicely tell a better story than a hundred pictures taped or pinned to a wall.

If you love to cook or spend a lot of time in the kitchen, a fun collection of kitchen gadgets from around the world might bring you joy.

Or be like me and wear your travels on your person and become a walking conversation piece. 

I encourage you to make your souvenir collection show-stopping and uncluttered. Do a little research, make a plan and be sure your travel collection enhances your life without bogging you down.

Thanks So Much for Stopping By!

If you enjoy what you’re reading, the kindest thing you could do is Like, Comment, Share and Subscribe. I appreciate your support.

In fact, while you’re here take your time and poke around the site, see if there are any other topics you’re interested in. If you have any questions or see any typos, please let me know!

If you’re wondering what prompted me to share my travel knowledge, check out the About Me section.

I’d love to hear your travel experiences, good and bad. We’ll all be better travelers if we learn from one another. 

The Art of Travel (TAOT) ~ Written by Kylie, a huge thanks to Alex for the awesome photos.

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3 Responses

  1. Cathy Austin says:

    Love! Some people (I won’t mention names) are just getting too old to travel. Please know your sharing of your travels is almost like being there. Many thanks, so much fun!

  2. Monica Howarth says:

    I love this!!

  3. Valene says:

    Beautiful pictures, i can visualize your whole story.
    Thank you for sharing your experience and tips.
    🙏♥️

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