Gifts to bring to an office in Ukraine from the US?

August 2, 2009 9:38 PM

Gifts to bring to an office in Ukraine from the US?

I am going on a business trip from Boston to Lviv and would like to bring some appropriate gifts--ideally, something American, not too too expensive, and that is hard to get over there. The best would be something that could be enjoyed by everyone in the office, although there is a core group of three people I could just get things for.

What should I bring?

posted by phoenixy to shopping (5 comments total)

I would say a really nice box of chocolates from a local Bostonian chocolatier would be enjoyed by everyone. If there's any sort of more exotic flavor that they may not have over here in eastern Europe (maple sugar? sea salt?), try and include those. Here's a random well-reviewed place on Yelp.
posted by mdonley at 9:45 PM on August 2

Coffee mugs, coffee (ground), candies and tea (herbal) are all pretty standard post-Soviet office gifts.

If you actually know who will be consuming, something more specific would be good, but if this is a general gift, some Celestial Seasonings tea and some local chocolates will be fine.

It is the gesture, not the content.

PS, it is August, so everyone will be on vacation.
posted by k8t at 9:48 PM on August 2

Last trip I took I brought Trader Joe's chocolate.
posted by k8t at 9:54 PM on August 2

I lived in Kiev for two years, and just left back in late Feb of this year. I have to preface this with that because what I'm about to say is going to sound so strange. Starbucks coffee (ground) and Chocolate. The people I worked with had heard of Starbucks, but since it isn't over there yet they were intrigued. Getting a visa to get out of Ukraine and into most countries is still really hard, so bringing whatever the global trend to them instead is appreciated by them.

I hear Lviv id beautiful, but never made it myself. Have fun!
posted by monkey!knife!fight! at 10:27 PM on August 2

mdonley may have picked beacon hill chocolates randomly, but they have delicious chocolates in all kinds of flavors you would never expect (yes sea salt, also balsamic vinegar and olive oil, last I saw). not cheap, though.
posted by whatzit at 3:30 AM on August 3