Present for an emigrating friend: UK-Australia

November 14, 2005 4:49 AM

What present do I buy a friend who is getting married and emigrating to Australia?

A close friend who I've known for close to 20 years is getting married and emigrating to Australia. I'd like to buy him and his future wife something unique. Any ideas?

posted by porktrap to shopping (17 comments total)

"Australia" or "emigration" probably aren't great hooks to hang a wedding present on. What else can you tell us about them?
posted by Leon at 5:05 AM on November 14, 2005

Do they have a gift registry? This might inspire you to do something different and unique.
posted by Rothko at 5:14 AM on November 14, 2005

A helmet, for protection against the Drop Bears.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:28 AM on November 14, 2005

as an ex-pat, one thing i might not appreciate so much at the time, but would worship you for later, is a yearly(?) package containing the foods i miss (in my case: bird's custard; decent bacon; good tomato chutney; cadbury's creme eggs).

i don't know exactly how you would work it, though. maybe get some certificates for "emergency shipment request" printed, that you can hand over at the time, and which they can "fill in" (obviously you can just send things anyway, but that gives you something to give on the day).

not sure i'd do it myself - it seems a bit cheap/odd, maybe - but if you kept your word a few years down the line, it would be a wonderful present (you also need to worry about customs etc).
posted by andrew cooke at 5:32 AM on November 14, 2005

If you go with "foods you miss" find a web site that will sell and ship the foods and buy a gift certificate. The difference is that while I would use a gift certificate (already paid for, after all), I would never call a friend and say "Hey, why don't you go out and buy me candy and then pay an arm and a leg to ship it to me."

Not much of a wedding present, but as an emigration present, how about a magazine subscription for a news magazine from their native country?
posted by duck at 6:31 AM on November 14, 2005

Is there a house already set up in Australia? If not, they'll need some new stuff down there - why not have it shipped so they don't have to deal with transporting it themselves? Or set them up with Skype beforehand with some tutorials...
posted by barnone at 7:40 AM on November 14, 2005

What about a subscription to the New York Times Sunday edition or other American publications? May not be as comforting as tomato chutney, though...
posted by rossination at 8:58 AM on November 14, 2005

A copy of Bill Bryson's book, In a Sunburned Country.

Not the best present, but very informative and funny.
posted by UncleHornHead at 9:25 AM on November 14, 2005

well, you could always ask them what they want...

If they are emigrating soon, I'd shy away from giving them things. It costs a lot to ship things across the world, and my guess is that they are trying to get rid of a lot of things anyway.

How about giving them a service? Perhaps a gift certificate for massage, or a day spa package for her (if she's into that sort of thing)?

My husband and I are in the midst of getting resident visas for New Zealand, and if my best buddy were to offer to help out the all the associated immigration costs and application fees and migrant levies and postage and blahblahblah, I would think, "wow, what a unique, thoughtful, and absolutely appreciated gift this is!"
posted by luneray at 9:43 AM on November 14, 2005

Buy them a boomerang and write "Hope You Come Back" on it.
posted by gfrobe at 10:01 AM on November 14, 2005

As an expat Aussie (soon to be a repat), it makes a huge difference to have a network of people to drop into on the other end.

You don't say if his fiancee is Australian -- if so, this advice isn't necessary. If neither of them have a network there though, then if you can alert your online friends to their coming, and organise some kind of "welcome to Oz" bash, then that'd be a great way to start off in a new country.
posted by 5MeoCMP at 10:18 AM on November 14, 2005

I was in a similar situation. I bought them one night of their honeymoon, and that seemed to make them happy. If they don't have a honeymoon planned, perhaps you could book them a night at a bed and breakfast somewhere lovely after they arrive.
posted by equipoise at 3:48 PM on November 14, 2005

Fly Spray.
posted by gergtreble at 8:19 PM on November 14, 2005

Sunscreen!

A good city guidebook to wherever they are moving, to help them find good restaurants, clubs, theatres etc.
posted by tomble at 8:31 PM on November 14, 2005

I second what andrew cooke and equipoise are suggesting.* Tell us where your friends are heading, and we can come up with a killer suggestion (for honeymoon, good meal, getaway, wine, massages, whatever). There are an awful lot of us MeFites who are well-connected Down Under....
*Oh, and luneray? Nice try!
posted by rob511 at 6:59 PM on November 15, 2005

More info about this dude: he's into motorbikes, he like his beer, he's got a great sense of humour, he is a large guy about 230 pounds and 6' 4", he's an engineer, he has two older brothers but no sisters, he into computers ....
posted by porktrap at 4:41 AM on November 16, 2005

Oh and he's moving fairly close to Melbourne
posted by porktrap at 10:42 AM on November 16, 2005