Present ideas for friends in the US

[vrdiver]

Ob serious answer: some folk have phobias, and some cultures just think it's a bad idea. I'm one of the former, thanks to having been stabbed with an 11 inch carving knife in the past.

Ouch!

Mrs VRD was quite keen on a "knife block" in the kitchen. I rejected it on the grounds that they are a burglar's armoury; after all, who wouldn't pick up a knife that was out on display when going about their burglaring?

Folklore has it that giving a knife as a wedding present could cut the marriage ties. If anybody can get a research grant, I'm sure the data is out there to correlate wedding gifts and divorces

VRD

[bungeejumper]

Folklore has it that giving a knife as a wedding present could cut the marriage ties. If anybody can get a research grant, I'm sure the data is out there to correlate wedding gifts and divorces

Quite so. There must be thousands of ex-husbands out there who bear the permanent scars from a well-wielded hostess trolley, or the lacerations from the business end of a cutesy commemorative stainless steel carving tray. At least my wife had the good taste to fell her cheating ex with an antique Italian crystal chandelier.

BJ

[malkymoo]

What's the superstition about giving a knife?

The superstition is that It is bad luck to make a gift of a knife or scissors, however it is ok if the receiver makes a nominal payment such as a penny, so that it is no longer a gift.

Similarly, it is bad luck to make a gift of an empty purse, the giver should put a small coin in it.

[Urbandreamer]

Folklore has it that giving a knife as a wedding present could cut the marriage ties. If anybody can get a research grant, I'm sure the data is out there to correlate wedding gifts and divorces

VRD

I suspect that there might be a correlation, but not causation. After all the number of butter/margerine knives would distort the result as everyone knows that the cause is margerine.
http://tylervigen.com/view_correlation?id=1703

Seriously and off topic, but I got what I considered a strange reaction giving one of these as a Xmas present.
https://the-gadgeteer.com/2011/11/28/na ... it-review/
Presumably for the reasons that malkymoo says.

It was the connection with Sheffield that caused me to suggest a Sheffield made knife on this thread.

[UncleEbenezer]

Similarly, it is bad luck to make a gift of an empty purse, the giver should put a small coin in it.

Does that extend to prize draws and the like where there's a big prize or two, then lots of worthless consolation prizes like (empty) wallets?

[sunnyjoe]

Similarly, it is bad luck to make a gift of an empty purse, the giver should put a small coin in it.

Mrs Sunny once bought a purse from a posh purse emporium and, on returning home, discovered it contained a £50 note. We speculated that the purse had been an unwanted gift which was returned to the shop and restocked without anyone opening it. As Mrs Sunny is very honest, she returned to the shop where the staff offered to take the cash into custody in case its original owner reclaimed it. However Mrs S explained that she would keep it safe and provided her contact details in case they should be needed.

[Slarti]

We're off to America next week (St Louis). We're staying with a couple of families who we hosted on trips they made to the UK over the past few years and I'm trying to think of interesting little gifts we can take with us. Can anyone suggest any ideas.
The obvious ones are things like Cadbury's chocolate and t-shirts, but I'm trying to think of something a bit more quirky.

I think the days are gone now where there are things that you just can't buy, as the likes of Amazon and other options on the internet mean you can buy even the most unusual things.

I'm originally from Sheffield so will be taking along a bottle of Henderson's Relish, but that's a suitable gift for most people anywhere given the lack of availability of the stuff outside Sheffield!

Anyone got any ideas?

This is what an American lady and her sons took home from a recent visit to the UK
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAzis2hVUAAeE17.jpg

Slarti

[servodude]

We're off to America next week (St Louis). We're staying with a couple of families who we hosted on trips they made to the UK over the past few years and I'm trying to think of interesting little gifts we can take with us. Can anyone suggest any ideas.
The obvious ones are things like Cadbury's chocolate and t-shirts, but I'm trying to think of something a bit more quirky.

I think the days are gone now where there are things that you just can't buy, as the likes of Amazon and other options on the internet mean you can buy even the most unusual things.

I'm originally from Sheffield so will be taking along a bottle of Henderson's Relish, but that's a suitable gift for most people anywhere given the lack of availability of the stuff outside Sheffield!

Anyone got any ideas?

This is what an American lady and her sons took home from a recent visit to the UK
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EAzis2hVUAAeE17.jpg

Slarti

I hope they managed to get the kinder egg through without getting caught!
- risky business smuggling dangerous contraband
https://komonews.com/news/offbeat/seatt ... 11-21-2015

- sd

[Slarti]

I hope they managed to get the kinder egg through without getting caught!
- risky business smuggling dangerous contraband
https://komonews.com/news/offbeat/seatt ... 11-21-2015

Yes, they did, as the photo was taken at home.

Though I do seem to recall hearing that there was a change made to that silly rule a year or so ago.

Slarti

[Leothebear]

In the light of recent events, may I suggest a bullet proof vest?