Everybody loves to give gifts, but many more people love to receive gifts.

One of the lovely traditions of staying in someone's home is to give them gifts,

as a way of saying "Thank you for letting me stay."

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In homestay situations, gift-giving can be done in many different ways. For example, you might find gifts in your room when you first arrive, or your Host Family may give them to you after you have unpacked and settled in. Some Host Families like to buy their Homestay gifts throughout the duration of their stay as a way of remembering the various activities that they have done. Other families like to give farewell gifts when their Homestay is leaving.

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When should you give your Host Family their gifts?

We suggest you give them your gifts on the first day you arrive. Meal times are usually best for this, as everyone is present and you can talk about the gifts, making conversation easier.

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How many gifts should I take?

If you are doing Homestay through a company you should be given a brief introduction of your Host Family, including how many members there are, whether they are male or female, and their ages. Using this information we suggest buying a minimum of 1 item for each Adult member, and 2 items for each child under 18 years of age.

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What should I give?

For both adults and children, we suggest taking some traditional items that represent your home country. Some of these might include chopsticks, soft toys, and tea towels. We also recommend taking some traditional, popular food for your family to try. Fresh produce is not allowed to enter Australia but store-bought lollies and confectionary are popular, especially among children. Some of these might include lollies, gummies, chips, traditional desserts etc.

Any gifts that can be eaten or used are usually the best gifts to give.

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If you are able to message your Host Family before you arrive, you can ask them if there is anything in particular they might like as a gift. (I am planning on giving you a "Thank You Gift" upon my arrival. Is there anything in particular you would like as a gift from my country?) For example, many people who have been to Japan enjoy Japanese sweets or their instant noodles. Some people might ask for nice soaps or hand cream etc. 

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What shouldn't I take?

As mentioned above, you should not bring in anything fresh. All food items must be store-bought and commercially wrapped. Also, not many families can eat hot or extremely sweet foods. Anything that has a short expiration date should also be avoided. 

The Australian climate in general, is very hot so wherever possible try to limit the amount of chocolate, as it can melt quite quickly. Also, we suggest staying away from giving people coffee cups. People in Australia, as in most countries, usually already have quite a large collection of coffee cups and mugs, and your gift is likely to end up at the bottom of the cupboard.

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Extra Gift Ideas

Sometimes people like to give gifts that have nothing to do with their country, but which they know their Host Family will love. Below we have compiled a collection of products that we have found to be popular, we would love to receive, or we have enjoyed receiving from our homestay guests.

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