We asked the experts, and here’s what they advised.

I

n March, I flew from Chicago to Kenya with a tiny cold. I felt great on the plane, but thanks to my stuffy nose, my ears just wouldn’t pop when I landed for both my layovers or for the final flight to Kenya. When I got off the flight, I couldn’t hear out of my right ear at all—it was completely closed off. I had to turn my head every time I talked to someone, so I could hear them. And the pressure. It was wild.

Being an anxiety-prone traveler, I panicked on day three. My thoughts turned to the truly ridiculous: What if my hearing never came back? Did I damage my ear canal by traveling with a cold? But overall, I wanted to know what I could do to relieve the pressure and get my hearing back.

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If you have ever experienced this same issue, I’m here to help. Adrian Lister, a clinically trained audiologist and co-founder of AlliedVirtualCare, an organization that works with seniors with hearing loss, talked me through all my concerns to help you out.

Is it dangerous if your ears don’t pop?

It’s generally not dangerous if your ears won’t pop, Lister says. So, you don’t need to panic like I did.

Another piece of standard advice—plugging your nose and trying to force air out—is something you definitely shouldn’t do.

“Your middle ear is an enclosed space that has a tube leading to your throat called a eustachian tube,” he explained. “If that tube functions properly, then the pressure in your middle ear matches the air pressure around you. Sometimes that tube can get congested or gently compressed by usual movement, and when you move your jaw or swallow, it reopens the tube, and the air moving gives you that popping feeling.”

But if it doesn’t pop, it hasn’t for a reason—to protect your hearing. That’s why it’s important not to force your ears to pop. The pressure and feeling of it is uncomfortable and annoying, but rapidly changing the pressure on your eardrum can cause worse issues than just not being able to hear for a few days.

Can it cause hearing damage if your ears don’t pop?

That’s a big nope, thankfully. If your ears don’t pop, your eustachian tube is actually doing the job it’s meant to do, especially if your ear is clogged from a cold or allergies. When you’re sick in that way, fluid can enter your middle ear.

 Matej Kastelic/Shutterstock

“The fluid absorbs a lot of the sound traveling through the auditory system and can make sounds seem quieter or can feel uncomfortable,” Lister says, noting it can also be pretty painful if the fluid gets infected—something that’s common with young children. “It is rare for this issue to cause a permanent hearing difference.”

Your eustachian tube is basically keeping the pressure in your inner ear stable, protecting it from any damage.

What can I do to pop my ears?

Here’s where all the traditional advice comes in. While you’re on the plane, try chewing some gum to get your ear to pop. You can also try yawning, opening and closing your mouth exaggeratedly, and trying a hot or cold drink. Another piece of standard advice—plugging your nose and trying to force air out—is something you definitely shouldn’t do. As Lister explains, that can make the problem worse or quickly lead to a ruptured eardrum. You should also steer clear of “cotton swabs, ear candles, and essential oils,” Lister adds, because they “can cause serious damage to the outer and middle ear.”

Help! What if the traditional methods aren’t working?!

So, you’ve yawned and chewed and opened your mouth so much that your jaw hurts, and your ear still hasn’t popped. What do you do now? There’s a secret weapon: decongestants. You can get some over the counter, or your audiologist can prescribe some. It will help clear up any congestion in your sinuses, which will change the pressure in your ear and help the ears to pop so they can normalize the pressure with the outside air, explains Lister.

As for me, I didn’t have access to my doctor or decongestants in the Kenyan bush. So, I took it upon myself to fix the problem. On day three, I finally got my ear to pop. The night before, I slept with a pillow pushed against my ear. And in the morning, I went on a game drive in the Maasai Mara and turned my ear into the wind blowing heavily onto my face, hoping it would kind of manually force open my eustachian tube, and finally: pop! A very painful pop, I might add, with some painful crackling noises lasting for the next full day. So maybe don’t use my method.

 
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D
dennismills9460 August 17, 2022
 | 
 

Ipurchased this one year when i had ear issues

https://www.eustachiunclogsears.com

S
SteelyDeb July 27, 2022
 | 
 

1)Flonase nasal spray into each nostril
2) Decongestant (Sudafed)
For chronic sufferers like myself who can never get their ears to pop, the ENT instructed me to do this regimen 2 hours pre-flight.  It works like a charm. It will also help after a flight for occasional fluid in the inner ears.

 
 
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10 Baking Books You’ll Want to Gift This Holiday Season

Light the oven and pour the drinks—the holidays are here, and it’s time to get baking!

They say the smell of freshly baked cookies or bread helps to sell a house, and for good reason—nothing screams complete comfort and heartwarming happiness more than delicious baked goods hitting your belly! As winter sets in and temperatures drop, firing up the oven is one of the coziest ways to pass the darker days without resorting to hibernation, and the holidays bring plenty of opportunity for hosting revelers who are surely expecting some cake and cookies. To help you with all of your holiday parties, from hosting to gifting, and to keep you thriving until spring blooms again, we’ve rounded up the best baking cookbooks from both time-tested bakers and exciting newcomers determined to keep your kitchen cranking out the goods all winter long.

 
1 OF 10

'Sheet Pan Sweets'

The holidays can be stressful enough, so we’ll start with a time-saving super-guide, Sheet Pan Sweets, from sheet pan star Molly Gilbert, who revolutionized home cooking with this technique in 2014. The 80 recipes in this colorful guide generally cook faster and more evenly, cool faster, and allow you to whip up bigger batches of your favorite baked goods to entertain more guests with less time spent, often on a single sheet pan. It’s hard to imagine a greater gift you can give yourself, or your favorite host, this time of year than Gilbert’s user-friendly sheet pan guide to sheet cakes, cookies, rolled cakes, pies, and even breads.

 
2 OF 10

'Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking'

Beloved for her charming Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia, Cheryl Day says baking is at the heart of every Southern meal and, in some ways, exemplifies the very tradition of Southern hospitality itself. If this is true, there are few better ways to master these techniques than by poring over the pages of Cheryl Day’s Treasury of Southern Baking. Before diving into chapters ranging from Grits and Grains to Hot Breads and Crackers, you’ll want to spend some time becoming as intimately acquainted as possible with Day’s ten Southern Baking Rules. We won’t say they’re the new ten commandments of Southern baking, but we won’t say they’re not, either.

 
3 OF 10

'Baking for Breakfast'

Also from Cheryl Day, along with her husband and co-owner of Back in the Day Bakery, Griffith Day, Baking for Breakfast is the perfect hostess gift, stocking stuffer, or little token of thanks to almost anyone. It’s especially ideal if you’re staying with family and friends overnight this season and angling for a beautiful morning spread! Kidding. Kinda. Don’t be fooled by the pint-size packaging of this little hardcover: It’s filled with 33 recipes that will fill your table from your first raspberry corn muffin through your tomato and chive tart, and all the way up to the last cinnamon sticky bun you’ll grab to-go as you get up after gorging.

 
4 OF 10

'Simply Vegan Baking'

If you’re a fan of Netflix’s The Great British Baking Show, you’ll surely remember Freya Cox as not just the show’s youngest contestant, but also the first vegan contestant. In Simply Vegan Baking, Cox answers everything from the simple question of what to use instead of eggs to the more complex concerns of how to work with ingredients like aquafaba, making vegan baking accessible to anyone interested. Less a manifesto and more a friendly, outstretched hand, this cheerful cookbook is all about sharing the possibilities of baking vegan for yourself or anyone you might be hosting this season or beyond. The bonus Extras appendix of vegan jams, buttercreams, and curds is reason enough to dive into this animal-free primer.

 
5 OF 10

'Savory Baking'

Baking instantly conjures notions of irresistible cookies and decadent cakes, but let’s not forget the savory side of this wide spectrum, where quiches, pizzas, and breads reside. In Savory Baking, best-selling cookbook author Erin Jeanne McDowell delivers more than 100 recipes to bake your way through every meal of the day, with plenty of snacking between. While baking is often a by-the-numbers endeavor with strict measurements and precise techniques, Savory Baking opens the door to personalization with plenty of options for variation through substitutions, additions, and creative presentation flexibility. Don’t worry, there are still a handful of sweeter recipes sprinkled throughout for those who can’t navigate a whole day without at least a hint of sugar!

 
6 OF 10

'Everyone Can Bake'

If you love the idea of baking but have been too afraid to give it a go, now’s your chance. In Everyone Can Bake, master of the croissant and 2017 World’s Best Baker award winner, Dominique Ansel (you may know him best as the inventor of the Cronut), offers a comprehensive class on mastering the art of elegant baking. Divided into chapters of Bases, Fillings, and Finishings, Ansel presents his foundational recipes for all the basics that can then be combined into further, more elaborate desserts, all conveniently mapped on a handy chart. A final chapter on Assembly & Techniques will have you preparing Instagram-worthy creations as picture-perfect as the pastries at his newest bakery at Caesar’s Palace, which just opened in October.

 
7 OF 10

'Middle Eastern Sweets'

European baking may have the classic cookbook market cornered, but modern sensibilities and cravings are opening eyes and mouths to the traditions of other cultures. Middle Eastern Sweets brings the tantalizing scents of rose, hibiscus, and orange blossom to your home kitchen with dozens and dozens of dessert recipes from Lebanese chef Salma Hage who combines recipes from her own heritage with those of the surrounding region, adding some bonus fusions from European influence. From baklavas to bread, it’s not all baking in this one, but you’ll find more than enough recipes to keep your oven warm as you eat and drink your way through the most scrumptiously sweet recipes from the Middle East.

 
8 OF 10

'Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook'

Finding a person more symbolic of the entire realm of hospitality than Martha Stewart is a tall task, so don’t bother. Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook offers the reassuring embrace you need to prepare something soul-warming from among more than 200 recipes in this 2005 classic. Sure, it’s nothing groundbreaking, but sometimes only the classics will do, and that’s what we all want from Martha, isn’t it?  Popovers, pies, cakes, and croissants, it’s all here with step-by-step photo guidance from the undisputed queen of the kitchen, complete with the tips and tricks you’ll need for easy prep, perfect presentation, and proper storage. In her hallmark style, Stewart leaves no detail unaddressed within these pages.

 
9 OF 10

'Evolutions in Bread'

Whether or not you ever baked bread before 2020, you’ve certainly encountered sourdough starters at some point since, even if only on social media. You may even still have yours snoozing in the fridge. While you won’t find sourdough recipes listed in Evolutions in Bread, they’re there—they’re just referred to as levains in this one, and they’re an integral part of the package. Designed for both beginners and pros, you’ll find an extensive collection from same-day breads to multi-day loaves, but not before a full 75 pages of background and education that will bring you up to speed on modern bread baking. It sounds like a lot, but don’t be daunted: This is truly a book for every home baker, and is specifically designed to make the process easier for you.

 

 
10 OF 10

'Gâteau'

There’s no more systematic culinary tradition than that of the French, but Aleksandra Crapanzano says French cakes are deceptively simple creations and share the fundamentals with all of us in Gâteaudesigned to bring some of that French savoir-faire to American tables. While the recipes are serious and many, the mood is every bit as playful and enchanting as the Paris afternoon of your frilliest fantasies, best encapsulated by Crapanzano’s early admission that the key to French cuisine rest in the spirited ethos, “When in doubt, add a splash,” (of booze, if you’re not following along). Working your way from cover to cover, the recipes increase in complexity, but they’re all designed to prove just how intuitive French baking can be once you get started.

 
 
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You’ll Savor Every Crumb In This Delightful and Dead Simple Cookbook

 

Jessie Sheehan, author of November's Book Club pick, 'Snackable Bakes,' sits down with us for a little sweet talk.

You could describe Jessie Sheehan and her deliciously divine bakes the same way—joyful, over the top, and completely delightful. A bout of excitement and infectious energy, her playful social media presence over the pandemic made many fall in love with her (and her sweet treats.) Living the sweet life (don’t worry, this piece contains puns ‘a plenty) in her Red Hook, Brooklyn, apartment with her family, she’s an actress turned lawyer turned professional baker, recipe tester, and recipe developer. It’s her many titles, can-do attitude, and approachable, laid-back vibe that have influenced her latest cookbook, a perfect pick for the harried hustle of the holidays.

Snackable Bakes made the cut for our November Book Club pick, because, let’s face it, this time of year is painful enough—so let’s make the treats simple and delicious. But wait, back up a little…wtf is a “snackable bake”?

Jessie defines them as “easy, peasy” type recipes that rely heavily on pantry staples and minimize prep and dishes. Like her Orange Buttermilk Olive Oil Morning Muffins or her Salty Snack Fudge (hello, potato chips as an ingredient!). There are big, beautiful pictures to accompany every recipe, subs and swaps galore, and everything feels easy and approachable. As our Lord and Savior Ina Garten once said, “Now how easy is that?”

 Countryman Press

Jessie also did us the pleasure of being a bit of a holiday helper over on our Instagram. Catch us making her Cranberry Vanilla Breakfast Buckle and answering your holiday baking 911s.

Learn more about Jessie’s resume, her favorite holiday travel destination, and what recipes from Snackable Bakes we should devour this season.

FODOR’S BOOK CLUBWant to read more interviews like this? Make sure you’re signed up for Fodor’s Book Club. You’ll be reading our monthly picks alongside thousands of Fodor’s readers, be entered into exclusive giveaways and contests, and get more fun book-related content delivered straight to your inbox.

FODOR’S: What do you think is the biggest mistake people make when baking?

JESSIE SHEEHAN: I think people tend to mismeasure their flour when they are measuring by volume, rather than weight. There are several different ways to measure flour. Some people use a spoon to fill a measuring cup, some people fluff and scoop to fill one, and some people don’t fluff at all (the horror). Each technique results in a different amount. Because baking requires precision, adding even a little too much or not adding quite enough can negatively impact the final product. In short, though I hate to encourage the purchase of additional kitchen items, a scale can dramatically improve your baking.

The other biggest mistake (because I believe there are two) is that people are baking in ovens that are not properly calibrated, meaning they are either running too hot or too cold. When an oven is too hot, cakes overbake and are dry, and cookies burn. And when it is too cold, the outside of a baked good might look perfect, but the inside is often raw. Bottom line: buy an oven thermometer.

The third biggest mistake (sorry, I realized there are three) is that people overmix their batters and doughs. Once flour is added, the key is to use a gentle touch either with your spatula if you are mixing by hand or by lowering the speed on your mixer.

What three ingredients do you think people should always have on hand for baking besides the obvious (sugar, flour, etc.)?

I think sour cream is the most wonderful addition to cakes and even to biscuits and scones and muffins. I love the tang and richness it imparts, and you can often substitute it for milk in a recipe.

I think it is nice to have some bread flour on hand because you can substitute it for some of the all-purpose flour in your cookie recipe, resulting in the chewiest of textures.

I adore sweetened condensed milk and like to add it to my Rice Krispies Treats and coconut macaroons, and it is essential when making no-churn ice cream. It lasts forever, so can be kept in the kitchen cabinet for a long time.

Oh, and I also love heavy cream because I am extra and love adding additional fat and richness to my bakes (sorry haters).

Do you have any early baking memories?

I don’t have early baking memories—unless you count my late 30s as “early”—but I have lots of early sweets-eating memories. There weren’t a lot of from-scratch bakers in my childhood orbit, but my paternal grandmother did make the most delicious tiny little crispy Tollhouse Cookies (and I can’t even believe I’m writing that, as I am team jumbo or go home, and I hate crispy cookies), as well as an incredible lemon sheet cake that I learned as an adult was actually from a box (rather than be disappointed, it was an “aha” moment, as I realized that that must be where my deep affinity for cakes from a mix was born). In addition to these “homemade” items, I also remember with the deepest of affection Double Stuf Oreos, Drake’s Devil Dogs, and Pepperidge Farm Raspberry turnovers always stocked in my childhood kitchen.

 Countryman Press

What are the top recipes from Snackable Bakes you’d recommend for the holidays?

The Vanilla Cranberry Buckle is fabulous on T’giving morning; the Devils Food Snacking Cake with Marshmallow Frosting and the Grasshopper Whoopie Pies (but with the Candy Cane twist, which is included in the book) are both perfect around Christmas. And I love the Tiny Lavender Shortbread Bites for cookie swaps. The Pumpkin Snacking Cake with Chocolate Buttercream is a great option instead of pumpkin pie for turkey day, and the Butter Cracker (aka Ritz Cracker) Brittle with Toffee and Chocolate and Pecans is excellent for munching on with a glass of champagne on NYE.

Red Hook is such a great neighborhood, and we love joining you from your kitchen there. Where are your favorite spots in the neighborhood for eating and hanging out?

I adore Good Fork Pub (run by my pals and neighbors Sohui Kim and Ben Schneider). I adore Grind Haus (run by my friend Erin Norris) and Billy Durney’s restaurants Red Hook Tavern and Hometown (and Billy is also a pal). I’ve lived in Red Hook a long time and am happy to call the restaurateurs here my friends. I live near Valentino Park, and it is an awesome spot to check out an epic view of the Statue of Liberty. Oh, and Court Street Grocers sells delicious sandwiches–buy one and head to Valentino.

If someone only had a weekend in NYC, where would you recommend they grab sweet treats from?

I adore the brownie at Mah Ze Dahr bakery; I love the donuts and buns at Fan Fan, the cake and cookies at Ovenly, and the cruller at Daily Provisions.

Tell us about your time at Baked in Red Hook and what it was like to make such a big career transition.

My time at Baked was so special as I not only learned the baking and sweets-making ropes there, but I also discovered a passion for making treats that I didn’t know I had. I had worked as an actress, a lawyer, and a stay-at-home mom before I went into Baked and asked them to teach me the tools of the trade, and although they were a little put-off at the request (random moms don’t tend to walk in off the street, offering to work for free in exchange for baking training), they acquiesced, and the rest is history. Moreover, I made great friends at Baked, one of whom tested all the recipes for Snackable Bakes AND has a cookie named after her in the book (Epic Snickerdoodles for Stephanie). The career transition was indeed major, but it ended up being so right for me personally and professionally that it hardly seemed daunting. Plus, the work at the bakery led directly to working on cookbooks as the owners of the bakery were writing their first book when I arrived. And so the experience of working there led to more than just a love of sweets-making; it led to a love of working on cookbooks–from testing to developing recipes for them to writing my own a few years later. Seems like some kind of crazy delicious kismet that I walked in there that day to ask for a job and ended up with a career that I adore.

 Countryman Press

You’ve also spent time as a recipe developer. Please tell us what that is like! We’d love to know what your favorite recipe from Snoop’s cookbook is, too (Jessie did R&D on his cookbook, From Crook to Cook).

I love recipe development, and it is really the bread and butter (or cake and frosting) of what I do as I still develop recipes for a variety of online sites (like Food52 and The Kitchn) as well as the Washington Post, among others. And, yes, I have also developed recipes for cookbooks other than my own, like the Baked books and Snoop’s cookbook. I developed several recipes for Snoop’s cookbook, but I think the Gimme S’more Pie is my favorite of the bunch.

Why do you think so many people took up baking as a hobby during the pandemic?

Now it sounds like a bit of a cliché, but it truly is a comforting and often nostalgic pastime that can give you all the feels when you are not quite yourself emotionally. Because I do it for a living, I don’t exactly feel all warm and cozy when I bake, but I definitely understand how the experience of making pie dough by hand or biting into a still warm and melty chocolate chip cookie or being handed a plate with a huge slice of layer cake iced in billowy American buttercream frosting, can be super calming. It can settle and center you in a way lima beans are never going to be able to–and I have nothing against beans. I’m just here to recognize and pay homage to the magical power of the sweet treat.

Since we’re a travel publication, tell us about one of your recent vacations or favorite vacations and why you loved it so much. What did you eat?

Every other Christmas for the last three years, I have gone to Uruguay with my husband and two boys, and some family friends. We stay in Jose Ignacio, a chic, bohemian, laid-back little beach town, and it is not only an incredibly beautiful place to visit—both the landscape and the people are just gorgeous—but the food is off the charts, particularly for those of us that love meat. Francis Mallmann has a restaurant in Garzon, a nearby town where everything is cooked on an open flame. The meat and vegetables are spectacular. The seafood is particularly incredible at La Huella in Jose Ignacio.

‘Snackable Bites by Jessie Sheehan (published by Countryman Press) is available now in hardback and e-book.

 
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7 Foods That Are Really Bad for the Environment

Are your eating habits climate-friendly?

According to studies, food production is responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Some foods are water-intensive to grow, some emit more greenhouse gases, and some use more land to be produced. Raising animals and eating meat has far more impact on emissions than growing and consuming vegetables. 

Are you more conscious of the brands you use, the car you drive, and the way you travel? Take this one step further and try to understand how certain things in your pantry and fridge may be increasing your footprint. You don’t have to go cold turkey on meat and dairy overnight, but reduce your consumption of high emitters and opt for local, seasonal produce as much as possible.

Eat Low Carbon has scored dishes on how carbon-intensive they are and there’s also a quiz to help you compare the footprint of dishes.

Related: All Is Not Lost! Here’s Something You Can Do

 
1 OF 7

Beef

Animal products account for 58% of all food emissions. Of this, half is from beef and lamb. Beef produces the most greenhouse gases—a kilogram of beef produces 60 kilograms of GHG emissions. 

Cows produce methane by burping, and a fully grown one can release 500 liters of methane per day. New Zealand proposed taxing farmers for this particular kind of greenhouse gas emissions. 

But there are other factors that make beef such a high emitter. Cattle need land to graze, so deforestation for pastures and croplands has become a major challenge. Around 23% of ice-free land is used for grazing, and with rising demand for meat, land-use change will continue. It is also water-intensive and requires packaging and shipping.

 
2 OF 7

Lamb

Another offender when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions is lamb, which produces more than 20 kilograms of GHG for one kilogram of meat. Sheep, too, release methane, which is warming the planet much faster than carbon dioxide. 

According to the UNEP, livestock emissions are responsible for 32% of human-caused methane emissions. However, animal farming isn’t on the agenda for many governments.

 
3 OF 7

Pork

The problem with pig farming is also complicated. The environmental costs also include water pollution. In the U.S., farmers are being sued by environmental groups for polluting water supplies and causing air pollution due to unsafe practices.

Eating meat in moderation and turning to meat alternatives is recommended. You can also try to find the source of the meat you buy—if it is being imported from a country that’s deforesting to raise cattle for meat, you can reject it. It’s not an easy ask or an easy task, but it will add pressure on sellers to source ethically.

 
4 OF 7

Cheese

Apart from meat, dairy and cheese are the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. The estimates are 23.9 kgs of GHG emissions per kilogram of cheese. Cheese production requires milk, which comes from cows that add methane to the environment. Then non-local cheeses also have impacts, as do aged cheeses that require major refrigeration.

 
5 OF 7

Farmed Prawns and Shrimp

Seafood is controversial and complicated. Overfishing is threatening ecosystems, while fish farming can pollute water systems. However, seafood is the primary source of protein for three billion people, and the aquaculture industry employs 59 million people.

Farmed shrimp and prawns are less sustainable than other seafood. Shrimp farms are created by cutting down mangroves, so carbon is released into the atmosphere. You should always check where your fish has come from and how it was caught. Diversify your choices and try to incorporate local fish from smaller farms that may be more sustainable (read more about sustainability in seafood here).

Seafood Watch suggests buyers “avoid farmed shrimp from China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, or Vietnam. Giant tiger prawns from Bangladesh should also be avoided.”

Related: This Popular Tourist Activity Is Sending Climate Change Into Overdrive

 
6 OF 7

Avocadoes

Avocadoes came to the brunch table as a game-changer. This creamy fruit has a host of benefits, but it comes at a cost. Growing one avocado takes 320 liters of water in the dry regions of Chile. It is also exported from countries around the world, so there’s shipping involved. Plus, forest land is getting destroyed to grow avocado trees because there is a huge demand. 

 
7 OF 7

Chocolate

Globally, chocolate is a $90 billion dollar industry. Three ingredients that are used to make it—cocoa, palm oil, and soy—have led to extensive deforestation in the countries they are sourced from. (Cocoa comes from West Africa; palm oil is sourced from Indonesia and Malaysia; soy is grown extensively in the Brazilian Amazon.) 

In Côte d’Ivoire, 70% of deforestation is linked to cocoa farming. There are also reports of child labor in West African countries, where children help with growing and harvesting cocoa. In Indonesia, a fifth of oil palm plantations are illegal—they have destroyed forests and displaced threatened species. In Brazil, an increase in soy farming is leading to deforestation and contamination of the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland.

The sweet treat comes at huge environmental and social costs.

Related: Brazil’s Wildfires Are Worse in 2020. Here’s What Travelers Need to Know

 
 
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12 Travel Souvenirs That Are Perfect Holiday Gifts

Go beyond the airport gift shop to find truly unique items and gifts.

Keyrings, postcards, and magnets make sweet souvenirs to buy and are often the go-to at the end of a trip, but memorabilia of greater sentiment and rarity can make for a better gift and a way to remember your travels by.

Bringing back a token from our holidays is like bringing back a piece of a place. Throughout my travels, I have collected items from various destinations to add to my home or to wear. Whether it’s art or pottery, clothing or jewelry, having something unique from your travels not only makes for a special souvenir but can also prove a thoughtful gift.

To tell a story to guests when asked about an item in your home or to share the origin of a keepsake when gifting a special souvenir allow us to retain and share wanderlust. Inspired by my own travels, here are some of the more unique and special items I’ve found that make for memorable keepsakes and gifts (and are infinitely more exciting than an airport keychain).

 
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Murano Glassware

WHERE: Murano, Italy

Glass made on Murano Island in the lagoon of Venice is like no other. Vases, candlestick holders, glassware, and ornaments are handmade with delicate designs and exquisite colors, making its craftsmanship unparalleled. While Murano Glassware is world famous, each creation is unique, so any chosen item is of great value in both price and sentiment and an exceptional gift to bring home from Italy.

 
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Ceramics

WHERE: Marrakech, Morocco

No matter how many times I visit, I cannot help but come away from Marrakech with some kind of ceramic piece. The decorative plates, bowls, and tea cups come in a range of fine designs, which display a great deal of love applied. Morocco, as a whole, is rich in culture, much of which is found in its handicrafts, so it’s only right to have a little piece of the culture come back with you. Wander through Jemaa El-Fna, the main square and marketplace of Marrakech, to find plenty of beautiful ceramics.

 
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Paintings

WHERE: Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is home to the world’s largest covered market, the Grand Bazaar, where just about anything can be bought. Furniture, accessories, spices, ornaments, the options are endless, making it impossible to come away empty-handed. I particularly fell in love with the calligraphy and miniature Ottoman paintings at Galeri Sufi owned by Zekai Dönerkan, who contributes to keeping a historic tradition and beautiful practice of calligraphy, alive.

 
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Gold Pendants

WHERE: Udaipur, Rajasthan, India

There is a plethora of items to choose from when visiting Rajasthan, including pashmina shawls, sarees, spices, teas, pottery, and gorgeous gold jewelry. I found that the gold pendants in Udaipur are striking due to their fine craftsmanship in designs and icons that hold significant meaning. For example, Ganesh, the elephant-headed Hindu god of beginnings and remover of obstacles, or Om, a sacred symbol of Hinduism known to represent the universe and to be the sound of creation when said as a mantra.

 
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Leather Bags

WHERE: Mijas, Spain

Ilove the leather bags in Spain. They’re so wonderfully made, strong, and sturdy, with pretty patterns engraved at the front. Mijas is a great spot to shop for bags, purses, or any leather goods in general, and since I bought mine ten years ago, it’s come with me on pretty much all of my travels.

 
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Crystal Crafts

WHERE: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Brazil is a playground for crystals, many of which can be found in Rio de Janeiro. The city is particularly known for popular crystals like amethyst and citrine, as well as a few other favorites like rose quartz. Whether it’s clarity, prosperity, or abundance, lovers of crystals are familiar with the many properties crystals have, making them a great keepsake. Even if one is unfamiliar or not a believer, crystals make nice features in the home, whether as huge clusters and tumble stones or mini ornaments shaped like trees or animals.

 
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Wooden Animal Carvings

WHERE: Nairobi, Kenya

Anyone visiting Nairobi will more than likely go on a safari. From the unspoiled landscapes to the incredible wildlife, safaris are one of the best opportunities to escape the digital world and admire the wonders of Mother Nature. A bucket list moment like this is definitely one to be treasured and can be done so through a keepsake such as a wooden animal carving. Not only would you be taking home a piece of Mother Nature, but you will be buying into a long-living tradition, a tradition that is a livelihood for many in Kenya with a great amount of passion and effort applied to each creation.

 
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Books From Les Bouquinistes

WHERE: Paris, France

Since the 16th century, Les Bouquiniste, which are the outdoor booksellers of Paris, have been trading along the Seine River, selling used and antiquarian books. The charming book stalls add to the beauty of this Parisian landscape with books covering a range of topics like art, philosophy, and history and in various languages too. Picking up a book along the Seine River makes for not only a great souvenir but also a thoughtful holiday gift.

 
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Thai Silk

WHERE: Bangkok, Thailand

Did you know that Thai silk comes from silkworms? Fed a diet of mulberry leaves, the silkworms spin silk cocoons as they mature, which are then later woven on traditional wooden looms. The process of hand-woven silk consists of intricate work and a great deal of patience. It is this process and tradition that make Thai silk incredibly beautiful to look at and touch and one of the most desired souvenirs from Thailand, a souvenir largely available in the capital, Bangkok.

 
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Amber Jewelry

WHERE: Krakow, Poland

Often referred to as “Baltic Gold,” amber has always been the primary gemstone of Poland. Essentially amber is fossilized tree resin, formed as a liquid response to breakages in the trunk or branches of trees to protect the wood. The oldest amber of the Baltic region, however, traces back to an estimated 44 million years ago. Today, amber is said to have healing and positive energy, which makes it one of the most sought-after gemstones in Poland and can be bought as various pieces of jewelry like earrings, rings, and pendants. It is widely available in Krakow through stores and stalls such as Kraków Cloth Hall, one of the world’s oldest shopping malls within an incredible renaissance structure.

 
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Religious Iconography

WHERE: Athens, Greece

You may or may not be religious or spiritual, but many can certainly appreciate the Byzantine and Christian art of Athens for its intricate designs and significance. Found as symbolic ornaments and paintings within churches, museums, and even along the streets of the city, religious art here deserves much admiration. As a result, religious pieces, whether small or large, are popular souvenirs throughout the city and make wonderful tokens from a trip to Athens.

 
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Rugs & Carpets

WHERE: Isfahan, Iran

Rugs from Isfahan are some of the finest in the world. Due to their high knot density and elegant patterns, they are known globally for their exceptional quality. Woven with fine wool and silk, the tradition of making Isfahan rugs date back to the early 16th century, with some of the most expensive rugs ever sold originating from this city of Iran. They may not be the typical holiday memorabilia, but they’re definitely worthy of being within the home and make fabulous statement pieces.