Souvenirs or kitsch?

Behind him on the wall was a bookshelf with price catalogues, dictionaries for translating various foreign languages to English and vice-versa, and a variety of oddities, no doubt accumulated during Mike's numerous travels : a teak wood Buddha, a happy scene from a Chinese fishing village carved in ivory; a mural of a Polynesian wedding ceremony made from bits of coloured feathers;....................... ( P131)

It has been a tradition among travelers to bring home mementos of their trips abroad. So many people feel it is imperative to bring back bric a brac , handicrafts, souvenirs or giveaways for their friends and relatives back home. Most common are of course mugs or tee shirts proclaiming " I was in......" or" I Love......"

Sometimes these quirky reminders of their holidays which reflect their own interests are well well crafted traditional handicrafts but one has to choose carefully because it is quite easy to cross the line from art to crass.

What kind of mementos do you bring home?