Attending a wedding reception this Saturday

[FuzzyKitten99]

My husband's cousin Aaron, married a very sweet and cool girl (Ana) who was born in Spain and was here on a work Visa. They got married in Spain last September. We were invited, but with two kids and no extra money, we couldn't go. We sent a nice gift basket and good wishes.

Well, because there were several who could not attend the wedding, they are having a 'reception' here this Saturday, with all of Ana's relatives from Spain coming, as well as a couple of Aaron's friends that he made in Japan while he was there as an English teacher for a year.

So, this should prove to be a very cool event. I'm even brushing up on my Spanish so that I can converse with them easier, as I don't know the extent of their English skills.

It isn't a potluck, but I want to bring something to give to Ana's parents. Anyone here have a suggestion of something truly American that they can take back?

[Sarlon]

you mean something that can get through customs :P

find somethign small and practical, but not tacky. Maybe a book on local history from your area, they may know all about the US...but sometimes book devoted to local history delve deeper then a general overview in some books. Just find the right one.

[FuzzyKitten99]

you mean something that can get through customs :P

find somethign small and practical, but not tacky. Maybe a book on local history from your area, they may know all about the US...but sometimes book devoted to local history delve deeper then a general overview in some books. Just find the right one.

Exactly. I don't want it to be a trinket or something that will just collect dust. It has to be something practical...

A book on local history would be a good idea, but there aren't many (if any) on my particular area, and the reception is going to be at Aaron's parents place, which is 20 miles south of me, in a completely different part of the Metro area.

Maybe a Minnesota-specific book? The problem is though, I don't know how much English they are fluent with... hmmm...

Maybe I can take nice photos of the area and put them in frames? I gotta do it fast though, being as I only have 2.5 days.

[Sarlon]

would it hurt to dicreetly ask how much english they know?

Pictures are a good idea...a collage...maybe of your brother and their daughter in some spots...make it more personal?

[FuzzyKitten99]

would it hurt to dicreetly ask how much english they know?

Pictures are a good idea...a collage...maybe of your brother and their daughter in some spots...make it more personal?

I won't see Aaron & Ana until the day of. I don't have any photos with both of them, as I have only seen them once (Christmas) since they got married in Spain.

[AdminAssistant]

Well...you could always get a baseball hat/t-shirt from a local sports franchise. You could offer to take a nice family picture at the event, frame it, and mail it to them afterwards. (Slightly expensive, due to shipping). Is there a local craft shop in the area? You might be able to find something unique there.

How long are they going to be in the area? Is their schedule packed? You could offer them a nice quiet stress-free place to rest.

Honestly, probably the biggest 'gift' you can give them is trying to make them feel as comfortable as possible during their visit - something you're already doing by brushing up on your Spanish. Tell them how excited you are that they're part of your family - that sort of thing.

[Sliceanddice]

well there are books of images so do those

[FuzzyKitten99]

Just wanted to post that a friend who has been to Spain suggested to me to get them a bottle of wine, and if possible, one that was made locally. So I looked and looked all over the internet and I found this: Edelweiss wine. (https://www.whiskeyruncreek.com/main.taf?erube_fh=wrcreek&wrcreek.submit.getproductdetails=true&wrcreek.productids=WE001&p=4,1,1) I didn't get this exact brand though, because they are based in Nebraska, and I wanted to get from a local winery. So I called about 10 different liquor stores, and NONE had anything of the kind. I finally asked the last one I called, where they think I could find it. I was told that a specialty store called "Love From Minnesota" where they sell only locally-produced furniture, trinkets, etc., and they have a wine-shop, selling only wine made only in Minnesota wineries. I called, and they had it.

Anyhow, the bottle of Edelweiss wine went over very well. Her parents spoke a little English, although her brothers both spoke fairly good English as well as a few of their family members were 'ok' in it. But the families thought ahead, and since one of the other cousins is a high-school Spanish teacher, he was asked to be a translator, and he also brought a few friends he knew that are fluent to be translators as well.

Ana's grandfather, Pepe, was just a riot because he kept trying to take off with the bottle of wine I gave Ana's mom & dad.

I didn't need too much help of translators other than a few vocabulary words and verb conjugations, as small talk was fairly easy for me to communicate. Funny thing is, up until March, I hadn't spoken much, if any, Spanish that I learned 10 years ago in high school.

[Sarlon]

Glad to hear it went so well...its always been my belief that good food and good wine open up any uncomfortable situations.