Need advice on gift for Japanese penpal

I have been exchanging letters with a Japanese penpal for months now, and our relationship is pretty balanced, I usually send my letter on time and she usually takes a good few weeks to return the message.

Though the last time she took at least a month to return the message, and when she did it with also giving me a True Japanese Pac-Man T-shirt...As a birthday present! My mom said she wants to come up with ideas to return the favor(she has brought up things like jewlery and other expensive things).

I just want to know if anyone here with experience has advice on any good gift ideas. I heard other replies to gift subjects to give gifts exclusive to your town/region, but I only live in El Paso so the only thing I could probably get here that's exclusive is something with Mexican influence, and I am pretty sure sending her mexican food over the pacific wouldn't do so well.

So, any suggestions?

I told my mom that it was a birthday present so now we are thinking of just waiting for HER birthday. My mom also said to ask her what her interests and favorite things are to help us pick out a gift without making it too obvious to her, but I am still looking for advice here, so please let know what you think!

Thanks!

If you wanted to send something little now as a "thank you" maybe there is some interesting little local candy? Do you have prickly pear cactus candy there? I love that stuff (not that I'm Japanese, but I'm just saying... ) Or some small key-chain/charm thing for her cellphone that is reminiscent of your area?

Don't count out living in El Paso, there may be lots of little interesting touristy-type gifts that you haven't thought of because you live there. When I was in the US and needed to buy omiyage (small gifts) for Japanese friends and colleagues, I would go to our local tourist area (or the airport) and search for things.

Also, local university/college t-shirt or other things? I see young people around here all the time with "fake" American-style college T-shirts (you know, the cool, slightly faded looking ones). Good luck!

I don't know anything about cactus candy, but my mom thinks sending anything chocolate would just melt, and not sure if just getting her something like a lollipop or something would measure up.

I like the idea of a key-chain or something similar. I might do that.

Any other advice?

This won't help you, except to highlight sometimes the best gifts are in places you don't expect...

I am Australian. I used to buy boomerangs as gifts, and write on the back of them "Dear xxxx As you know, a boomerang always comes back to where it came from... It's up to YOU now to bring it back to Australia" and send them to friends in Japan.

Sounds a bit lame now, but it was a big hit.

My point is, a cheap piece of made-in-China wood can have other meanings.

Sounds good, but the only thing closest to a boomerang here is what my mom calls "south western" souviners. Such as Native American stuff like Dreamcatchers or Native jewlery, but We decided to wait for something that unique for her birthday.

My mom thinks the best "thank you" gift would get something unique but won't need a good penny to get.

Any other advice?

Actually, I think the native american things: dream catchers, etc, would work really well. You could even explain the different meanings behind them, and it would most likely be something she isn't familiar with.

I agree, and I am sure an explanation of their meaning would help the gift-giving, because she did write a little sentence about the shirt in the letter that came with it.

I think it would be very good.

Any others?

How old is she turning?
What is her personality?

I think she is turning 19 and the only sure thing I know is she likes planes since she is going to a vocational school to become a flight attendant and wants to come to the US someday.

That's all I really know at the moment, I sent her a letter about what her favorite things and interests are to see if I can understand her personality more but not much else to go on.

Find out what her favorite American music group is, and send her their latest CD. Or a couple of CD of the kind of music she likes. Hard candy should be OK. A scarf may be good also. The CDs are less expensive to send.

I'm penpalling with Japanese too.

everytime i go to Japan i give her and her family a box of traditional dessert, sometime with a bag made from clothes (I live in Thailand so i choose Thai style bag).or any lady stuff, i think.

I think something original from your area is nice!

oh... she will turn 19? US cosmetic is nice!

Hope this can help you

(sorry about my poor English)

I have a few penpals that I've been in touch with for years and have even visited in Japan. One thing I am sure of is that they always enjoy anything "American". I give them things like American candy, cookies, t-shirts, etc. If you live in TX why not give them something related to TX. It has a rich history so I'm sure you can think of something. All of my penpals, I'm sure, would rather a gift from the heart than a gift that was expensive and thoughtless.

Thanks for the advice, right now my mom is thinking of a texas keychain or something just as simple for the thank you gift, and I tell her about your advice on the Cosmetics. Any other advice?

I just remembered Cosmetics is just make-up and stuff. My mom says that's a real no-go. We are going to go to the PX and to try find something more authentic.

Anyone else?

it sounds like you mom is her penpal. :) anything simple is good enough. its the thought that counts right? Handphone accessories are good options to consider. :)

Well, she is my penpal but I usually consider my mom a good person to go to for ideas. I'll see what she thinks of handphone accessories, anything else?

when i was in japan eariler this year...one thing that is always a big hit there is "Starburst & Skettles" they thought it was hard candy but little do they know..and it was a shock to some that never had it b4....well anyways they dont sell that stuff there so candy is always good...i mean who doesnt like sweets rite....think about it....

Skittles and Starburst would be an interesting gift, but I don't know how she would respond to it. I mean when she is done eating it, bye bye gift. No offense.

Anyone else?

Does she collect stamps and/or coins? If she does, giving some older U.S. stamps and coins will be treasured.