The things we pick up: crazy finds on holiday

It appears that us Brits are quite partial to a bit of holiday tat when we holiday abroad, according to a study from Airport Parking and Hotels, with a ‘Poo at the Zoo’ t-shirt, a Godzilla themed loo-roll holder and a collection of tiny clocks being among the best pieces of holiday memorabilia in the UK; well, there’s no accounting for taste is there?

The study revealed that more than half of Brits (52%) have bought a keepsake from their travels, with fridge magnets being the most popular choice for 61% of holiday memento hunters, and an easy way for these four travellers to show off the hundreds of countries they’ve visited to their friends.

As this cheese-shaped hat from Wisconsin USA illustrates, men were found to be the most obsessive collectors, with almost a quarter (23%) owning in excess of 20 items compared with just 15% of women hoarding an equivalent figure.

Collected by 47%, small items of crockery were the fourth most popular amongst the nation’s souvenir hoarders. These collections of plates and thimbles come from over 200 destinations across the globe.

T-shirts were the fifth most collected item by Brits returning from their holidays, and with its ‘Poo in the Zoo’ slogan, this tee from Naples is a classic.

Whilst traditional souvenirs like postcards (50%) and tea towels (48%) featured highly in the research, a collection of tiny clocks from across the globe and a “roaring Godzilla loo roll dispenser with flashing eyes” proved to be the oddest pieces of memorabilia uncovered.

Great Britain’s Top 10 favourite holiday mementos are:

1. Fridge magnets – 61%
2. Postcards – 50%
3. Tea towels – 48%
4. Small items of crockery (e.g., mugs or plates) – 47%
5. T-shirts – 44%
6. Key rings – 43%
7. Liquors – 32%
8. Jewellery – 29%
9. Wine – 22%
10. Christmas decorations – 22%

Like most holidaymakers, I find I enjoy buying something as a reminder of where I stayed or visited.

However, having got over buying tat stage, I now find myself seeking out markets, interior shops or thrift stores to pick up something that will go with the décor of my house.

There’s something nice about being able to say “This old thing? Ah, that’s from a little town called Coober Pedy in Australia. Only cost me a couple of pounds…”

It did catch me out the other week though; when asked where I’d purchased my unique, colourful knobs for my dining room dressers from “A cute little shop in Palma, Mallorca….”

“Oh really?” replied my friend, “I thought you were going to say Zara Home, as I saw the same ones in there recently…”

Well, the truth was, I did buy them from a cute little shop in Palma. But that cute little shop went by the name of Zara Home. Perhaps I should stick with sourcing finds in independent shops in future 🙂

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