Even when we’re not buying anything, my girls and I had so much fun popping in and out of the shops to look at all the pretty things. When it came time to buy our own souvenirs and bring home some small gifts for the girls’ friends at school, it took a little bit of creative thinking. As a family of four on a budget, those kinds of lists are anything but helpful. My list below is filled with adorable, thoughtful, and delicious gifts to bring home from London that fit an average family budget. These practical gifts are the best because: This little bundle was my own souvenir from our trip: I already own several fancy china tea cups and preferred the cute London mug from this trip. But for a truly special gift, you can find single tea cup and saucer sets at shops all around London to pear with the tea. If you know your gentleman’s size, you could bring this home as a gift but I know my husband really enjoyed picking it out himself. He wore the cap for the rest of the trip and it kept him nice and cozy on the windy, drizzly days. This was easily the most expensive gift we purchased on the trip but it was handmade in London and I know he’ll use it for years and years to come. However, she had just as much fun in the Whittard shop as I did. They have teeny-tiny sample cups for you to taste the different teas but they were also sampling the most incredibly rich hot cocoa mixes. One taste and she was in love. You’ll find Harry Potter all around London but we spotted this lovely copy in the Harrods book shop. We found this at one of the Buckingham Palace Road souvenir shops and the “Mind the Gap” saying on the front and the Underground map print in the hoodie lining sealed the deal. After spending a week learning how to ride the Underground, she absolutely loves this hoodie. She paired it with a few cute postcards for such a fun souvenir gift. Hamley’s has an entire wall of them in various price ranges and designs all the way from a large bear with real rubber boots to a small bear with simple fabric accents. I loved the wall of Paddington books next to the bears. If we didn’t already own several copies, that would have been a lovely addition to the gift. This is the easiest gift to grab at the last minute. Just stop in at any convenience store and chose some candies and snacks you can’t get back at home. We especially had fun looking at the variety of Cadbury candy bars and sampling the Percy Pig treats from Marks & Spencer.
