Any suggestions for gifts for my gal's Russian male relatives? - Russian Ukrainian Belarus Travel Music Woman Dating News

	The Russian Meeting Place: A place to meet people and talk about all things Russian... International Discussions about Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Travel, Music, Russian News, Ukrainian culture, Belarusian Dating, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kiev and other intelligent topics about life in the former Soviet Union.

Pages: 1

Any suggestions for gifts for my gal's Russian male relatives?
(Click here to view the original thread with full colors/images)

Posted by: duke

Hello,

I am traveling to Kazan at the end of December
for a 12 day stay. Besides alcohol, I am
looking for gift suggestions for my gal's
father and older brother. Anyone have any
ideas? (I know what to buy the women!)

Since I will be celebrating the
New Years with her family (and apparently the
Russian New Year Celebration sort of merges with Christmas and gift giving), I want the gifts to
be appropriate for this special occasion.

(I understand that the Orthodox Christmas
is January 7 and more subdued, and normally not
when gifts are exchanged)

Also, If anyone has been through a New Years
celebration in Russia, I would be interested
to know what it was like for them and what I should be aware of (besides lots of toasts!)!

Thanks,

Duke (Dale)

Posted by: ConnerVT

Quote:

Originally posted by duke
Besides alcohol, I am looking for gift suggestions for my gal's father and older brother. Anyone have any ideas?

Think Father's Day. First I would ask my lady for ideas. For my future Papa-in-law, things that were a big hit were a Leatherman and a set of Craftsman combination wrenches (he's a retired mechanic, and fixes things around the house). I also have given him an umbrella (my fiancee told me he had lost his, and I needed a last minute gift!) and vegetable seeds for the garden (remember -- cold climate! No citrus trees

).

For her brother, it depends on how old he is. Ask your g/f what he is interested in.

Things made in the USA and western Europe are more difficult for Russians to get, and have a higher percieved quiality and value. Much of the "junk" comes from China, Korea, and other Far East places.

Posted by: Jim_FL

Some of the things Liliya's dad really liked were:
T-shirts and/or golf shirts with name of your city or state (stuff that is easy to recognize so sports team stuff is mostly out) Shirts are a very traditional gift in provincial russia. Harley-Davidson stuff is huge over there and may be good for the older brother

Mag-light, the big one

He's a coin collector but I think the state quarters and gold dollar coins would be a hit with anyone.

As conner mentioned, leatherman or (as I chose) Gerber multi-tools.

stocking stuffer type gifts that were a huge success were rain-X and those little lock de-icer squirt things, neither of which are available there (provided they have a car

)

Kazan is not much different than the area Liliya is from, you don't need to go crazy with the price of gifts. Something in the $30-$50 range will be treated like you gave them a rolex

Posted by: Emetsky

Aloh folks! Can anyone tell me what airlines besides Aeroflot flies to Kazan? I heard it only takes 2 1/2 hours by car from Kazan to Yoshkar-ola. Sure beats taking the 16-hour train ride from Moscow.

As far as gifts, I highly recommend Armani spray cologne for men.

Posted by: andrei

Quote:

Originally posted by Emetsky
Aloh folks! Can anyone tell me what airlines besides Aeroflot flies to Kazan? I heard it only takes 2 1/2 hours by car from Kazan to Yoshkar-ola. Sure beats taking the 16-hour train ride from Moscow.

As far as gifts, I highly recommend Armani spray cologne for men.

isnt there a flight from Moscow to Yoshkar-ola directly?

pretty sure you dont need that bumpy ride thru Mariy El Republic. Keep in mind that's the poorest region in Volga land, the roads must be worse than a safari ride in Kalahari desert.

Posted by: Jim_FL

Emetsky,
There are several options if you are the adventurous type

Lufthansa flies into N. Novgorod 3 times a week and Gorky-Mock station is a major train hub on the kursk line with several trains a day going to Kazan. (downside is it's about a 30 minute drive between airport and train station

)

Siberia Airways flies from Moscow to Samara several times a week in winter and may fly into Kazan as well.

Posted by: duke

Thank you Conner, Jim, and Emetsky for the
gift ideas. I live in Oregon and the Gerber
multi-tools are made in Portland so I bought
two yesterday! This way both her father (60 something) and older brother (early 40s) will
get something useful AND something made in my home state!

To EMETSKY,

This is my second trip to Kazan so I know there
are 2-3 flights a week on Lufthansa out
of Frankfurt to Kazan, with 1 stop in Samara
coming or going. The first time I flew United
to Frankfurt and switched to Lufthansa in Frankfurt. Nice thing is on the return flight
there is a nonstop Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt all the way to Portland, OR.

Posted by: Emetsky

Kak vashee delA Andrei!!! Vy harasho paneemaeetseh pa angliski. Ya neemnoga gavaryoo pa ruski, no ya paneemayu pa ruski nye ochin harasho.

You're probably right Andrei, perphaps there is a direct flight from Moscow to YO.

My GF is actually pretty well off. She works as a teacher and her family lives in a house instead of a flat and they even have their own banya. She also has a regular land line phone, a cell phone and a computer. And they also have a washing machine.

Btw, did you know that the owner of the biggest marriage agency over there (Maxim's) married an Egyptian woman? Yep, it's true.

Poko!

Posted by: andrei

Quote:

Originally posted by Emetsky
Kak vashee delA Andrei!!! Vy harasho paneemaeetseh pa angliski. Ya neemnoga gavaryoo pa ruski, no ya paneemayu pa ruski nye ochin harasho.

You're probably right Andrei, perphaps there is a direct flight from Moscow to YO.

My GF is actually pretty well off. She works as a teacher and her family lives in a house instead of a flat and they even have their own banya. She also has a regular land line phone, a cell phone and a computer. And they also have a washing machine.

Btw, did you know that the owner of the biggest marriage agency over there (Maxim's) married an Egyptian woman? Yep, it's true.

Poko!

There are 2 mistakes in your short speech. ))))))))

First of all, Im younger than you, so the word 'vy' (you) is absolutely unappropriable here. You should use 'ty' and change all the corresponding words to fit it:

'Kak tvoyee dela, Andrei? Ty harasho panimayesh pa angliyski.'

And the next one, what is Poko? ))))) A Spanish nickname? It's POKAH, dude!!! )))))

P.S. When I was speaking about the poorness in mari, I didnt mean personal income of the people there, I meant the economical situation as a whole. You know, awful roads, dirty streets, wooden houses and all. Having your own banya doesnt mean you're damn rich either. A computer does tho. ))))

Posted by: Emetsky

ZDRASTvuytye taVArish Andrei!!! kak delA? bal'SHOye spaSIba for the free Ruski lessons.

Ya vash nye panimayu kagda vy gavaritye pa ruski patamooshta ya panimayu pa ruski nye 'ochin harasho.

I believe it is more appropriate for me to use the formal "Vy" instead of the informal "Ti" because I don't really know you that well.

Btw, vot Ruski website that I like to visit once in a while... www.themoscowtimes.com

PaKA Dude!!!
Hasta la vista!!!

P.S.

vee no vata lee ya
vee no vata lee ya
vee no vata lee ya shto lublu?

vee no vata lee ya
shto moy golos dro zhal
kagda pela ya pesnu e moo?

Quote:

Originally posted by andrei
There are 2 mistakes in your short speech. ))))))))

First of all, Im younger than you, so the word 'vy' (you) is absolutely unappropriable here. You should use 'ty' and change all the corresponding words to fit it:

'Kak tvoyee dela, Andrei? Ty harasho panimayesh pa angliyski.'

And the next one, what is Poko? ))))) A Spanish nickname? It's POKAH, dude!!! )))))

P.S. When I was speaking about the poorness in mari, I didnt mean personal income of the people there, I meant the economical situation as a whole. You know, awful roads, dirty streets, wooden houses and all. Having your own banya doesnt mean you're damn rich either. A computer does tho. ))))