By David Eidell (06/08)
I would have to say the number one item lacking in Mexico would be really good quality bed linens. Most Mexican beds are singles or doubles. I have given gifts of good linen sets purchased in the USA at membership warehouses for about thirty-dollars (I have a hunch that polyester and cotton blend will outlast all-cotton linens). Don't worry about purchasing a set of double bed sheets---if the gift recipient doesn't already have a double bed, they soon will after getting their gift! Good quality US pillows are also hard to find as are king-size pillowcase covers.
For men, it would be hard-to-beat giving one of those stainless-steel "Leatherman" folding knife and tool kits. Even office executives love to have one of these "macho" tools.
Mexico is full of cheap Chinese plastic items, tool kits, appliances and whatnot. But finding a good Swing-A-Way can opener would be a real find. Do-it-yourselfer's go ga-ga over those non-contact voltage detectors for finding live AC lines. Really good hand tools of any kind are expensive and hard to find. Really durable work clothing for men (like Dickies, Ben Davis, or Carhart) impossible to find. Beach dwellers love our all-plastic sandals (leather rots in seawater). If your friend is special and has an automobile they would love to own one of those small 10-amp battery chargers.
I find made-in-Mexico clothing to be thin and quite shabby in construction and quality. Made in China clothing is not much better. I give fewer clothes but of much better quality.
Mexicans tend to be amazed at the quality of Correl dish ware. Mexican dish ware is pretty heavy and clunky and it breaks easily.
When I am in a festive mood and I know the family that I'm bringing gifts to, I sometimes surprise them with one of those oak and brass toilet seats. Mexican toilet seats should be banned as being hazardous to your well-being as well as being incredibly flimsy. Your recipients may give forth a short chuckle when they see the toilet seat but they'll race for the bathroom once you have departed.
Any gift is a sign of friendship so it doesn't have to be expensive. But then on the other hand it is quite enjoyable watching someone with a taste for good wine sample an especially good Cabernet Sauvignon.