Sometimes, we forget we ever had them. Then one day, while browsing, we suddenly stop and linger for a long time in front of the souvenirs that have been in the drawer for ages. Some were gifts from friends, some we bought ourselves, but each one, to a greater or lesser extent, holds a poignant memory.
A sound of autumn echoes
Some people will pause for a moment as they suddenly recall many memories. Others will suddenly remember a friend they haven't seen in a long time. Still others will yearn for a place that was almost forgotten…
Souvenirs, sometimes, are a silent call. They evoke memories of long journeys, connecting the past and the present. They remind us to look back on what has passed...
I was once amazed to see my travel companion squatting by the roadside, meticulously picking out each fallen yellow leaf from under the ginkgo tree in Jeonju Hanok Village (South Korea).
Then, you carefully take those leaves to an art gallery at the end of the street, choose a frame and paper, present your idea, and ask them to arrange it according to your intention…
Finally, with the help of a local artisan, you transformed the roadside leaves into a unique, personalized work of art. They evoke the image of a romantic autumn afternoon in a foreign city.
“Souvenirs bought in commercial stores are convenient and cheap. But they'll be similar to many other mass-produced gifts, sometimes even imported from unrelated countries, so they don't have much value in terms of local culture. I prefer to preserve the colors of autumn this way. Every time I look back at the artwork I helped create, even though it's simple and imperfect, it evokes a blissful afternoon amidst the sky and earth…” – she shared.
Hasty handwriting
During my solo travels in foreign lands, I often spend a leisurely afternoon browsing and buying postcards.
Then I choose to sit on a street corner, watching people go by. The stream of people continues to flow past, but I don't know anyone. I'll sit there and think about myself in the past few days, about the people I've just met. I'll also think about the new experiences I've had, or even about the journey of stepping out of my comfort zone and the familiar daily routine.
I often ask myself who I'm missing and what I want to say to them right now, before writing it on a postcard. It's completely spontaneous, letting my heart guide me. Once, I was wandering around Seattle (USA) and I missed someone I hadn't seen in a long time. I quickly scribbled "Wish you were here" on a postcard and walked to the post office to send it. My heart was pounding with excitement and anxiety, like a teenage boy sending his first love letter.
The postcard arrived in the recipient's hands in another country shortly afterward, along with a postmark clearly indicating the location, date, month, year, and postal code of where I sent it.
"This is the simplest yet most heartfelt souvenir I've ever received..." - you sent me a very long message after receiving the postcard.
You said that holding the postcard in your hand, you thought about its long journey from halfway around the world and the moment I remembered you during my trip. That's what's most precious of all.
Later, each of us went our separate ways, and our conversations and meetings became less frequent. But in the times we unexpectedly met again, we often talked about that special postcard with a lot of nostalgic feelings.
Personal identity and individuality
The two stories I just told, seemingly unrelated, share a common theme: a gift becomes more memorable when the recipient participates in or becomes a part (tangible or intangible) of the gift.
This is also the formula for success of popular souvenir brands among the global travel community: see it in person, make it yourself, and take it home in a package.
From directly experiencing lantern making in Hoi An, to DIY workshops in traditional craft villages, or even grinding thanaka bark to make legendary cosmetics in Myanmar, it all started with this idea.
It's no coincidence that in the vocabulary of young people, especially Generation Z, keywords like "personality" and "uniqueness" are mentioned more often than in previous generations.
In an era where everything is developing in diverse and colorful ways, the opportunity for tourists to participate and express themselves through souvenirs will receive even more attention.
This places both pressure and expectations on those working in the tourism industry to continue creating new approaches. Each souvenir will become a companion, preserving memories after each journey. Furthermore, it will become an "ambassador," inviting friends from all over the world to experience and explore...
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