What can I buy for a guest from China that would be all American ?

Food. Get some great local spice mixes like Old Bay or Tony’s. If you can go even more local like a spice store in the area that makes their own mixes, go for it! You can also do some other foodstuffs that embrace America.

If food is out, go to local crafty, homey shops and try for a locally made quilt. Very here. Very useful.

Fruit butters or jams. Find a local farmer stand that sells fruit butters (pear butter is AMAZING if you can find it). Locally made also more common ‘round these parts I believe. Oh, sorry, food again. I love food. I deviate towards it.

I think more than this and I would need to know at least what region you are in if not more local. So many of these things are regional/local.

I think the food idea is perfect.

Something kitschy from an antique/vintage store could work.

A Hank Williams CD?

a cowboy hat

How about a huge carbon footprint and an unquenchable lust for consumerism?

On the serious side, food sounds good. Or maybe an all-American cookbook.

Maple syrup
BBQ spice rub
A collection of classic jazz CDs
A foreclosure notice

@EmpressPixie, Like a cheeseburger?

@Tali: I was thinking something that keeps longer and is more easily transported. Spices, jams, jellies, smoked salmon in the northwest, pralines in New Orleans, that kind of thing.

a bottle of jack daniels

When I first visited the USA, I really wanted some White Castle. And a twinkie. Only because I’d seen them in movies.

Kind of stupid, but it was funny pretending to be Harold (from Harold & Kumar) in White Castle

buy him a picture of GW, wrapped in an American flag, that explodes red, white, and blue fireworks everywhere! Oh wait those are probably all made in China…

How about a gas-guzzling piece of crap car or a credit card that is already maxed out. Doesn’t get much more American than that…

@PupnTaco hahahaha thats great, but I think maple syrup is Canadian…

oh if your going for fast food make it Sonic… it’s as American as starting wars for greed!

@madcapper: Maple Syrup isn’t Canadian when it comes from Vermont. Vermont is totally the land of Maples.

@ empress haha ok you got me there, it’s just that when I think of maple syrup I think Canada. Perhaps I will try to find a Vermont brand when I buy some next…

You might check with your guest before you buy a food gift. They may not be able to take some foods back through customs.

Logo t-shirts are big in China, like they are here. Get him a logo shirt from the Dallas Cowboys (like them or not, they are world famous), or a Chicago Symphony shirt, or a Tabasco Sauce shirt, or a Survivor or American Idol shirt. See if you can find one that is not made in China, Taiwan or Korea.

A hooker?

A landscape painting by Me.

A coon-skin cap.