Buying souvenirs can be so fraught that bad ones have become a punch line: My uncle went to Las Vegas and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.
There’s no law, of course, that says you have to cram your precious suitcase space with trinkets for your in-laws, co-workers and the neighbor who checks your mail. But bringing back a piece of your trip can be meaningful for the traveler and the people back home, said Elaine Swann, author of “Elaine Swann’s Book of Modern Etiquette.”
“It’s thoughtful, and it brings the recipient surprise and delight,” she said. “It’s an incredibly kind gesture.”
Summer Hull, editorial director at the Points Guy, keeps a couple shopping rules in mind when she travels: Opt for a gift the recipient is likely to use, and make sure it’s something the destination does especially well.
“It’s not going to burden them; they’re probably going to enjoy it,” she said.
A disclaimer: Some souvenirs might be unethical or potentially illegal, so travelers should ask where an item came from and check the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website for banned items. Experts urge travelers to buy products made by locals rather than items manufactured far from a destination to ensure the purchase helps the destination.
“Ideally, visit places where you can see the craftsmen and women at work to cut down on the chances of exploitation,” United Kingdom-based travel writer Abi King said in an email.
Here are more suggestions and best practices for gifts that should spark joy.
Stickers and candy for kids
Most families with young kids are waging a war against clutter. Thoughtful travelers will try to avoid souvenirs that are bulky or age-inappropriate.
As a travel reporter and a mom, I’ve been guilty of last-minute shopping sprees at Times Square tchotchke shops or airport bookstores. Did my toddler need a plush alligator wearing an I 
NY shirt? Not at all.
A better choice for little kids can be stickers, especially ones that you can’t find at home: They take up very little space, give busy hands a task and inspire larger art projects.
Elizabeth de Quillacq, owner and founder of the travel agency Souvenir & Far, said in an email that she likes to buy kids’ souvenirs at a grocery store.
“Candy, snacks, and treats kids can’t get at home are always a hit,” she said.
She also likes to find “small, tactile items tied to everyday life,” like a backpack or hair accessories that kids will actually use.
Home goods and personalized mementos for family
Ideally, you know your family well enough to have a sense of what they’d love. But think about whether your knowledge is up-to-date: Your cousin may have adored dolphins once, but what are the odds she’s still collecting them 15 years later?
Several experts pick out ornaments for themselves or family members. Amir Eylon, president of the market research consulting firm Longwoods International, has two trees with one devoted to trip-related baubles.
He looks for local artisan goods as gifts, ideally items with a story that he can share with his family members. Last year at a holiday market in Chicago, he found, a Ukrainian Christmas tree. It was, he said, the “first thing my wife put up this year.”
Practical items tied to the destination can also be a good fit. Hull brought back chopsticks for her entire family when she visited Japan, including training versions for her kids.
“They were under $10 each for really good chopsticks,” she said. “And we still use them.”
Katy Nastro, travel expert at the cheap-flight alert service Going, often defaults to food but tries to appeal to a wide audience with her picks. She said salt and condiments tend to be winners.
On a seven-day river cruise on the Danube, Confetti Travel Service founder Marie Russell bought her family chocolate from each city so they could taste a variety, she said in an email.
Swann has also given food as a gift to family; she picked up sauces on a trip to Jamaica that she gave to her sister, a sous chef.
She recalled another gift from her daughter, who went to Las Vegas with friends to celebrate her 21st birthday: mugs for Swann and her husband with their names on them.
“We cherish those mugs,” Swann said.
Wine, olive oil and skin care for friends
If your bestie is wild about coffee or notebooks, you know what to do on vacation. But if your buds have less-obvious interests, consider something they can consume that’s done well in the destination. Hull named wine, olive oil, tea or shortbread as examples.
Nastro, who said she has a “size of my hand” policy for souvenirs other than liquids, likes locally made perfumes or solid lotions because they travel well and help transport the recipient to the place the item came from.
Snacks and postcards for colleagues
If you want to bring something back to the office, you can’t go wrong with food. Who doesn’t love a spread of New York City bagels, saltwater taffy from the Shore or Kit Kats from Japan? After a recent trip to Louisville, Eylon said he brought back bourbon balls for his office.
Another easy-to-pack, inexpensive and thoughtful item: a simple postcard.
If you don’t know your co-workers well, Swann suggested gifts that are “somewhat generic” such as items for their desk.
Don’t forget the house sitter
Your travel party might be small, but it can take a village to go on vacation. There’s the pal who waters your plants, the sitter who watches your pet, the friend who shared her destination tips or the travel adviser who rearranged your flight when plans changed.
They may not expect anything from your trip — but chances are they’d be moved by one.
“It’s never expected, of course, but it’s always incredibly thoughtful and appreciated,” Savanna Westwood, owner and founder of the Savvy Sitter, said in an email. Clients will usually offer a cash tip to their pet sitters, but Westwood says sometimes they will also bring back something like sweets, magnets or key chains.
Laurel Brunvoll, owner of Unforgettable Trips, said she has received gifts from clients including silver necklaces from Ireland and Finland, vanilla from Tahiti, chocolate from Belgium and “cards from Kenya handmade from elephant poop.”
She has also gifted bookmarks, tea towels, reusable bags that look neat and lotions or oils.
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