All year long “beautiful things” mostly bought from charity shops and TK Maxx pile up in the darkest corners of our flat; under the bed, at the back of kitchen cupboards and other places I don't need to access and where they are protected against inquisitorial challenges. On packing day, they suddenly appear and need to be packed and returned to “The Village”. Returned because most of these come from there, bearing “made in [Asia]” labels.

For my partner, it is a need if not a social duty and expectation to return with stuff from the UK, even if they were made in Asia and could often be found there (for the same price or less, though not always). No matter their air miles cost, these re-import feel more like the “real stuff”.

I believe the phenomenon to be global. Whilst leaving in Morocco I often witnessed the ferry from Sete to Tangier disgorging hundreds of expatriated Morrocans returning with cars full to the brim with bounties of the Old World.

We are doing slightly better this year with less to carry back than in previous years. This may be the result of increased expectations from the people back home who are now making specific requests (Benetton shirts???) or the realisation that the same can be bought locally.

Curiously, we take with us personal items that we bought in London because they were cheaper than in Bangkok. However surprising this may be, a pair of Nike costs less in Sport Direct in Haringey than in MBK in Bangkok. It says a lot about the real cost of mass-produced goods.

But for some “beautiful things” it will be full circle again, and we will be bringing them back to the people of the World’s Factories who first made them for us.