My brother and his wife are moving to Beijing and I would like suggestions for gifts that would make their lives easier/more fun/etc. I ask the following based on their interests. For example, a small TV that would work over there? Special sporting or cooking equipment? Restaurant or theater gift certificates I can buy online?? What did you wish you had when you got there or what made your experience great once you got a little homesick?

Beijing is an extremely Westernized and modern international city, especially in the aftermath of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, so I don't think your brother and sister-in-law will want for anything they can't eventually find in their new location. Personally, I wouldn't consider personal electronics as a gift because they will be able to find just about anything you can think of in that department for the same or less money.

What I would suggest is a rack of spices: Some uncommon spices might be very hard to impossible to find in Beijing. Although this wouldn't make for much of a gift, make sure your sister-in-law brings plenty of bras from home: Even in Beijing, Western women complain that they can't find bras that fit them properly. If your brother wears plain white T-shirts, sweat socks, or uses handkerchiefs, I'd also suggest he bring plenty of those along as well.

Most, if not all, computer parts and components are fake or, more accurately, real parts that couldn't pass inspection to be sold in the West. If your brother is into computers, he should bring along a "spare" backbones system, i.e., motherboard, CPU, and memory and a couple of SATA hard disk drives in reserve (unless, of course, he prefers a laptop). I have gone through six motherboards and no less than five hard disk drives in just over six years because all these parts fell below IEEE specifications set by Western countries. Basically, China, India, and Thailand get all the parts that aren't good enough to be sold in North America, England, and the rest of Europe.

Maybe Ken will have some suggestions as well.

I would suggest setting up a Paypal/Alipay account for them. When I lived in Beijing, I could get almost anything that I wanted if I searched patiently.
What I needed, and at the time couldn't do, was to purchase items online or subscribe to services that required payment other than by credit card. Some credit card users get blocked once their bank discovers that the credit card is being used in China.
Also, PP will help them if they want to send flowers, etc., as gifts back home.

sinobear wrote:Some credit card users get blocked once their bank discovers that the credit card is being used in China.

How it was explained to me by my credit card companies is that you can't maintain your American credit card accounts if you have established China as your legal domicile.

One good solution is to apply for a Bank of China secured Great Wall credit card. You open an account with the equivalent of a minimum of $500.00 and you receive the card in about three weeks.

What I found most useful was a five pound bag of cheese powder, the same kind they put in Kraft macaroni.

I don't use it to make macaroni but I find it wonderful to make popcorn topping. Mix the cheese powder with a bit of garlic powder, ground salt and red pepper.

The bag of Cheese powder costs 20 dollars US five years ago, and I am only 1/3 of the way through the bag. You can find it on ebay.

Also, if the ex-pat family likes Kraft macaroni and cheese, then it will be a real "comfort food" item. Macaroni is readily available in China,cheese powder, not so much.