In the circumstances of global holidaymaking and increasingly mass-oriented commercial tourism the 'honest souvenirs' that still retain the craftsman's touch and the association with a certain place and culture in years to come, are becoming scarce - Estonia is no exception in this respect.

Tourist traps in Estonian towns and in the countryside offer a wide range of kitschy bric-a-brac, the sole purpose of which is, presumably, to be mementoes. Unfortunately, for many Estonians too, the concept 'Estonian souvenir' evokes, more often than not, precisely this type of quickly and sloppily made piece of so-called handicraft that is not actually meant to be used at all.

The authenticity of Estonian traditional handicraft has always been measured by its utility value. In peasant culture, the creative effort put into production and decoration could only be 'spent' on objects that were of actual use: articles to wear as clothing or for ornamentation, and protection, things to eat with or from, etc. Luckily for visitors, many souvenirs to be found in today's Estonia, such as knitwear, wood- or leatherwork, still fall into the category. Pot coasters and butter knives made of juniper, for instance, represent the sort of items where the original material and old techniques have found a new function. These are wonderful artefacts, in spite of the fact that our ancestors never actually used them.

The invasion into handicraft of various alien characters offers rather fascinating examples of another kind of alienation, or else (depending on the point of view), the entirely natural process of borrowing. In Estonia, perhaps the strongest impact was that of Mickey Mouse way back in the 1930s and the mascot of the Moscow Olympic Games Mishka-the-Bearcub in the 1980s. Similar curiosities are still carved on and burnt into wooden cutting boards, woven into wall hangings and embroidered on sofa cushions.