Making hats

[Stacieberg]

I made a wonderful hat while in Jamaica. Please be aware that customs took my hat. I had been extra careful with it for 4 days. Carried it onto the plan & made sure nobody smashed it. When we landed in the US. They took it from me.

[wileeandrr]

awww.....that stinks! why?!

[Jamaicaman]

Gosh... That's terrible! Don't mean to rub it in but I made it home after declaring both of mine both times. (April 2006 & April 2009) Homeland security needs to develop some sort of consistancy...This time they we most concerned with the $3.00 bag of trail mix we bought on the plane! Sheesh!
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[bowlcoach]

And why do we need to know this?

[josta]

My sister in law made a straw hat at CN last year, she made it all the way home with it. Maybe depends on where you go through customs.

[razzldazzlme]

Sorry but this made me giggle a little. I can see it all now, all your work and tlc and then arrive in the US and customs takes it. I can't imagine why they'd take the hat but this almost sounds like a murphy's law incident. Booo Customs. razzl

[Amy]

Because it's made of leaves from a plant. I know others have gotten theirs through customs but I can't remember how - either packing it in checked so it's hidden or declaring it on their customs form. Someone else on here might have the answer.

[Allans_Angel]

Ummm...was it smokable or something?

[RDYJMJM]

I'd be curious to know why also and if it was customs.

It might be possible they consider the hat a plant material being imported.

[Cubismo]

We've seen the Customs officers do that to people before. They claim it's to prevent the importation of bugs, mites and spores.

Personally, I think they're just jealous of everyone's hats.

[cuse]

Probably because you can't bring any vegetation back into the U.S.

[terriv]

Did they take it because it was considered a foreign plant? I know you aren't allowed into the US with whatever liquor people get in the DR because there is plant materials in it.

[Vickyj]

Yep, it's that thing about bringing vegetation or animals into the country. They tend to have bugs. Same thing can happen with bridal bouquets.

[IsagenixFreak]

That's not cool!!

[Stacieberg]

They took my hat because some bug has been found in them recently. I was carry the hat & they asked if I had packed any more hats. I hadn't but wished I had. They also said if my hat had turned brown it would have been fine. I should have stayed in Jamaica until my hat turned brown. My husband told me I should have taken a picture of it. Why does he always have to be right?! I am still pissed!

[Maxernie]

This reminded me of something that happened probably 35 years ago when I was in Jr. High & I had to go on these 2 or 3 week LONG car trip vacations with my parents where we had to pack a cooler to eat out of, etc. ............ Think the Griswalds going to Wally World & that's kinda what it was like only my Dad is more of the John Wayne type. Anyway ............. We were in Washington & Oregon driving down the coast right before we cross into California & my Dad stopped at a fruit stand & bought this huge bag of bing cherries because he LOVES them. Well, we get to the California state line & they stopped us at a check point where they search the cooler & take Dad's bing cherries because of some bug or something that they are trying to keep out of the state. OMG -- My Dad was SO MAD!!!!! He has always said that if he had it to do over again, he'd have pulled over by the check point & ate the entire bag of cherries He is sure the guards didn't throw them out but ate them. HA HA He's almost 84 & this still is one of our favorite stories. Those car trips were LONG but at least there were some funny moments to go along with the miles of road.