Globalization could mean the end of omiyage.

Stuff that used to be hard-to-find and one-of-a-kind is now everywhere, on every island, and even in Vegas and L.A. Gifts of food from your travels are supposed to be something special that can't be found at home. And now just about everything can be found at home.

You can find Mountain View Stone Cookies at Longs. Kauai Kookies are ubiquitous. Knock-off guri guri is in the frozen treats section of most grocery stores, and Kahala Kids is carrying those cute "I know, I know, I look like my Mommy" baby shirts from Maui. (I know, I know, the term "omiyage" refers to a gift of food, not shirts, but those baby shirts have attained souvenir status among local island-hoppers.)

Perhaps the toughest challenge is coming up with something to bring from O'ahu that Maui doesn't have.

(Maui people would answer in unison, "Cheap gas!" and they wouldn't really be joking.)

There was a time before Ka'ahumanu Shopping Center got all two-story and fancy when the thing to bring back from a trip to O'ahu was See's Candies lollipops. Several advantages to that gift: easy to pack because they don't crumble, break or melt; big hit with the kids; and a status symbol at school: "Ooh! You have See's Candy? Who do you know in Honolulu?"

But Maui has its own See's Candies. And its own Costco. And Wal-Mart. Maui will get its first Zippy's this summer, so bringing a vat of chili is out. Besides, Zippy's chili is sold at Maui Taco Bells and in the frozen-food section of many grocery stores.

Granted, a number of O'ahu bakeries make beloved and unique pies and pastries and such, but a pie is hard to carry on the plane. Overhead compartments and the reliably turbulent Moloka'i Channel are not kind to baked goods. When your friends open the box in Kahului, it may taste like a pie, but it won't look like one. Ditto for Coco Puffs. Pork hash and half moons have a fighting chance, though. And Maui is notoriously lacking in manapua products.

If you're willing to hand-carry food on the plane, keep it at the proper temperature until delivery and take your chances through security screening and the rigors of overhead compartments, there are quite a number of things you can take from O'ahu to your Maui buddies.

But if you're looking for sturdy omiyage you can just throw in your suitcase, all the best ones aren't exclusive to O'ahu anymore.

What does O'ahu have that Maui doesn't? Shirts that say "Hollister" and high-end manapua. That's about it.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.