I bought too much should I ship souvenirs home from Sri Lanka or just check an extra bag

Cost-wise, an EXTRA CHECKED BAG with your airline almost always beats international shipping for short-haul countries. From Colombo to US/UK/EU, a 20kg airline-purchased extra bag runs roughly 80-150 USD; an equivalent shipped DHL/FedEx parcel runs 200-400+ USD plus 1-3 weeks transit. Use shipping only for: oversized items that wont fit a normal bag, fragile pieces you do not trust airline handling with, or items you bought late and cannot take immediately. Service comparison: DHL/FedEx are fast (5-7 days) and reliable but expensive; Sri Lanka Post EMS is much cheaper (50-100 USD for 5kg) but slower (2-4 weeks) and lower tracking. CUSTOMS ON ARRIVAL at your home country: low-value tourist souvenirs are usually under personal-allowance thresholds (typically 800 USD in the US, similar elsewhere), but check your countrys threshold; antiques, large Buddha statues, and gold/jewellery may attract duty. Save your purchase receipts.