Part of the challenge (and this is just a guess) is that the OP is that the "assignment" wasn't well explained. I think the OP is looking for something:

• That can be given as a gift
• That is not too expensive
• That has widely appreciated value (the cultural significance)
• Maybe something that is collected(?)

I think a lot of Redditors were trying to think of UK equivalents of childhood series, hence the mention of Paddington or Winnie the Pooh.

In Japan, the answer might be their expensive fruit (look it up).

I'm not sure the UK has something. You can look into shops like Harrods but I think it's missing the point as that stuff is probably atypical as a gift and also excessively expensive.

John Lewis is worth a shout but again I'm struggling to think of particular items. One possibility is a "name brand" like Le Creuset. I was once given a Le Creuset French Press (which I mostly dislike as well). Not cheap though.

Visiting other non-UK people I might given them a nice boxed tea set in a wooden box, say. I've also given fudge or something in nice tinned boxes from Waitrose or similar.

I was once given a Mr Grumpy mug. That might be a close equivalent (the Mr Men series) but again this doesn't have the value component.