I will be travelling to Houston soon and I intend giving my friends and families up to 5 African bead sets as gifts.
I hope this won't stir up issues at the point of entry. Kindly advise on how to package them and explain to airport officials
in case they think I plan to sell them.

folabim:
I will be travelling to Houston soon and I intend giving my friends and families up to 5 African bead sets as gifts.
I hope this won't stir up issues at the point of entry. Kindly advise on how to package them and explain to airport officials
in case they think I plan to sell them.

That shouldn't be a problem. Just tell the I C E agent at the point of entry that's a gift for your friends and family.

It depends on the type of beads. If you are traveling to the USA with real coral beads, this will be a BIG problem. Coral is on the USA endangered species list. If you are coming with rubber, plastic, glass or wood beads, it will not be a problem.

I once saw an airport program where someone was stopped.
Their beads were seeds from a poisonous and forbidden plant!

Lucasbalo:
That shouldn't be a problem. Just tell the I C E agent at the point of entry that's a gift for your friends and family.

Quite right. I went through Houston some 6weeks back and had a truck load of beads for my brothers trad wedding and they didn't even ask about it .

Thanks guys, your responses have been quite re-assuring.