Gifts To Buy Your 21-Year-Old Friends When You're Not 21 Yet | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Student Life

9 Gifts To Buy Your 21-Year-Old Friends When You're Not Quite There Yet

Happy 21st birthday to you! I would love playing D.D. all night!

503
9 Gifts To Buy Your 21-Year-Old Friends When You're Not Quite There Yet

We've all been there. Or at least we're all getting there, in time. We have at least one friend older than us and their 21st birthday is coming up and we're straight stuck.

What do you buy your friend who's turning 21 (or older), when you're not even 21 yet? Especially when they're a good friend to you. Believe me, I know that gifts aren't always everything, but I'm someone who loves giving gifts especially on my friends birthdays, especially on their 21st.

I'm the literal baby amongst all my friends. By the time I turned 20, two of my very good friends were already 21. Now, five months before my birthday, I'm still the baby and even more of my friends are turning 21. At this point, I'd like to think I've gotten pretty clever as to what to get your friends who are turning 21 when you're not quite there yet.

Let me be clear in advance, I am in no way condoning the need or necessity to drink once you turn 21! These are gifts that I found myself gravitating towards getting my friends once they reached this fun age. OK, carry on.

1. A wine glass or beer glass.

Obviously, you can't get your 21-year-old friend alcohol when you're not even there yet. But you can contribute to something they may or may not be partaking in. Finding a funny glass or decorative bottle is something that can be used and is also a good memory for them to look back on when using. Steam? Stemless? Plastic? Glass? One of each? I'll take it!

2. Expensive chocolate.

For your food loving, sweet eating friend, this is for you. Obviously, any price range of chocolate will suffice just fine. I just find that spending a little extra something on some fancy, expensive chocolate is never a bad idea. And these chocolate bars and quite literally to die for. Packaging and flavor. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, flavored chocolate? The world of chocolate is your oyster.

3. Wine saver or pump.

My family had one of these while I was growing up, and having friends who are avid wine lovers, I felt that this was perfect for some people. Wine pump savers (is there a proper name for these?) are typically used when you don't finish a bottle of wine and can help to keep it from going flat as quick. They can range in price depending on whatever type you're looking for. Search around, read reviews, and hopefully, you'll end up with one that suits your fancy.

4. "Buy" them a drink on their first night out!

Obviously, if you're under the age, you cannot partake in their first night out as a legal to drink person. But a fun way to feel involved or for them to know you're "there" when you're not is to buy them a drink! In this day in age, you can transfer the money through Paypal, Venmo, and probably more than I'm forgetting. Give them a nice $10 bill in a cute card and you can call yourself good to go.

5. Wine and cheese pairing books.

I think I may be going on a trend here, but I'm not gonna apologize for that. For your wine-loving friends, finding a book that has wine and cheese pairings can be priceless. Especially for that friend who's willing to try new and different things, this could be perfect. Look around, I can guarantee you'll find them in the most knick-knack stores, and any friend (who's not dairy free) would be happy to receive this gift.

6. Make a fancy or not so fancy dinner.

Any friend that cooks for me, I automatically love even more. When it comes to food, it can be very easy to please certain people. Be super romantic and whip up whatever five-course meal you can, or be super romantic and order a pizza! Both are highly appreciated and neither will disappoint.

7. A flask!

Again! Not trying to condone drinking! And to be completely honest, I don't know of anyone who uses a flask these days, but it's still a fun gift. Find a super tacky one from your local dollar store and completely personalize one. Or find the most ridiculously sized one and call it a good day.

8. Anything (and I mean anything) for the kitchen.

As I've gotten older, I've fallen in love with the idea behind practical gifts. And by practical, I mean any and everything I can use around my apartment. If you have any college friends who are living on their own for the first time, they would probably agree. Coffee mug, dish towel, placemats, cleaning supplies, reusable straws, pizza cutter, literally I mean anything!

9. The "Hungover Cookbook."

Now that they have a practice use for this book, it's finally time to gift it to them. Filled to the brim with recipes that any college student would love, especially ones that just reached the ripe age of 21. Have a morning and offer to cook them brunch or choose random recipes to indulge with throughout the year. A timeless gift.

Obviously, at the end of it all, birthday's are never about gifts! One of the biggest things I've learned and picked up on while growing up is how much less I ask for things let alone need things. I'm someone that loves seeing the look on peoples faces when I give them a well thought out gift that cost me $10, but I know they'll love it anyway.

At the end of the day, a birthday and celebration are all of what you make it out to be. Happy birthday! Happy celebration! And please be safe when it comes to the big celebrating of turning 21!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

83476
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

10161
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments