So you made it to December! Whether you're a freshman watching the Christmas spirit creep into the edges of your dorm like a weird ghost made of tinsel, or an ancient and sagely senior living in a Very Cool Apartment across the street from campus (you rebellious scamp, you), you and your roommates/friends (wherever that line may blur) may have come together with the valiant idea of entering the sacred realm of the Secret Santa. But alas! Sometimes giving a gift to a random person, their name drawn prophetically out of a hat, can lead to frustration. You're in college, so money is usually short. And what if you get that one suitemate whose interests are impossible to read? What if you get the roommate who seems to already have everything? Here are some tips to keeping cool and giving when entering the Secret Santa ring.
What to Get the One you Don't Really Know?
Ah, crap. You drew the name of that one person on your floor who keeps to themselves, who nobody really seems to know. What to do for them? You might know their major and the town they're from, but you don't know a lot about their hobbies or interests. You've never seen the inside of their dorm room, so you can't even get a read by the posters on their walls or the things they might collect. So what to do?
Honestly, the best you can possibly do is some sleuthing. Do you know who any of this person's friends are? Ask them. It can be a bit uncomfortable to have to ask people who know a person because you don't, but be civil about it, and they'll be sure to give you some ideas. Facebook can also be a good friend. Maybe they have friends back home, or siblings. Hell, ask their parents. Their mom's idea of their interests might not be the most perfectly accurate, but it'll put them in the ballpark.
The Ol' Make-Don't-Buy
The stereotype of the broke college student is one of the truest of our age. Maybe you spent your last cent getting in, maybe you spend whatever spare scraps of cash you have on whatever imbibements you can legally purchase. If buying isn't in the cards, how about swapping cost for time and effort?
My personal go-to answer is cooking. Of course this won't work for everyone, but there are plenty of colleges with dorms that include communal kitchens. If you live in an apartment or townhouse, even better! Christmas cookies or classic chocolate chip medallions of deliciousness aren't hard, even for novice bakers. Even if you don't have an oven at your disposal, there are some great no-bake recipes out there for goodies that require nothing for than a refrigerator or freezer.
If cooking's not up your alley, there's plenty else to do. Paper crafts are cheap and easy to get into. Sculpey clay isn't hard to mold, although it also requires an oven. There are tons of ideas all round the net, so pick whatever handicraft you think you might be able to give a shot!
Alternatives to Gift Cards (aka the Terminal Laziness Gift)
So let's say you're still shored up on ideas, and want to get something that anyone could enjoy. The gift card, that icon of "I-Tried-Sorta," is the easiest things to fall to, but let's consider some other easy catch-alls for your moment of truest desperation. There's a lot you can do better.
Do they like coffee? Hot chocolate? You can find pretty cheap gift packages with delicious hot drinks and mugs adorned with reindeer. Chocolate and candy are good, too. It can also be cool to throw something at someone even if they might not try it otherwise. I'm not talking about getting a guitar for someone who hates music. But what about an adult coloring book, or a book by a popular comedian? Sometimes it's okay to take a guess if the thing being guessed for is something that seems interesting in a way not specific to a person.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good finals season.
