The holiday season is the busiest time of the year, but sometimes, it just sneaks up on you. Apart from just Christmas and Hannuka, there are birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations to attend to. If you're a parent whose kid is coming home for the holidays, or a student looking for a gift to get your closest friend for their birthday, it can be sort of hard to come up with an idea that stays within budget and doesn't require a lot of pre-planning.
If you're anything like me, you tend to leave shopping until the very last minute. And you definitely won't find me DIY-ing any gifts, because that requires at least a modicum of patience and talent. Instead, I'd actually prefer just to spend money on something I know would be used and appreciated. Here, I've compiled a list of gifts almost every college student wants or needs at some point (some of which stretch the budget a little further than others).
1. A Hydroflask (any reusable water bottle or travel mug, for that matter)
Whether you're an avid coffee/tea drinker or are just trying to keep hydrated, it's always nice to have a water bottle or mug around that's affordable, easy to carry around, and effective at keeping drinks at your ideal temperature.
2. Electric Kettle or Coffee Maker
Anything that makes a morning bearable! Again, if you like your coffee or tea, it would be helpful to an electric kettle or a coffee machine on-hand. If you look around, you'll find ones that are small and relatively inexpensive!
3. Care Package
Care packages are one of the easiest ways to get creative and/or personal while keeping costs low. Whether you're sticking with a theme or just essentials, any college student would be more than happy saving money on stuff like extra cleaning supplies or personal hygiene products.
4. Gift Cards
If you're like me and get worried that you haven't found the right thing to give someone, gift cards are ideal. Not only are you giving someone free reign over what they buy- so you know they'll like it- but you get to decide how much they spend. And if you have an idea about what stores they like, it's still possible to keep it somewhat personal. It's hard to go wrong here
5. Cards Against Humanity (or any other card or board game)
Let's face it. Cards Against Humanity is not for everyone. In fact, it's come under a lot of fire for supposedly promoting "rape culture, anti-blackness, homophobia, and ableism" (Saxena, Jaya, 'Why I Quit Playing Cards Against Humanity'). But whether you like the game or not, it's certainly not the only one out there! From the classics like Monopoly and Clue to newer games like What Do You Meme? and Most Likely To..., there's something for just about everyone.
6. Stationary
Notebooks, stickers, and washi tape- oh my! Stationary is one of those gifts that just about everybody and their uncle could use. Plus, it's really easy nowadays to find stationery that's fun and affordable. And nothing says 'I know you' like personally engraved pencils.
7. Headphones/Earbuds
Considering these things are always getting lost, or are being "borrowed" and never returned, it's always good to have a few pairs hanging around. Or even one quality headphone set. The music-lovers in your life will thank you.
8. Throw Blanket
What's to say? Everybody wants a nice, cozy blanket to curl up and watch Netflix with. Especially if you're a three-hour plane ride away from your dog like many are. It's not the real thing, but a nice throw is a good alternative.
9. Succulent/Terrarium
Pretty and low maintenance! Succulents and terrariums are a nice way to add some green to a dorm room without overdoing it. Plus, terrariums are one of the easier DIY projects and almost always end up looking super cute.
10. Instant Camera or Portable Printer
Probably the most expensive gifts on this list, I've saved them for last. Nonetheless, an instant camera or printer would be the perfect gift for the creatively-inclined or sentimental person in your life. Have you seen what you can do with some polaroids and string? Pretty fun to way to document your memories, if I do say so myself.
Happy shopping!
