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Christmas Gifts for Students
By Hasna Haidar
Updated December 10, 2015 Updated December 10, 2015Christmas is just around the corner and you’re still struggling to come up with ideas for the perfect student gift? Don’t despair! Whether you’re getting ready for a student Christmas party with your flatmates or searching in desperation for a Secret Santa gift, it can be difficult to buy a great present when you have to worry about budgets, that pesky essay deadline or simply because you’ve only known your housemates for a few months. But, your Christmas spirit need wane no longer with our list of great Christmas gifts for students…
Food gifts
Electronic gadget gifts
If you’re really looking to impress this Christmas, gadget gifts will definitely score you some major points. Whether it’s a laptop, tablet or e-reader, electronics are now essential learning tools for many students. Savvy budget shoppers can shop around to find the best prices on gadget gifts – not only can you pick up perfectly good second-hand items online at a fraction of the price, but many electronics stores sell refurbished (almost as good as new) items quite cheaply too.
Top tips: Two electronic gadget gifts you can buy without splurging too much include a USB-powered mini-fridge that holds one 330ml can (practical when in the middle of an intense essay-writing session?) or you can go the fun route with a giant keyboard (à la Tom Hanks in Big).
Book gifts
Finding the right Christmas reading material can be tricky! Whether it’s a much-needed textbook (not overly exciting but necessary nonetheless) or the long-awaited sequel to a favorite novel, books make great Christmas gifts for students. With so many titles to choose from, take a look at lists of the current bestsellers or classic reads using websites like Goodreads to make finding a great page-turner that much easier. You might even give someone a copy of your own favorite book with a not-so-subtle hint that you expect long philosophical discussions about it later!
Top tips: As well as books, stationary can also make good Christmas gifts for students. Why not get them a practical but prettily decorated notepad (or two, to last them the whole year!), or a cute ‘bookchair’ to make life easier when taking notes?
Stocking fillers
You might not actually be playing the role of Santa, but stocking fillers still make useful little gifts, especially if you don’t want to spend too much. There are all kinds of stocking fillers around – from useful to purely frivolous, and they’re generally quite cheap and can be bought in bulk to help you tick off lots of gifts in one go. Whether you go for disco bath lights or scorpion vodka, you’ll be sure to make your recipient laugh their Christmas socks off.
Top tips: Mix practical and fun stocking fillers with some skull (or flower) headphones or help your student friends keep their Christmas spirit alive during exam time with a collection of giant Christmas pens.
Homeware gifts
Buying homeware gifts for students living in halls or student accommodation could be a good idea, but make sure you know what their room looks like and how big it is so you can get a gift they can actually use. It might also be helpful to find out if there are any halls of residence rules you need to follow. In general, it’s probably best to go for something fairly small, especially if they’re likely to be moving at the end of the academic year. A removable over-door hook is practical and helps save space, while a corkboard or magnetic card in a photo frame can make a handy noticeboard for keeping track of upcoming events or displaying photos of friends and family.
Top tips: Practical but personal Christmas homeware gifts include a small desk lamp or fairy lights to brighten up a room, or a set of decorative mugs for coffee marathons and warming hot chocolates.
Fashion and jewelry gifts
Fashion and jewelry gifts are often well-received by students, especially if they’re on a tight budget and don’t feel they can treat themselves. You could go the lighthearted route with fancy dress or a silly Christmas jumper, the personalized route with some clothing or jewelry you know your friend will love, or even the cheeky route with some lingerie or underwear (probably better if you know the person pretty well…).
Top tips: Two great unisex Christmas gifts for students are the slanket (blanket with sleeves) or a pair of heated slippers, both great for lounging around in a cold student flat. Giving something they can use inside the house means you don’t have to worry about your gift recipient’s fashion tastes: they can enjoy your gift while hidden away from the outside world!
Fitness gifts
If you know your gift recipient likes to keep fit (or is always complaining of being unfit!) a subscription to the campus gym could be extremely useful, even if you can only afford to pay for a trial period. While Christmas tends to be characterized by lots of eating and lounging on the couch, remember New Year’s is only a few days away – the perfect time to start a new exercise regime.
Top tips: Inject a bit more fun into fitness gifts with a Zumba Fitness DVD or any dance game, or help your friend stay yummily hydrated with a fruit-infusion water bottle. Slightly pricier but lots of fun is a Zorbing experience day where you can watch your friend roll down a hill in a giant plastic ball!
Relaxation and pamper gifts
Most of the time perfume, body lotion or scented gifts are met with subtle jibes about the recipient’s body odor. Jokes aside though, a lush-smelling set of toiletries, bubble bath or even incense can pave the way for a much-deserved pampering day for your gift recipient. With the stress of preparing for Christmas, booking tickets to get back home, last-minute meeting up with friends and looming Christmas essay/exam deadlines, being gifted a relaxation CD and some bubble bath can be perfect for the receiver to spend a cozy winter’s day.
Top tips: An oil burner with a relaxing scent such as lavender and chamomile or vanilla and sandalwood can be a perfect addition to the receiver’s room. Or, push the boat out with a voucher for a spa day to really make them feel special (a handmade coupon for a long back massage could do the trick if you’re pressed for money and good with your hands).
Homemade gifts
Of course you could be like everyone else and buy your presents, but if you’re a bit more creative (or on a budget) there’s nothing better for the receiver than knowing that a lot of thought went into the making of homemade gifts. Why not compile a mix CD of songs? Nothing says “Merry Christmas” like your favorite hits from the 90’s. Or maybe even pen your own song and perform it for them!
Top tips: Great Christmas-themed homemade gifts include homemade gingerbread biscuits or cookie bark (or pretty much anything else you can eat) or a hand-made bolster pillow from an old Christmas jumper, in the shape of a Christmas cracker. There really is no limit to how much you can do, so get your Christmas thinking caps on!
What’s on your Christmas wish-list this year? Share the best (and worst) gifts you’ve received as a student in the comments below.
This article was originally published in December 2013 . It was last updated in December 2015
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