I hope you all managed to snag your Christmas gifts at a discount last week! Unless, of course, you have standards higher than shopping during Thanksgiving… I bought a pair of boots at exactly 12 a.m., thank you very much. Anyway, for those of you still searching for the right gift without going totally broke, here are some gift ideas even a Stevens student can afford.
Let’s start with your best girl friend. Sure, shopping for your friends is fun, but being a broke college student usually means Christmas gifts are small. But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for nail polish and eyeliner. Small gifts are fun because they can be more unique! What about a clear umbrella from Urban Outfitters ($18) or Target ($11)? Accessories are the easiest routes because they’re fashionable but inexpensive. Tights and socks can be fun gifts too; I especially love the glitter backseam tights from Free People ($20) or knee high socks from Urban Outfitters 2 (also $20). They even have a DIY ugle sock Christmas sweater sock kit ($24)! Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue are great places to look for lower priced Kate Spade accessories like a strawberry phone case ($16) or Notebook ($14).
For the presentation, a really cute idea would be to buy each of your friends a mini stocking and fill them with candies and small gifts. You can write their names on their stockings in glitter glue and hang them in your dorm to taunt your friends until Christmas! Plus, they double as Christmas decorations until you give them away. That’s multitasking in my book.
How about your best guy bud? Well, most of the dudes I know are pretty geeky, so ThinkGeek is definitely one of my go-tos for Christmas gifts. They’ve got POP vinyl figurines of your buddy’s favorite movie characters ($10), heat changing Star Wars mugs ($12), and T-shirts in every shade of geek. For someone into superheros who doesn’t necessarily collect comic books, buying a few comics at a local comic shop can be a good gift for someone who will appreciate their art and collectability. Kohl’s also has an awesome selection of ugly Star Wars Christmas sweatshirts ($20) for an awesome gag gift.
How about your significant other? When it comes to girlfriends, I hate to say the clichés are true, but most girls I know love to get jewelry for holidays, especially if it’s their first-received gift. You can go to a jewelry store and get something classic, but if your girl can appreciate the nerdier things in life, might I recommend an Arwen Evenstar necklace ($111) from the Hobbit Shop? Stuffed animals are also a tried and true winner, especially if you get the biggest one you can find. Also, think about events you might want to take your girl to. With so many holidays it might be nice to step away from material gifts to make some memories at a fancy, formal dinner, a broadway play, or an anime/comic convention she’s always wanted to go to.
For the boyfriend, girls might consider tickets to see his favorite sports team or concert tickets to his favorite band. If you want a physical gift, there’s no shortage of nice, expensive nerd toys out there to satisfy their inner geek. If he’s into Star Wars, a Force FX lightsaber might be right up his ally. If he likes superheros, maybe a Guardians of the Galaxy replica red leather jacket or a Captain American hoodie would do. Stepping away from nerd culture, an expensive watch or jacket might be suitable. If he’s into hiking or athletics, why not customize a Nalgene water bottle for his next outdoors excursion?
Ultimately you know best what the person you’re buying for would like. Try brainstorming a word map of things they like and then doing some Google searches for gift ideas. When in doubt, pull out your scissors and make a little DIY magic. Nothing says I care like homemade!
