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Q: What should I get my friends for the holidays?

Claire:

Now that we’ve entered December and the holidays are right around the corner, it’s officially the season of giving! While some people find it easy to pick out considerate and thoughtful gifts for all their friends, some (like myself) struggle with the task. I personally find it hard to predict what things my friends will find valuable and worry that the gift might just wind up in the back of a drawer or the trash in a few months. For people with similar worries, I would recommend thinking about what things your friends might need or want, like some decorations for their rooms or some self-care items they wouldn’t buy themselves. You could also make something by hand if you’re a creative person, but that’s usually better for family members than friends. But the best way to figure out what your friends might want is to listen to what they complain about and think about what you can do to make that better.

It’s also important to not put too much pressure on yourself to get the perfect gift, because usually, the perfect gift doesn’t exist. Your friends probably already have everything that they need, so it’s ok to get them a silly gift that will make them laugh for a few weeks, or something nice that they might have bought for themselves anyway. Also, if all else fails, don’t be ashamed to get your friend a gift card to their favorite store. By choosing a place you know they use often, you can show that you’re paying attention, and you don’t have to worry about it not being used. 

Ethan: 

It’s that time of the year again when your Secret Santa is approaching and you haven’t managed to decide on a gift, and like normal you have come to me to receive my advice. I assume you are planning on a budget because you don’t have money like that, but we can make it work. At this point, you’re cutting it close. You can try to expedite shipping to the Stevens mailroom, but they’ll just lose your package, putting you back at square one. After the mailroom falls through, you can probably try the Newport Mall in Jersey City, but I don’t have much advice outside of that. When it comes to what to get them, you have to know your audience. I do not know your friends so for you to ask me to pick a gift for them is crazy. 

You know your friends, just get them something and I’m sure they’ll appreciate it — and if they don’t, I’m fairly confident they won’t be comfortable enough to tell you that. Get your friends bad gifts to test if you are close enough to tell each other the truth, that is my advice for this week. You should get me a gift for giving you all this advice. I need to start accepting tips and donations. Feel free to leave me a gift in The Stute office if you feel so inclined. With this being the last issue of the semester I will wish you a happy holiday and have fun with finals!

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