It is that time of the year again, the holiday season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, it’s the time of the year when you start to feel all warm and fuzzy inside. The houses are all lit up with holiday cheer, the radio starts playing holiday music, and your favorite holiday movies begin to play on television. Although this time of year is celebrated and cheerful, it can also be a very stressful time for some people. You have to start thinking about what gifts you are going to give to your loved-ones and how much of a dent this is going to put in your pocket.
Being a college student means a lot of things; you study hard and play hard, but for the majority most of us are broke. The phrase “broke college student” was coined for a reason. This time of year can be extra stressful because you want to get your family and friends great presents, but you don’t exactly have the means of doing so and no one wants to come off looking cheap. What many of you don’t know is that there are so many different and inexpensive gift ideas that work for everyone and won’t burn a hole in your wallet.
Let’s start with your parents. All parents love to show off their children. So a great idea for your mom or dad would be to take a picture of you and your siblings, print it out and put it in a nice frame. Run to Target or Wal-Mart and purchase a picture frame. According to walmart.com, you can get a standard size frame for as cheap as $12. This gift could potentially cost you less than $20 and it’s a gift that shows meaning and lasts a lifetime. Another great gift idea for your parents is a home cooked meal. How many times have your parents cooked you dinner? Wouldn’t it be nice to switch it up for once? This is an inexpensive version of getting them a gift card for a dinner at a fancy restaurant. It is also more personal. You get to spend quality time with your parents rather than sending them out to eat. What mom wouldn’t love that?
Buying gifts for your siblings cn be a little difficult depending on the person you are buying for. For your brother, if he is into sports, anything sports related would be perfect. For example, if his favorite team is the Yankees, a new hat, t-shirt, or sweatshirt is a great idea. According to barnesandnoble.com, there are hundreds of inexpensive books on the history of sports or a specific sports team that will only set you back around $20-$30. Sisters can be harder. Senior Kara Donnelly explains, “I am making my sister a collage of pictures of us and our family members. I am going to put it in a nice frame so she can hang it up on her wall. Also, every year my sisters and I go out to a nice dinner then split the check three ways, it relieves the stress of having to shop for one another.”
A Broadway show is an awesome idea for a present for your significant other. Treat your girlfriend or boyfriend to a night in New York City. This may seem like an expensive gift but websites like broadwaybox.com offer discount prices on many popular shows. If this still seems like something out of your price range, look at off-Broadway productions. The tickets are much less expensive and you still get the feel of seeing a great production.
Last but not least, shopping for a gift for your friend can be very easy. Getting him or her their favorite movie or cd can be inexpensive but still shows that you had them in mind while shopping. Senior Alana Silva says, “My best friend and I always buy each other gag gifts. Last year we bought each other matching onesies that only cost about $20 each, and this year personalized t-shirts that we found on a website that are only about $10 each.”
No matter who you are buying for it shouldn’t matter how much you spend on that person, just make sure the gift comes from the heart. Keep these tips in mind, and happy shopping!
PHOTO COURTESY of promologos.com
