Lifestyles

Holiday Hot List: Gifts Ideas for Everyone

It is the most wonderful time of the year, except when you are a broke college student. With finals cutting it close to Christmas, holiday shopping is the last thing on our minds. However, it is the season of giving, so you have two choices, set aside some time from studying for finals and plan a trip to the Monmouth Mall, or save all your last minute shopping for when you get home. If you lack the patience to come up with the perfect unique gift for your loved ones, here is a list of what is definitely going to be decking the halls this December.

Shopping for a girlfriend, sister, mother or other lady in your life? Alex and Ani jewelry, especially the bangle bracelets, are in. Almost half the price of Pandora bracelets, Alex and Ani are beginning to show up on every girl’s wrist. The bracelets are especially timely for the holidays because they can be customized by occasion. The Alex and Ani website says their charms are “truly personal and made with positive energy.” If you have a lot of female family members to buy for, there is free shipping on over $100 spent online.

Sophomore Spanish education major, Nicole Iannotta, has received Alex and Ani bracelets for her birthday and anniversary with her boyfriend. “I suggest this jewelry because it is unique to every person, each charm could mean something different to each person, the hope symbol charm could have one meaning to me, but have a different meaning to someone else who has it,” she said.

Looking for a good find for a brother or boyfriend? Video games are always a perfect choice. According to the NY Daily News, NBA 2K14 is a must for Xbox and PS4 game systems. It has a new player emotion system, making the images and actions realer than ever. On that note, if you do not want your boyfriend spending more time than he already does gaming, maybe you should buy him clothes instead. The game is under $60 though, which is a reasonable price. 

Effortless presents for both genders, and especially college students, include Spotify or Netflix subscriptions. If you do not have a subscription already, you may want to reconsider your wishlist. The movie and TV sites have popular films and the hottest television series, which can come in handy during free time over winter break.

Senior software engineering major David Aviles suggests giving someone Spotify Premium as a present. He said, “I have Spotify Premium myself, and it allows me to adapt my music to how I’m feeling or the environment I’m in. Premium allows me to play my favorite artists, build playlists and create radio stations without pesky advertisements. Who wouldn’t want to get Spotify as a gift?”

Junior English education major  Rachel Fox believes a Netflix subscription would also be a clever and useful gift idea. She said, “Netflix gives one access to tons of movies and shows, so what better time is there to give a gift of a subscription than during winter break? Over break, when it is cold and we have no classes or homework, staying in and watching movies and shows is the perfect idea. With Netflix, you can keep up with television series that you weren’t able to during the semester.”

Another non-gender bias gift idea is books. Books like “The Hunger Games” have recently hit the big screen, making them an instant phenomenon.

If your friend or family member is a book worm, here are some novels to give them to read before they hit theaters later this year. You may have already seen trailers for “Divergent,” starring Shailene Woodley, which comes out in March, however this is a book. Buzzfeed claims it could be the next “Hunger Games.” Other books ready for the 2014 cinema to include in your holiday package are: “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Gone Girl” and “The Monument’s Men.”

Now that you’re chock full of ideas, choose wisely. In regards to fighting last minute holiday shopping lines, may the odds be ever in your favor.