It’s time to embrace the joy of the holiday season and stop stressing about your gift list this year. Knowing what holiday gift to get your family members, significant others, best friends, teachers, or even your friendly mailman can be a chore. I often find myself stressing about buying the perfect gift for each person on my list on a tight budget. This year, I started checking off the nice people on my list early. Finally, a stress-free Christmas. Read the simple gift-giving guide that won’t break your bank this holiday season! Remember to give a gift that complements a unique talent/hobby/quality of the receiver.
The fashionista:
It may be your mom, sister, friend, or girlfriend but we all have a person who has a passion for fashion on our list. The mindset of the fashionista is, “Look good, feel good.” This year’s hottest gifts for fashion lovers include:
1. An embellished blazer/jacket
2. A Faux Fur Vest
3. A piece of statement jewelry (A necessity in any woman’s closet)
4. An across the body tote (A purse that’ll last many nights on the town)
The tech-lover:
It seems like every time I try to buy a “techy” gift for my computer genius cousins and friends I either dig way too deep into my savings or embarrass myself with my lack of knowledge of what the popular gadget is. This year keep it simple for the Steve Jobs on your list:
1. Portable Phone Charger/ Charger Phone Case
2. iPad/ Tablet Accessories (Who doesn’t want a keyboard for their iPad?)
3. iTunes/ Best Buy Gift card
4. Cordies Desktop Organizer and Cord Manager (Organization is the gift that keeps on giving)
The avid reader:
My mom and grandma fit perfectly into this gift category. The problem with these bookworms is that you never know what book to buy them … They’ve read just about everything. Worry no more; this year you’ll have the books covered.
1. Monogrammed bookmark (A special gift that will always remind them of you)
2. Book journal
3. Amazon gift card (Amazon has amazing book deals for everyone on your list)
4. Book light (Even the dark won’t stop book lovers)
The DIY junkie:
This category is not only for your artistic boyfriend or your aunt; it’s also for anyone who would enjoy a homemade gift. It’s easy to spend less with DIY/homemade gifts while still giving a great gift. Browse Etsy.com and Pinterest for more inspiration by searching DIY
1. Gift Certificate to Bottle and Bottega for your girlfriends (A fun night of BYOB and painting)
2. Framed picture of you and your grandparents
3. Baked goods (Free cookie Š—ê need I say more?)
The gym is their second home:
For these friends and family members you can’t go wrong with adding to their endless supply of workout gear and gadgets.
1. Workout Clothes (You can never have too many Nike Shorts)
2. Touch Gloves (Perfect for changing a song on your iPod during your winter run)
3. Subscription to a fitness magazine
4. Reebok Cross Fit Gloves (You know who your cross fit friends are)
5. Yurbuds Inspire Headphones
6. Gift certificate to Core Power Yoga or any other facility
7. Sparkly Soul Sport Headband
The health nut:
While a gift card to Whole Foods may make these people very happy, there are a few more personal gifts for the healthy eaters in your life.
1. Fred M-Cups Matryoshka Doll Measuring Cups Set (Anything that measures portion sizes! Try the new portion size marked wine glass.)
2. Cuisinart SmartStick Immersion Blender (For the smoothie lover and wannabe juice cleanser)
3. Aladdin Collapsible Salad Set (Environmentally Friendly)
4. The Epicurious Cookbook
5. Food Diary
The tea and coffee lover:
These are the relatives/friends who like to cozy up to the fire on a cold winter night and sit with people they love while sipping on their favorite hot beverage. Whether they prefer lounging at home or at Starbucks, there are plenty of gift options for the caffeine junkies!
1. Teavana/Starbucks gift card (A necessity during Peppermint Mocha season)
2. Insulated Tumbler/ MiniBrew Mug (For those chilly 8am walks to class)
3. Hand painted Mug (A gift from the heart that you know they’ll use)
The photographer:
Whether you have a professional photographer for a best friend, or a dad who thinks he is a professional, these gifts will make your photo-loving friends very happy.
1. Into Focus Mug
2. The Lenspen (To clean their lenses in no time at all.)
3. Waterproof Camera/Accessories
4. Photo book of prints from their favorite photographer
5. Changeable iPhone lenses (Their phone will soon be their favorite camera.)
The traveler:
Some may travel for pleasure and some may travel for work, whatever the reason you know they enjoy seeing the world from all of the Facebook pictures they post of the countries they’ve visited.
1. World Map with push pins/ stickers to mark where you’ve been
2. Passport Holder
3. Fashionable Weekender bag
The Animal Lover:
While all of us may feel like animal lovers after watching a SPCA commercial, we all know people who devote their extra savings and free time to helping animals. These friends/family will appreciate you noticing their passion when you give them an animal-related gift!
1. Share the Care Package at the Brookfield Zoo (Your friend can partially adopt an animal for as little as $35.)
2. Tickets to the Shedd Aquarium
3. Donate to ASPCA in their name
4. A toy for their favorite pooch. (The way to a person’s heart is to love their pets.)
