While the holiday season is full of festivity and we all love spending time with family and friends, there’s always some stress that comes with the fun when it comes to giving gifts. While some of us are blessed with a talent for gift giving, or at least with specific Christmas lists, some aren’t so lucky, and the holidays become a time of frenzied shopping and nerves. But if you’re afraid this is your future once finals end, don’t worry, Her Campus has got your back with a gift-giving guide for anyone and everyone.
Your sister: In my opinion, my sister is the easier to buy for as we have similar style, wear the same size and know each other better than anyone. But if this isn’t the case, as it definitely hasn’t always been for me, there are still plenty of options. While gift cards are usually thought of as a little impersonal, for your sister it’s an awesome idea. Get her a gift card to her favorite stores so you can go shopping together after the holiday and spend some time together. Concert tickets are always a good bet too, especially if it’s a concert she can go to with your or some of her friends and enjoy later on. If you still don’t know what to get, try a cute purse or wallet, or even a watch. After all, we all need them! And knowing your sister, you’ll be able to pick out the color and style you know she’d love. Try this Marc Jacobs wallet (it holds your phone, too!), a cute clutch or even a versatile, and not too expensive, watch, like this one from Fossil.
Your brother: Even though I don’t have a brother myself, enough of my friends do for me to know that this can be a tough one, especially if you’re not around your brother all the time now to know what he’s into. While exactly what boys might want as gifts will always be a mystery, it’s easy to figure out a brother’s favorite video games, sports teams for jerseys or music, all of which are always safe bets for gifts since you can’t go wrong with something you already know they like! Still unsure? Check out the gifts for guys section at Urban Outfitters and check out some cute, funny gift ideas for any guy.
Your parents: Parents- mine, at least- are notoriously difficult to buy for. The best advice for this one is to use your strengths, in this case, meaning the other parent. It’s always good to check with your dad to see what he’s already bought for your mom, and vice versa, to make sure you aren’t double gifting and also to pick up ideas. If all else fails, my parents have always been big on the homemade and personal gifts. Homemade and personalized picture frames and collages, painted coffee mugs, and photo albums have all been successes at my house. So get creative!
Your boyfriend (usually the hardest of all): While I’ve definitely struggled with this one myself, I think I’ve finally found the best gift advice when it comes to boyfriends. Steer clear of the clichés of their favorite sports teams or video games and stick to things you could pick out without the help of his friends or that the two of you have in common. If there’s a TV show that the two of you watch together, get him a boxed set of a season of it. If you know his favorite store or what kind of clothes he likes to wear, you can try braving men’s shopping and buy him some new clothes at his favorite store. Whatever you buy him, it’s great to get something he really needs or you know he’ll actually use. And if your guy claims there’s nothing he wants, then go the sentimental route and take him to dinner at his favorite restaurant or spend a whole day together in the city. You can go iceskating at Millenium Park, go see ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo or check out Christkindlmarket together.
Your Northwestern BFFs: While we all want to get our best friends on campus just as great of presents as our families, it can complicate things when we all head off campus toward the beginning December. With friends staying home for reading week or leaving early after a few finals, it can be hard to even get everyone together, let alone find time to shop for gifts. As far as school friends are concerned, I say stay simple but sweet- buying your girlfriend a gift card to her favorite restaurant, a few cute accessories from a boutique she loves, or maybe some of her favorite foods to help get her through finals week, you can show how much you care about your friends while sticking to low-budget and easy to find gifts around Evanston.