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Gift Guide: Secret Santa

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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rutgers chapter.

Christmas is just around the corner, which means many of us are scratching our heads and thinking of cool Secret Santa presents that won’t break the bank.

Check out this list of fabulous yet sensible Secret Santa presents to delight your best girlfriends. 

Laneige Heavenly Hydration Set

It is no secret that Laneige is a leading skincare brand, and for good reason. I have the most sensitive skin, which makes it hard to find products that won’t destroy my face. I use the Laneige Glowy Makeup Serum as my base layer whenever I do my make-up and it is foolproof. That’s why this Heavenly Hydration Set is the perfect Secret Santa gift; it’s guaranteed to work for any skin type and includes three different products so the recipient can try them all and see which they like the best. 

Bombas Holiday Ankle Sock Gift Pack 

Socks, how complicated can they be right? You usually just pick up the cheapest pack in your size and they do the trick. Well, once you go Bombas you cannot go back. Bombas socks are made with a special arch support fabric in a signature honeycomb pattern. They are the most comfortable socks I have ever worn and are also the socks I have owned for multiple years and have not ripped. This holiday ankle sock pack is the perfect length for any type of sneakers and their holiday animal pattern is adorably whimsical.

Owala Free Sip Water Bottle 

Forget Gen Z, we should be called the water bottle Generation for how rapidly overpriced water bottle brands come in and out of fashion. I have not been immune to this trendy bottle obsession and have owned a Swell, Hydro Flask, and Stanley Cup over the years. This summer, I impulsively purchased an Owala water bottle at Target because while I loved the size of my Stanley, it’s too big to fit in my backpack side pocket. It’s the perfect size, has a gorgeous color scheme, and is just as durable as any other brand for half the price.

Animal Weighted Throw Pillow 

You have probably already seen the weighted stuffed animal craze on TikTok or Instagram, and let me tell you it is totally worth the hype. It doubles as charming bed decor in your dorm room and an emotional support fixture. Whenever I can’t sleep I lay mine on my chest and the heaviness really does squash any anxieties. The Target brand weighted animal pillows are supreme. I have the dinosaur and my brother has the cheetah, which are both equally lovable, so you cannot go wrong with any option.

Jo Malone London English Pear & Sweet Pea Cologne Duo

This perfume set comes with Jo Malone London’s two most popular scents, English Pear & Freesia and English Pear & Sweet Pea Cologne. Each bottle is 0.3 ounces, so they are small enough to fit in your purse but large enough to last a while. The packaging is elegant and understated, also making for pretty decor in a dorm or bedroom.

Sophia Richie Grainge also recently announced that Jo Malone London is her new official scent. If that doesn’t sell you, I don’t know what will. 

Amazon Animal Slippers

As college students, we never quite know what we may be stepping into. Literally. Slippers are a definite must when walking around the dorms, on the street, and even to class on lazier days. Why not have a little fun with your footwear with these essentials? Each pair is a different animal, and the sole of the shoe is as soft as a cloud. They are comfortable enough to wear around the house but not too shabby that you couldn’t wear them out. My roommate has a bunny pair and they always make me smile.

Sara Fajardo

Rutgers '25

Sara is a Sophomore at Rutgers University majoring in History and minoring in Spanish. She loves reading really long books and listening to podcasts on the bus. In her free time you can find her going out with friends and religiously watching the Real Housewives.