It’s that magical time of year again. The trees outside your dorm are layered in shiny lights, they city is wrapped with bright colors, and red velvet bows mysteriously appear on every surface overnight. The holiday season makes the city look like one giant present.
If you’re anything like me, you absolutely relish the thrill of giving someone you love a fantastic present. But, unless that person specifically mentioned something they are dying to have (and you happened to be paying attention), finding that perfect gift could be nearly impossible—so impossible, in fact, that you might just consider giving up. Don’t give up though— here are some helpful pointers to make your gift giving experience as pleasant as it is for the person receiving it.
Consider what you would like to receive. Make a list of little things that you’d like to have but can’t justify because of how superfluous they are. If the receiver of your gift feels the same way, this could be the best present for them. Sites like uncommongoods.com (for uncommon goods), tovolo.com (cool kitchen tools) and thinkgeek.com (for geeks) are rampant with quirky, random little gifts like egg-faced spatulas, washable keyboards, and toothpaste-tube-wringers. (Tip: before you buy, always check amazon.com for better prices.)
Photo (and wrapping) credits, Avital Tzubeli
Recall private jokes. This is key when brainstorming a present for your roommate or good friend. It often requires some conscious planning– meaning if you know some time in advance that you need a present, pay attention to the topics and thread of conversation between the two of you. The best is when you get a response like, “how did you remember I said that?!” and you’re like, please, I’ve been taking notes. Keeping track like that makes for a double present, because it shows you care and pay attention.
Photo credits: Avital Tzubeli
Customize. Use photos or text to turn something ordinary into a unique and personal gift, because a pencil case made with a hilarious picture can transform an ordinary pencil case into the best gift. I swear by zazzle.com, an absolute goldmine in terms of customizing gifts. From clothing to bags to school supplies to room decorations (well, everything except umbrellas), this site provides the ability to find both practical and creative gifts. They also sell a large selection of already customized objects, such as mugs with popular artwork, where I’ve discovered quite a few cool finds (re: inside jokes). What’s more is that Zazzle is fantastically generous with their sales and random $10 coupons (best day ever), so it really pays off to keep that gift in your cart if you can wait a couple of days until they send a coupon for it. There is also blurb.com if you want to create professional looking photo-books, or mymms.com where you can write a couple words on your friend’s favorite chocolate.
Photo credits, Avital Tzubeli
An assortment. This is my personal favorite. If you have too many ideas and inside jokes, if you’re having trouble narrowing down to one present, or if you just can’t think of one thing good enough, the next best option is a compilation of little presents, such as costume accessories, fun office supplies, or key chains . This is often easier than the aforementioned gift categories, and gets even easier as you go along. Also, be creative about how to package these bits and pieces (like in a jar, a plant-pot, or a cool cup), and make sure that you’re not just giving someone a bag full of junk, as that completely defeats the purpose.
photo credits, Avital Tzubeli
#LGFG, Presentation Is Everything. Well, not everything, but it is most of it. Now, if your present is fantastic, I doubt anyone will care if you’ve given it in a paper lunch bag, but there is just nothing more exciting than receiving a beautifully wrapped present (assuming the contents aren’t a total letdown- which they won’t be now!) Capitalize on wrapping paper (even very plain) and ribbon. Check YouTube for present wrapping tutorials and proper-bow-tying (or on how to tie a bow so it doesn’t end up backwards). Placing your present in a box brings it to a whole other level as well, especially if it’s wrapped.
If you have yet to purchase a present and run out of time to do so, a single rose goes a long way. Candy or chocolate wrapped in ribbon works great for a last minute situation as well. In a real emergency, someone you know (your RA) most probably has construction paper that you could use to improvise—get creative. The smallest effort makes a big difference.
The more creative and thoughtful your present is, the more satisfying it is. Just keep spreading the magic and Happy Chanukah!