Whether you’re an October gift buyer or last minute. com, presents make up a big chunk our Christmas spend. It really is tempting to buy for everyone on your course, the lady at the reception of your halls, and all of your family. But let’s face it, your student loan won’t stretch that far. Consider who you want to buy for and what your budget for each person is.
The first thing to do when Christmas present planning is to set a budget and stick to it. If you have £100 to spend and have parents, siblings and friends to buy for consider making your own presents. Consider hosting a soiree for friends instead of buying individual gifts.
Make use of your student discount! When you are shopping it should be the first question to ask when you get to the till. You may feel silly if they say no but you never know if the ‘yes’ will save you £15!
I see a lot of sites like Etsy and Prezzybox selling gifts that could easily be replicated. Pinterest is also a brilliant tool for gift ideas. As a student you may have a limited budget which makes Christmas shopping hard. Here are some ideas that shouldn’t break the bank.
Gift list
- Spa in a jar – Get a nice jar or vase and fill with mini hand cream/ nail file/ body puffle etc and tie with a ribbon. This can be done for around £6
- 5 senses – A present for each of the senses, sight, sound, smell, touch,and taste. For example: Sight = tickets for a show or a film, sunglasses, art. Sound = headphones, concert tickets, audiobook. Smell = candles, spa set, car freshner, flowers. Touch = back scratcher, clothing, scarf/ winter woolies, blanket. Taste = chocolate, wine, restaurant gift card
- Memory frame – A photo frame with a polaroid style photo and a little poem or memory for the person. If you are a train ticket hoarder or collect leaves on your trips then this could be a nice way to utilise those clippings.
Photo by Lindy Baker on Unsplash
- Vacuum water bottle – With the world becoming more environmentally aware, a reusable water bottle is a very thoughtful gift.
- Lego tray – For the person in your life (young or old) who loves lego. A sheet of lego floor glued to the inside of a tray partnered with a little lego kit can be a brilliant gift.
- A colour package – Think of your person’s favourite colour, then find treats that match. For example a blue box could have some gum, smarties, blue socks, some hand cream, doritos etc all in the colour blue!
- Theatre/ exhibition tickets – You never know what is around you. Take some time to research events in your local area. Often free events still require tickets so if your bank account is struggling this could be a great answer and a brilliant day out!
- A board game – A board game is one of the best gifts you can give. They last for a long time and bring endless fun.
- A plant – Have you got a green fingered friend? A small house plant is always a good idea. Be careful if they have animals though, some pants can be very detrimental to animal health.
- Comfort items – Whether it is a hot water bottle, blanket, or winter specific like scarves or gloves, comfort items are always well received.
- Slippers and an alcohol – This one is perfect for grandparents who have a specific taste in the stronger stuff. Slippers can be paired with brandy, tequila, whiskey, or anything else that takes their fancy.
- Fandom gift – Do you know a Potterhead? How about a Star Wars fanatic? There are hundreds of gift ideas for those fans who are just obsessed.
- Socks – Underrated. Classic. Timeless.
- Photo album – A simple and brilliant gift, keep your memories forever in a nice album. Sites like Snapfish offer free prints so it is worth looking into.
If you are struggling with Christmas presents you can’t go wrong with chocolates, remember the most important part of Christmas is spending it with loved ones.
Merry Christmas from Sulets x