Unique present ideas

By Sean Tseng

“Secret Santa is so much work!”
“What’s the point?”
These are the sentiments expressed by most students these days. More and more, gift-exchange activities like Secret Santa and White Elephant are falling out of popularity.
The unspirited epidemic boils down to the struggle of shopping for quality presents. Every year, Christmas becomes a headache for millions of poor shoppers as they scour the malls to find a new, original, out-of-the-box gift.
To all the lost souls looking for gift-giving guidance, here are a few pointers and ideas sure to make you the gift-giver of the town!
Tip: Be personal. The best gifters are sure to know their targets’ favorites: color, animal, food, and so on. Find a way to incorporate at least one thing they’re sure to love into the present. If you can fit several gifts into one theme, even better!
Idea: A panda-loving recipient will definitely appreciate a panda-themed basket with items such as stuffed animals or stationery.
Tip: Experiences are always a welcome change of pace to the usual material present. Try to tailor the experience to your giftee and remember that memories are priceless!
Idea: Concert tickets, activities like ziplining, or even your own “ticket” to a night out or a day on the beach with friends can make the perfect present for someone in need of a break from life’s stresses.
Tip: Another surefire way into your recipient’s heart is something that speaks to their hobbies. Be it writing, photography, dance, sports, or any other passion under the sun, there’s no greater joy than receiving a gift related to someone’s personal love.
Idea: These gifts can range from a nice brush set or a fountain pen to soccer cleats or biking equipment.
Tip: Help them with a problem. Life is full of inconveniences, but that’s not what Christmas should be about. Keep a sharp eye out for any issue that crops up often in your giftee’s life and swoop in on Christmas Day with a solution! Even gifts that solve the most minor inconveniences can make a silly but useful present.
Idea: An electronic tracker would help anyone prone to losing things, while a cookie-dunker can solve problems they never even knew they had.