Holiday Gift Guide

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Photo Courtesy of Juliana Malta

Struggling to come up with Christmas gift ideas for friends and family? Don’t sweat it. TDP is here to help. Here are 10 gift ideas so that you don’t have to wreck your brain during finals week. 

1. Personalized journal

Keeping a journal can be an effective way to stay organized, so why not make this gift special by creating a personalized journal for your bestie? Papier.com allows you to customize a wide variety of planners, journals, and notepads by inserting your own pictures and graphics into cover layouts. Make sure to check out their website while the Black Friday sale is still on. 

2. “Reasons we are friends” jar/container

Sometimes it’s hard to put into words how much your friends mean to you, but this adorable container filled with a dozen heart-shaped wooden messages from Uncommon Goods makes it a bit easier. What’s even better is that you can customize the container however you want and add your friend’s name to it. 

3. Cookbook

Do you have a friend or roommate who’s obsessed with cooking or baking? I certainly do. If you do too, go ahead and get them a nice cookbook. A cookbook might also be a good gift for those who have attempted to burn down their dorm kitchen. (I certainly have not, or have I?) Feel free to nicely suggest to someone that they need to follow recipes sometimes. 

4. Coffee subscription

We all have that one friend who has coffee running in their veins instead of blood. If you don’t, it’s probably you. What better way to feed into your friend’s coffee addiction than to introduce them to coffee from all over the world? You can do so by checking out Atlas Coffee’s monthly subscription, which can bring coffee from different countries to your door. 

5. Travel photo printer

Does your friend always forget to bring her polaroid? Or maybe a polaroid is too bulky to fit into their tiny purse on a night out. Guess what? They can still decorate their room with pictures by using a portable printer. By hooking up a phone with a wireless printer, they can share fun memories with friends in a physical format. 

6. Fanny pack

This might seem like the most generic gift ever. Well, it is. However, if your loved one is an avid traveler or concert-goer, you absolutely need to get them a fanny pack! Fanny packs stay close to your body, making one less of a target for pickpocketing in touristy areas and spaces with large crowds. 

7. Ugg slippers

Who wouldn’t want to feel as though they’re walking on clouds on their way to an 8 a.m. in the freezing Indiana winter? Ugg slippers can be a perfect way to keep your feet warm and cozy, making the dreary weather a little more bearable. 

8. Floor lamp

My personal favorite. Why? Well, let’s just say dorm lighting is less than ideal, especially if you’re planning to cram for an exam. Better lighting can help anyone be more efficient while straining their eyes less. 

9. Facial roller

Sleep deprivation, drinking, and a poor diet? Sounds like college. The problem is the three can contribute to puffiness in the face, which literally no one needs. A facial roller can improve blood circulation and give you that snatched look even on your most stressful days. 

10. Sunset lamp

These days it’s hard to find people who don’t struggle with seasonal depression, especially in the Midwest. A sunset lamp can help boost anyone’s mood by imitating late-afternoon sunlight, which we don’t get often in the winter. 

Hopefully, these ideas give you inspiration for what you might want to get your loved ones. Merry Christmas, Tigers!