Gifts for college kids (4 Viewers)

[cubd8]

Looking for ideas for a Christmas gift(s) for a college student (female)... doesn't have to be for college use but a 19 year old who doesn't really provide any ideas other than gift cards.

Want to have a few smaller gifts to open with the gift cards.

What do people in that age range want? Any ideas for kids under $50 that they would want?

 

[Max Power]

My son asked for a bedside caddy for his bunk bed at college. It attaches to the frame and hold his charger with a small shelf to put things on. He says he uses it all the time.

 

[Payne]

Gift cards and money. Gas gift cards if they have a car. Uber / Uber eats.

 

[odin33]

battery charger, ideally one that can power a laptop and/or cell/headphones etc.

Like the gas cards idea if she commutes to school. Spotify subscription. Mikes car wash packet.

My 18 year old lives in a hoodie nearly year round so she's getting a few this year.

Does she have a favorite holiday/non holiday candy, or something food related that only she likes you can load her up on?

Every few years I break out one of the following:
- wrap a gift in multiple boxes one slightly bigger than the previous. Works great if you only have a few gifts for one, but a lot for others as they have to stop at each box.
- Wrap the gift in duct tape and hide the scissors and knives/utility razors.
- One year the family got a new tv. I wrapped it in as many scrap pieces of paper I could (ones that would cover 1/20-1/4 of the box. Looked uglier than sin and everyone knew what was in it, but it still gets mentioned every Christmas.
- Put the gift card/cash in a puzzle box that she has to solve to open and get gift.
- scavenger hunt for the gift

Have fun with it, It only lasts so long.

 

[Jaysus]

New Airpods?

 

[El Floppo]

My son asked for a bedside caddy for his bunk bed at college. It attaches to the frame and hold his charger with a small shelf to put things on. He says he uses it all the time.

we got those for both kids last year- but not really as presents, just something for the room. super useful- they love them.

 

[Mookie]

Headphones, socks, chargers and cables, wireless speaker, basic tools, battery charger/jump starter, car freshener, handheld vacuum. certificate for you to take car for oil change/tune up.

 

[El Floppo]

Looking for ideas for a Christmas gift(s) for a college student (female)... doesn't have to be for college use but a 19 year old who doesn't really provide any ideas other than gift cards.

Want to have a few smaller gifts to open with the gift cards.

What do people in that age range want? Any ideas for kids under $50 that they would want?

tickets to an event/show/band for her and some friends- where her college is, or at home over the break

 

[The_Man]

AirTag - helps keep them keep track of their backpack or whatever, and it's a nice $25 stocking stuffer

 

[belljr]

Besides the tuition I shell out

Noise cancelling headphones
Cash
Gift cards
Clothes

 

[Gally]

we got those for both kids last year- but not really as presents, just something for the room. super useful- they love them.

We got one for my son when he went to college. Hated it and it didn't work for him. Left the box once to try it and he didn't like it so we returned it.

 

[El Floppo]

We got one for my son when he went to college. Hated it and it didn't work for him. Left the box once to try it and he didn't like it so we returned it.

Whats not to work? Its a small shelf that clips onto your bed...everything at arms reach- plug phone in, something to drink, little night/book light, book, tissues, etc...

Was he like those infomercials knocking stuff off everywhere and fumbling with how to use a shelf?

 

[Gally]

Whats not to work? Its a small shelf that clips onto your bed...everything at arms reach- plug phone in, something to drink, little night/book light, book, tissues, etc...

Was he like those infomercials knocking stuff off everywhere and fumbling with how to use a shelf?

No. He just said he wouldn't use it. He had a desk near his bed and didn't think it would be used. Whatever floats his boat. I wasn't going to argue with him.

ETA: Maybe saying he hated it was a bit much.

 

[FarFromHome]

One of the way to many gifts I got for my 19 year old daughter is a car wash gift card for nearby car wash. If I spent 100 I got 200. I bought a little match box car ornament to attach gift card to bottom and wrapped it all up in a huge box. The idea is every year she hangs that ornament she thinks of this gift.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Gift cards for coffee and smoothie type places.

 

[eighsse2]

battery charger, ideally one that can power a laptop and/or cell/headphones etc.

Like the gas cards idea if she commutes to school. Spotify subscription. Mikes car wash packet.

My 18 year old lives in a hoodie nearly year round so she's getting a few this year.

Does she have a favorite holiday/non holiday candy, or something food related that only she likes you can load her up on?

Every few years I break out one of the following:
- wrap a gift in multiple boxes one slightly bigger than the previous. Works great if you only have a few gifts for one, but a lot for others as they have to stop at each box.
- Wrap the gift in duct tape and hide the scissors and knives/utility razors.
- One year the family got a new tv. I wrapped it in as many scrap pieces of paper I could (ones that would cover 1/20-1/4 of the box. Looked uglier than sin and everyone knew what was in it, but it still gets mentioned every Christmas.
- Put the gift card/cash in a puzzle box that she has to solve to open and get gift.
- scavenger hunt for the gift

Have fun with it, It only lasts so long.

One year I got a family several gift cards. I got a biggish box, like I dunno, 24" x 18" x 9" or whateverish, sliced into the corrugation in the lid flaps to make hidden recesses, inserted the gift cards, put nothing inside the box, sealed it, wrapped it.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Besides the tuition I shell out

Noise cancelling headphones
Cash
Gift cards
Clothes

She hates the clothes she buys. Like we have any shot of getting this one right.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

My dad used to always give a last gift to everyone, later in the evening, after all the gifts had been opened, food consumed, and everyone had settled in for the night. They weren't always winners, but he did a pretty damn good job given the people he had to buy for.

I've picked that up the past few years since his passing, and it's really, really challenging. You're basically relegated to trying to find things people might want without relying on things on a list that others are likely to buy. The kids are actually kind of the easy ones. Worst case, I can always grab a Dutch gift card for mine, though I'm trying really hard not to go that route. Pretty good recommendations in here so far. Last year I bought the 2-for-1 Anker chargers at Costco and split the package down the middle with a razor blade to wrap them separately. Seemed to be well-received.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Nephew is taking flight lessons. I'd love to find one of those inexpensive "every pilot should have one of these" gifts that isn't ungodly expensive. If we have any amateur pilots kicking around in here.

 

[Nugget]

Things I’ve purchased for college aged kids in last 5 years:
Backpacks
Headphones
Passport
Coats
Footwear
Hoodies
Bike helmets/accessories
Roof rack for kayaks
Concert tickets
Deposit into brokerage account (Start EF)
Mobile chargers/cords
Apple watches
Hoodies

 

[El Floppo]

One of the way to many gifts I got for my 19 year old daughter is a car wash gift card for nearby car wash. If I spent 100 I got 200. I bought a little match box car ornament to attach gift card to bottom and wrapped it all up in a huge box. The idea is every year she hangs that ornament she thinks of this gift.

this would be hilarious for my son.

no car, no drivers license... Merry Christmas!!

Nephew is taking flight lessons. I'd love to find one of those inexpensive "every pilot should have one of these" gifts that isn't ungodly expensive. If we have any amateur pilots kicking around in here.

Parachute

 

[eoMMan]

Power bank with built cord for iPhones
Fuzzy slippers (never too old or young for these)
Coffee gift cards, as mentioned above
Vapes
Lotto tickets
Weed
DraftKings DFS buy-ins

Might be a silly suggestion but if you happen to be in a store with young people (mall, waitress at restaurant, whatever)....ask them. They could give some good insight.

 

[belljr]

Nephew is taking flight lessons. I'd love to find one of those inexpensive "every pilot should have one of these" gifts that isn't ungodly expensive. If we have any amateur pilots kicking around in here.

Carry on bag


Compass

 

[Skipdog77]

Fake ID

 

[Gally]

Nephew is taking flight lessons. I'd love to find one of those inexpensive "every pilot should have one of these" gifts that isn't ungodly expensive. If we have any amateur pilots kicking around in here.

Get him a parachute

ETA: Dammit @El Floppo beat me to it

 

[STEADYMOBBIN 22]

They kept stealing ours so:

Luggage
Coolers

Wife buys them clothes and Make-up
Digital Tire inflator
Legos for one and puzzles for the other have been the only “toy” holdovers from when they were kids.

Youngest (19,) still loves Christmas and Garfield so I purchased a few new in box Garfield ornaments from the late 70s early 80s on eBay.

Oldest still “collects” Stanleys So the wife my bought two more.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

They kept stealing ours so:

Luggage
Coolers

Wife buys them clothes and Make-up
Digital Tire inflator
Legos for one and puzzles for the other have been the only “toy” holdovers from when they were kids.

Youngest (19,) still loves Christmas and Garfield so I purchased a few new in box Garfield ornaments from the late 70s early 80s on eBay.

Oldest still “collects” Stanleys So the wife my bought two more.

Kubrick and Tucci?