By Shivali Shah, Staff Writer
As winter festivities approach, students find themselves caught in a whirlwind of anticipation. With the holiday season comes winter break, quality time with friends and family, vacations, and the responsibility of buying gifts for loved ones. During the holiday season many students stress over the task of shopping for gifts within a reasonable budget. This raises the question: what do people want for Christmas?
Worrying about whether the recipient will like a gift is a major concern. To circumnavigate this stress, many people resort to getting their loved ones cash or gift cards. Some people, like Sophomore Erin Kim, actually prefer receiving cash. Erin explains, “I can choose what to get because the other person might not know what I want. With cash I can get the things I always wanted for myself.”
While some may appreciate cash or a gift card, others find it to be impersonal. When asked if she would be disappointed with a cash present, Sophomore Nika Nikinson said, “I would rather get the things on my list. It’s just more thoughtful. I feel like if someone is giving me cash, all they did was open their wallet, take out cash, and put it in an envelope. But, if they go and think through what I actually want and they find the stuff that they think I would love, then it shows they put effort into it. It shows that they care.” Similarly, Sophomore Gabi Muniz says, “There’s something about a present that kinda makes the holidays special. Cash or a gift card can seem very surface level, although if I had to choose [between cash or a gift card], I wouldn’t want a gift card because I could save the cash rather than having to spend it.”
Some people enjoy the convenience of buying exactly what they want for themselves, or saving the money towards their future. But others want something that is thoughtful and cash or gift cards lack the personal touch of a hand-picked gift.
There are countless options for what to give your friends and family for the holidays, but something that is very useful and extremely popular on people’s Christmas lists is skincare items, which are useful all year round. Gabi explains why skincare is at the top of her wishlist, “If I were to treat myself, I would want skincare or just self care essentials. I want stuff to make me feel nice, you know? I really like face masks too, and I just want things that will help me slow down and relax.”
Many people use skin care as an outlet to unwind and release stress from the day, as some people build it into their routine. Some popular skin care brands include The Ordinary, CeraVe, Drunk Elephant, Neutrogena and Nivea. Getting skin care or just self care products like lotion, soap, masks, or lip balm are great gift ideas to get someone who you know will use them!
Many people view usefulness as an important aspect of a successful gift. A common factor seen on student’s Christmas wish lists are things that they would use on a day to day basis. Nika’s list consisted of “Highlighters, a new phone case, a portable charger, UGG slippers, Gordon Ramsey’s Home Cooking Guide book, and a phone stand. I think that Gordon Ramsey’s Home Cooking Guide is really useful because I’m trying to get better at cooking and baking. I feel like I will be using all of the things on my list, like almost every day. Like shoes, obviously I will be wearing them pretty often, and the phone stand will definitely make my life easier. And the highlighters, I use them every day, pretty much everything is useful.” The recipient will want something that they can use often and will be helpful to them during school, work, or even at home. Thinking about your loved one’s lifestyle and what they might need in their routine is a successful strategy for finding a useful gift!
While gifts add a festive charm to the holiday, many people don’t feel that presents are what make or break Christmas. When asked about the most important part of Christmas, Gabi said, “Family, for sure, and just letting yourself slow down and enjoy life, and just looking at how wonderful everything is around you… I love that we have that time off to spend with our families. Gifts are not essential to a good Christmas… When I think about Christmas, I mostly think about chilling, having fun with my family, and having fun with my friends.” Instead of stressing over gifts this holiday season, we should take a moment to enjoy winter break and spend time with our loved ones. Yes, gifts are a plus, but the heart of the holidays lies in togetherness. The best gift you can give someone is love, friendship, and quality time.