For students, Christmas is a time for creative budgeting. You want to get special gifts for all the special people in your life, but you don’t necessarily have the funds available to splash the cash. If you’d like, you can solve the problem through financing – short terms loans for students are available, and they’re specialised to meet the particular challenges of life at university, including Christmas.
Let’s see if we can inspire ourselves with a few common candidates for the occasion.
Knitwear
Knitwear reliably goes down a treat during winter time. Look for something practical, that won’t scratch at the skin. Socks are a standard, but jumpers and scarves both fit the bill admirably, too. If you have the skills (possibly built up over lockdown) then you might be able to knit items for all of your friends. Try to create something personalised if you want maximum sentimental value.
Laptops & Tablets
You might think of a laptop as a major expense – and you’d probably be right. Don’t look for specialised high-end machines for graphic-design and music-tech students with particular needs. Look instead for lower-end Chromebooks and the like. If you feel like the expense is too high, you can always go in with someone else and present a gift jointly.
Books
If you know a bibliophile, then some reading material is a sure to go down well. You might track down a special edition (or a first edition) of their favourite novel. If you can get something signed, then so much the better. If you’re shopping for a housemate, then a cookbook might go down well, and get you a string of tasty treats over the coming year.
Spirits, Wine and Beer
Alcohol is a sure-fire hit, if you know the drink to go for. It’ll help the person to slash down on their alcohol expenditure in January, if nothing else. Look for a festive edition of a particular drink – you’ll find them laced with cinnamon spice, nutmeg and other mince-pie inspired flavour infusions.
TV Streaming Subscription
Streaming television is the way of the future – and the market is quite a crowded one. If you’ve been pestering a friend to watch a particular TV show, then why not pay for them to do so? You needn’t pay for the subscription indefinitely – a month should be enough to give them a taste.