Early December means figuring out how to pass your finals and balance your budget to get your closest friends and family meaningful gifts. It can be difficult to find the perfect options, so University of Maryland students shared their holiday wishes to give you inspiration.
Get sentimental with a photo-related gift.
Photos that hold sentimental value are a great gift that can come in different forms. You can make crafts and decorations with photos or even give somebody a new photo tool for documenting new memories.
“I want a Polaroid camera because I love taking pictures and if I use this I can have the physical copy of the picture fast,” said Kristen Min, a freshman elementary education major. She included that an similar alternative gift could be a phone attachment that prints photos.
A clothesline with attached photos for decoration, a scrapbook of 2017 memories, a camera and some film or a subscription to a nice editing program are just a few of many photo-centric gifts for a loved one.
Help a loved one dabble in financial investment.
Buying somebody stock in a budding or unwaveringly successful company might seem like a peculiar gift, but you may be doing them a favor. Getting started in stock market investment is no easy task and the gift of stock may jumpstart someone’s experience. Plus, it builds financial responsibility and gives them an opportunity to make some money.
“I actually asked for a small stock in Bitcoin so I can mess around with it and not be too sad if I lose money,” said sophomore communication major Justin Lango. He added that he’ll be coaching his parents through the purchasing process.
Putting in the effort to research the market and find a good stock for a friend or family member is a thoughtful gesture that pays off in the long term. The process of actually purchasing the stock can even be a bonding experience.
You can’t go wrong with event tickets.
Sophomore English major Courtney Williams is asking her parents for tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway this year. She said she has been waiting for two years to see the show and convinced her parents to get tickets for her family of six. According to Williams, tickets for weekday matinee performances of Hamilton are relatively cheap, so there will be a chance over winter break to see the hit musical.
“I think gifts which give you an experience and time with loved ones are better than material gifts,” Williams said. “I prefer buying items such as clothing and electronics for myself so I can pick them out and would rather someone get me something we can experience together.”
Hamilton on Broadway won’t be a viable option for everyone, but tickets to a small show at the 9:30 Club or Echostage could be an alternative.
Buying someone tickets to see a band they love or a comedian they watch shows you’re tuned in to their interests and can be an enjoyable experience for you both. Buying a ticket now for a show happening sometime in the spring semester may be easier on the wallet, too.
