Every holiday season, one thing incites joy and stress like never before: gifts. What do you give someone who seemingly has everything? What do you give an acquaintance? We’ve got you covered, because vanilla candles are so last Christmas.
Claire Cothren, Upper School English Teacher, explained her philosophy about what makes a good gift.
“I like to give things that I know the recipient will be so excited about, regardless of whether it involves their interests or will make them laugh,” Cothren said. “I also make sure my gifts reflect a little bit of me as well.”
Fitting her English teacher persona, Cothren’s suggestion for anyone pressed for gifts is a book.
“I try to get books that fit my recipient’s favorites or ones that are climbing up the charts,” Cothren said.
To spice up an unassuming gift, Cothren suggests adding candy or printed jokes.
“Candy is a great way to add a sweet treat to a gift,” Cothren said. “Any handwritten message would be awesome, but jokes are the most fun!”
As Cothren shops for her Secret Senior Pal (SSP), she shared her experience of buying something for someone unknown and planning ahead.
“Even before I got my SSP, I started shopping online for her,” Cothren said. “We get their wish list and interests, so I combined her indicated things with some seasonal items.”
Freshman Alexa Chavez-Ayala shares Cothren’s dedication to giving with care but differs in her gift suggestion, which is skincare or makeup products.
“I usually get them something I like and know is good quality, but if we’re closer I’ll get them something they’ve been wanting,” Chavez-Ayala said. “Off the top of my head, I’d get a Charlotte Tilbury blush or a bubble moisturizer or a Benetint,” Chavez-Ayala said.
In Cothren and Chavez-Ayala’s opinions, the hardest demographic to buy gifts for aren’t distant cousins or grandparents, but one half of the population: guys!
“Men are just harder to buy gifts for,” Cothren quipped.
Chavez-Ayala agreed, adding that without shared experiences and interests, buying gifts becomes much harder.
“It’s way easier to shop for girls my age, because I know exactly what a teenage girl just like me would want,” Chavez-Ayala said.
However, both Chavez-Ayala and Cothren handwrite cards for those who mean the most.
“For my close friends and family, I really put a lot of effort to customize and add personal meaning to my cards,” Chavez-Ayala said.
Cothren even handmakes her cards sometimes.
“I love writing messages on all my cards, but I’ll occasionally craft the entire card,” Cothren said. “I recently made one for Ms. Fisher [another Hockaday English teacher], where I photoshopped her face onto Molly Shannon, whom she loves.”
Although Cothren enjoys giving and receiving gifts, her favorite gift of all is time spent together.
“My love language is quality time, so what truly makes me happiest is getting to spend time together with people I love,” Cothren said.
Now that you’ve heard from a Hockaday student and teacher, it’s now time to add my favorites, as well as give some general tips.
My most common gifts are Lego flowers or a simple plush animal (usually their favorite). You’d be surprised by how many people of all genders and ages appreciate this; the flowers not only look nice but also give them something to do when bored. Also, everyone likes plushies. Win-win.
As Cothren and Chavez-Ayala mentioned, if I know the person well, I try to customize their gifts, as well as buying them things I know they’ve been wanting for ages. Even if it’s a corporate environment, I’m sure people still mention things they like.
If it’s a faraway family member, jewelry or a nice watch both work wonders. For me personally, as my extended family doesn’t live near me, family jewelry is one of the things that tie us together. For smaller add-ons, I always add handwritten cards and oftentimes keychains or stickers to my gifts. If you’re truly at a loss, toss in a gift card too.
Consider your relationship when budgeting for gifts. You also shouldn’t be dropping more than $20-30 on a gift for a stranger or acquaintance, such as during advisory Secret Santa. (Thankfully, most advisories do impose upper limits on the amount people should spend on their Secret Santas.) Thoughtful gift-giving doesn’t have to cost a lot.
Some other gift ideas for guys: customized socks, hats, custom blankets, ties (my friend’s advisory once gave their advisor a tie with their faces stamped on it), a small puzzle game like Kanoodle and baked goods (I recommend cookies). In the words of Dr. Stephen Balog, Hockaday physics teacher: “For guys, food is always a winner.”
Ultimately, all the quirky gift suggestions in the world shouldn’t override what the person themself wants. If you have a wish list, share that. If you don’t, hopefully the suggestions provided in this article will help you. Either way, your efforts will surely be appreciated during this trying time of year. Best of luck!
