Christmas Gift Ideas for a Uni Student

Ok, your child is at Uni – maybe for the first year, or they may be a seasoned Uni goer by now! What do you buy them for Christmas? Here are our suggestions for Christmas gift ideas for a Uni student.

MeeMee is in her second year, and is sharing a huge house with 9 other students. Obviously she wants and needs money (as every Uni student does!) but we love to give her some presents too, as do the rest of the family. It is important to buy stuff that she will want, appreciate and need. Not always easy!

1. Put together a hamper with a theme – i.e food or treats. Pick a lovely box or basket that can be used after and fill it with goodies. What is their favourite food treat – look for the luxury or brand version because they will have been buying the supermarket value one up till now! Choose long life non- perishable treats because they will hopefully be home with you for Christmas and you can treat them with lovely fresh favourites then. Toiletries are good too – for boys and girls. Perfume or aftershave, shower gel, favourite shampoo etc. Don’t forget they probably won’t have a bath so Lush bath  bombs aren’t always useful, especially if they are in halls, they will more likely have a shower.

2. Anything to brighten their room. This is probably the first ‘home’ they have had on their own, and it can feel so bare and impersonal. Make it cosy with candles – Yankee Candles are great, a jar or votive in a gorgeous holder (REMIND THEM OF THE FIRE HAZARD AND TO NEVER LEAVE THEM LIT IF THEY GO OUT). Posters, wall hangings (check the terms of the room / house lease for putting things on walls). A pack of quality, brand wall hanging hooks – some now leave no trace when removed. These are perfect. A range of cushions and a new duvet cover set will help make the room theirs too. A photo frame with family / siblings in is an idea too – NB you HAVE to suss out before hand if this is cool or not 😉

3. Useful gifts to keep them warm! Throws and snuggly blankets, their room will probably be cooler – especially when they start paying their own bills! An electric blanket is a real treat too, or a hot water bottle.

4. Gift Cards / Vouchers – rather than hard cash. This means they can treat themselves in their favourite store without feeling they should be buying more pasta. Check at the last minute what their favourite store is!

5. A portable TV with built in DVD – and the years TV licence to go with it. Or, a years subscription to Netflix or similar. MeeMee watches most of her programs on her MacBook.

6. A lovely dressing gown – especially in a house with a shared bathroom. They can pop it on after a shower  when nipping back to their room, and snuggle in it to watch Breaking Bad study.

7. New coat and/or boots. Student loans don’t stretch to these. Or nice new underwear.

8. New earphones. For the life of us we do not now what happens to them.

9. New phone charger. Especially if it is for an Apple device. They go funny at the neck of the lead, then all wrinkly then the covering splits and it can’t be used.

10. A giftcard for their favourite coffee shop – they can enjoy a little treat after Christmas.

We hope you find these ideas useful – do you have any to add?