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Ahhh college, when everyone is broke!
While the college students you know might be longing for a new macbook, or a sweet spring break trip, there are a TON of Christmas gifts for college students that they will appreciate more than you’d think.
Freeing up a few of their dollars means there’s another pint at the bar, or a few less dollars spent on the student loan. These ideas might surprise you, but give them a try!
Surprising Christmas Gifts for College Students
Gift Card in a Pop-Up Box
We all need to eat. Think about how much ramen you can buy with an extra $50!
Fancy Grocery Gift Cards
For students who are tired of feeling broke all the time, help them treat themselves to something nice at the fancy grocery store.
Coffe Shop Gift Cards
Laptops + Coffee + Coffee Shop = College Student
Laundry Detergent
Laundry detergent is shockingly expensive and counts as a necessity in life. Take it off their mind by giving them a year’s supply.
Transit Pass
Getting around the city adds up! Students are often used to cut rate, or included-in-tuition transit passes, and the full price can be hard on the budget. Give the gift of a transit pass.
Frisbee
Frisbees are an easy to transport gift that’s great for encouraging exercise and hanging out with friends.
Bottle of Booze
Yup – this will make you a winner in their books (ahem, pay attention to your local laws).
Ticket Home for Christmas
Getting home isn’t free! Chip in for their bus ticket, train ticket, gas money or flight.
The Remarkable Year
Instead of letting your calendar control you, you control your calendar. The Remarkable Year is a planner, goal setter, journal, memorabilia and a wonderful gift. It is an excellent way to keep track of all the amazing things that happen during your college years.
Available at TheRemarkableYear.com
Textbooks
Help them start the next semester a few dollars richer by purchasing one of their textbooks for them.
School Clothing
Help them show off their school spirit at the next football game by getting them some school clothing.
Fancy Cable Package
Are they missing watching all the games? Upgrade their cable package for them for the year!
Netflix Subscription
Entertainment! Keep them entertained for an entire year by springing for a Netflix subscription for them.
Cell Phone Payment
This will definitely win you a friend – pay their cell phone bill for a month (or several)
Coffee Machine ( + Coffee or Pods)
Wake up and hit the daily grind with the gift of a coffee maker.
Lunch Containers
Gorgeous glass lunch containers with locking tops come with a moderate price tag, but over the long run they save piles of money because you can pack your lunch easily. They make a wonderful gift, especially if they come in fun colours.
Portable Wireless Speakers
Wireless Speakers
Pantry Staples
Stock right up! Pantry staples make a wonderful gift, and they also make a great wedding shower present. If you have to live on rice and beans, they are even cheaper when someone else buys them for you.
Spice Rack
Ramen can get boring when it’s all you eat (kidding!). Pick up a nice spice rack, to adorn their new place, give them culinary creativity, and pave the way to adulthood.
Commuter Bicycle
A good commuter bike can last a decade, keep you fit, keep commuting costs down and help them get to class on time! Indirectly, a bike can help them live further from campus and save on rent.
Tool Box
Living in an apartment still necessitates the odd screwdriver or hammer, and having a compact kit of basics makes life a whole lot easier. 
First Aid Kit
This is one of those “I should really have one of those but never get around to it” type gifts, that can come in extremely handy, but people don’t often buy for themselves.
Joy of Cooking
Ready to set out into a world of more than ramen? The first thanksgiving dinner can be made entirely from scratch with the Joy of Cooking, aka the textbook and reference manual of all things cooking.
Hair Cut
This is a splurge item for students, gift them a new haircut.
House Plant
Freshen up the air and make their space feel lived in, with an ongoing reminder of your gift and the growth they experienced during college.
Slow Cooker
The godsend of lazy, healthy cooking!
Concert Tickets
For the music lover, grab a ticketmaster gift card, or a pair of tickets to a band they love.
CSA Membership
It’s time to stop living on rice and ramen! A CSA box is a great way to get a lot of healthy, diverse foods into their diet.
Healthy Snacks Care Package
Noise Cancelling Headphones
Residence can get loud and unfortunately there is not a lot you can do about it sometimes. Escaping to the library is an option, but if your school doesn’t have a 24 hour library, your 2am studying could rely quite heavily on noise cancelling headphones.
Exploding Kittens
Exploding Kittens: Original Edition
Exploding Kittens is ridiculous card game, that’s quick to play, accessible to most and as a bonus is hilarious.
