<p>In this new chapter of life, I have no idea what to get my freshman D, whose dorm room is stuffed to the brim, for holiday gifts. She chooses her own clothes and is not allowed to have a car on campus.</p>
<p>So far I've got ... pajamas.</p>
<p>Does anyone have creative ideas? Thanks very much!</p>
<p>My D has already worn out the cheap sleep mask she brought to school. She had never worn one before but wears one frequently at school. Bed Bath & Beyond has nice ones that aren’t expensive.</p>
<p>My DS has requested noise cancelling headphones. Other ideas might be gift cards for local eaterys.</p>
<p>I won’t suggest the gift that I gave my then freshman son: gift cards to our local ski resort. During his senior year of high school, the resort had a great offer for lift tix but S was too busy with IB requirements and said that he would like it for the following year when his college has a 5 week break. I did wisely get the gift cards instead of the season pass because he was afraid that he wouldn’t have anyone to ski with him. He managed to get one trip so I think he still has enough left on the gift cards to go several times this year.</p>
<p>My Ds liked the Scentsy plug-in for their rooms. Also loved the food gift cards for the local places to eat, closest grocery store and 6 months of Netflix. Last year the gloves that you can wear while texting were a hit as were the knitted earband/headbands with the flower on them.</p>
<p>Stuff to make her room festive without taking up space?
some green string lights
window cling-ons of Christmas trees, Santas, stockings
a tiny tree (paper folded, or just fake) that she can hang from some ceiling part
home-baked cookies
holiday socks</p>
<p>This is why I love you guys! Thanks for the creative ideas, and feel free to keep them coming!</p>
<p>Depending on where she goes to school, hand warmers - the kind you crack and shake to start.</p>
<p>Last year I sent my freshman S a goody box before Dec 1st that followed an advent calendar idea. I had 21 (because he flew home on the 21st) little presents, individually wrapped and labeled “1…2…3…” to open one each day. They ranged from free (typed out jokes about his major - math, or pictures from home, homemade cookies) to cheap (gum, york peppermint patties, chapstick) to a little more (Starbucks card, Christmas window stickers, scented shower gel, a book). He loved it - I’ll do it again this year.</p>
<p>Got D an electric teapot last year, so she is getting a nice supply of teas. This year she will be getting a Keurig mini and I will include a starter supply of coffee. The coffee at her school is pretty bad, and she has been getting together with friends for afternoon tea/study breaks a few times a week. We tried using my old Tassimo but it is noisy in the mornings and wakes up her roommate. I am assured the Keurig is quieter.</p>
<p>You can get custom made calendars at Walmart or Walgreens. I’ll be doing one for Freshman D too. Take some pictures from Prom/graduation/family vacation/family pet/favorite place etc, put then on a disk/USB and they will turn them into a 12 month calendar for you. I also did a large poster for D before she left home and she has it up on her wall at college. You can also get custom made mouse mats, mugs, t shirts etc etc.</p>
<p>I sent my D a subscription to Entertainment Weekly. She told me the other day that all the girls in her sorority house read her copy and get very excited when a new one arrives.</p>
<p>Floridalady: You can also make the calendars on Snapfish (and either ship it or pick it up at Walgreens or Walmart I think). THen you can put the pictures where you want and you can even customize dates and put pictures on the dates.</p>
<p>Not sure where she’s in school, but if it’s cold at all what about a new scarf or gloves?</p>
<p>House socks are always popular here.</p>
<p>If you’re considering gift cards, then an iTunes gift card is probably something she can use.</p>
<p>Warm slippers.<br>
Both kids came home asking for headphones.
They may need new sneakers – both kids did a lot more walking around the city and campus than in HS. S1 called home the day after he returned to school to report that duck tape did not hold his shoes together in the snow.
S2 likes his Sports Illustrated.</p>
<p>NorthMinnesota: What are the “gloves you use for texting?” Are you talking about gloves that are open at the fingertips?</p>
<p>Do a search on isotoner smarttouch gloves. They have special threads in the index finger and thumb to allow you to use touch screens with gloves on. There are other brands if you look on amazon for gloves for touch screens.</p>
<p>Last year Walmart actually carried the Smarttouch gloves. Also saw them at JCPenney.</p>
<p>OK…last year I did this for my son, but I see no reason why you can’t do it for a daughter too. Get a small wallet, the kind that really only holds credit cards and ID cards. Get gift cards to favorite places…ITunes, Amazon, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, Bertuccis, wherever. I got the wallet and six gift cards. For my son, this included Express, ITunes, Staples, Target, Walmart, BBB.</p>
<p>If I did this with my daughter, she would really like a Coach or Vera thing to hold the cards.</p>
<p>Put it all in a nice gift box, wrap it up and put it under the tree.</p>
<p>It takes up NO room in the dorm.</p>
<p>Thumper, I remember that idea and loved it last year - thanks for the reminder, cause I did happen to already buy a wallet for my D so I will plan to fill it this year!</p>