1.) Tapestry: Tapestries are key for room decoration and can be found at hippie clothing stores, yoga studios, and various other places. Tapestries are great because they’re so versatile – you can hang them from the ceiling or on the wall, use them to cover a table or chest of drawers, use them as a blanket, and the list goes on. And you can never have too many tapestries. They come in different colors and styles, from simple and basic to wild and psychedelic to somewhere in between. They can also be found with pictures on them, such as Grateful Dead symbols.
2.) Essential Oil & Oil Diffuser: Essential oils are natural fragrances that are derived from plants and known for a variety of therapeutic uses (the use of them is called aromatherapy). Do some research and find out what the different kinds are good for (some are uplifting and can help with depression, some are good for colds and congestion, others are good for stomach disorders, others can help with insomnia or headaches, still others are known for their antiseptic properties). Then buy some accordingly. You can look them up online or you may be able to find aromatherapy books in stores that sell the oils. Some common favorites include peppermint oil, lavender oil, patchouli oil, tea tree oil, chamomile oil, and eucalyptus oil. An oil diffuser is a convenient way to utilize the oils. Usually, they consist of a small bowl on top of a structure that allows you to burn a small candle underneath. The burning of the candle then heats the oil and diffuses it throughout the room. They’re also very decorative and come in many different styles. If your son/daughter lives in a dorm room where they don’t allow candles, an oil diffuser may be a bad idea, but they also make ones for cars that don’t require candles and can be plugged in to the cigarette lighter.
3.) Yoga Package: Yoga is great, but can be expensive on a college budget. Find a yoga studio near your son/daughter’s college and buy him/her a package of classes, or a gift certificate. Yoga packages come in different sizes and the price decreases the bigger the package is. In general, a package of six yoga classes will cost around $66. Also, you may want to consider buying a yoga mat, a block, or other yoga props. If you have a son/daughter who already does yoga, whether at school or otherwise, there are plenty of props that can be used for yoga including bolsters (firm cylindrical pillows used to support certain yoga poses), eye pillows, straps, bags (for carrying yoga mats) and blankets (there are specific blankets used for yoga that can be bought at yoga studios). In addition, there are tons of books written on yoga. I recommend Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar for a serious practitioner, Runners Yoga by Jean Couch for an athlete, and 30 Essential Yoga Poses for Beginning Students and Their Teachers by Judith Lasater for beginners. American Yoga: The Paths and Practices of America’s Greatest Yoga Masters by Carrie Scheider and Andy Ryan is also a great book for any level of practitioner, especially those interested in one day teaching yoga.
4.) Gift Card to Local Grocery Store: Free food is always appreciated on a college budget (although the gift card may be used far more frequently for beer than food). There’s something nice about having a gift card to a grocery store because then the recipient often feels like he/she can buy the “luxurious” things that he/she wouldn’t normally buy because they’re unnecessary (like fancy olive oil or pickles or Ben and Jerry’s ice cream).
5.) Pet: Okay, this one is iffy, but pets are always exciting presents. If your son/daughter lives in a dorm room, this may not work, although students in dorms are usually allowed fish. Otherwise, unusual pets can make really interesting presents. Some ideas for unique pets include: hedgehogs, snakes, types of lizards, salamanders, or geckos, ferrets, and various types of birds (perhaps a macaw or a cockatoo). As far as cheap, easy to take care of pets, there are always hermit crabs, cool looking fish, and stick bugs (insects that are popular as pets in England and can be ordered online or found on e-bay).
6.) Instrument: Instruments are always fun and exciting, and there are so many different kinds, so they work well for a variety of price ranges. Try buying an unusual instrument, like a mandolin or banjo or ukulele. If you’re looking for something cheaper, try a tambourine of hand symbols. Djembes (hand drums) are a general favorite among college students, along with bongos and other hand drums. Singing bowls are also really nice gifts. These are bowls that are often used in Buddhist meditation, but now can be found all over the world and are used by all types of people. They are usually made out of metal and come with a wooden mallet that is rubbed slowly around the rim of the bowl until it produces a beautiful sound.
7.) Variety Pack of Tea: Tea can be comforting, uplifting, and even healing, but is often seen as a luxury rather than a necessity. Try buying a wide variety of tea and then putting it together in a gift basket. Yogi Tea is a well-liked brand, as is Celestial Seasonings. Tazo is another favorite. As far as types and flavors go, green tea and flavored green tea is healthy and tasty, and black tea can be a good source of caffeine and a good coffee substitute. Herb teas are always great: chamomile is calming, eucalyptus clears sinuses, and ginger tea soothes upset stomachs. Chai is sweet, and cinnamon spice teas are great in winter. Pomegranate tea, blueberry tea, raspberry tea, hibiscus flower tea, peach tea, and mandarin orange tea are all sweet and happy fruity teas.
8.) Burt’s Bees Products: Burt’s Bees is a line of natural/earth friendly products that are often favored by college students. They mainly make and sell shower stuff (soap, shampoo, foot scrub, etc.), hygiene products (deodorant, lotion, toothpaste, chapstick), skin products (exfoliant, moisturizer, face mist, masks), and cosmetics (eye shadow, blush, face powder). While this sounds exclusively girly, many boys do appreciate the natural soaps, shampoos, and deodorants that Burt’s Bees makes. Burt’s Bees products can be found in many stores, including health stores, some grocery stores, and some drug stores. They can also be bought online.
9.) Plants: Plants or plant seeds make a great gift for college students, whether they live in the dorms or not. If your son/daughter does not have a green thumb, buy him/her a hard to kill plant, like a ficus, a philodendron, or a spider plant. Lucky bamboo is also popular among college kids. Or go to your local nursery and ask them for the hardest-to-kill plant that they have. If your son/daughter likes gardening and has some plants already, buy him/her a bunch of seed packets that contain seeds for herbs in them. Basil, cilantro, mint, and oregano are all fun herbs to grow.
10.) Books: I know “books” is a little vague, so I have suggestions of specific books to impart:
a) The Onion: The Onion is a satirical, extremely funny newspaper that can be found in newsstands in certain parts of the country, online, and as collections in books. These should be available at your local bookstore. This is a good gift for someone who is interested in politics and enjoys humor books.
b) America: The Book: For the two people in the country who would like it but do not yet have it, America: The Book is an insanely funny satirical book created by the people who work on/for The Daily Show on Comedy Central. It’s in the form of an elementary school history textbook, a fact that only lends to its complete hilarity. A great book for anyone who doesn’t yet have it.
c) This Diary Will Change Your Life (2007 Edition): This book is a collection of crazy things to do daily.Every day it has a different suggestion for something to do to break the reader out of his/her daily routine and help him/her create a life more interesting, creative, and of course fun. Funny and wild, This Diary Will Change Your Life is not for the faint of heart.
d) Hippie by Bary Miles: Hippie is a large, hardback, impressive looking coffee table book that contains all things originally hippie. It chronicles the years between 1965 and 1971 with photographs, quotes, and stories of the most prolific people and music of the times.
e) The Hippie Handbook by Chelsea Cain: The Hippie Handbook, though tongue-in-cheek, actually contains factual information, helpful advice, and tips on how to do a variety of things. Some parts of it are just fun and silly, but other parts tell the reader how to how to macrame, tie dye, or grow an avocado. Overall, a cute and interesting book.
f) Postsecret: It all began as an art project. Frank Warren handed out postcards to people in his community, strangers, and asked them to write secrets on them. He encouraged the secret givers to be creative, open, honest, and to the point. The results were amazing: creatively decorated postcards filled with incredible secrets, some interesting, some dark and tragic, some funny. At first postsecrets were posted online, but so many postcards came in that many of the best have been immortalized in books.There are now 3 postsecret books and they can be found at your local bookstore or online.
g) Thic Nhat Hanh: Thic Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist author who is known for his wise and uplifting prose. He has written quite a few books, including: The Miracle of Mindfulness, Living Buddha Living Christ, Anger, No Death No Fear, Teachings on Love, and The Heart of Buddha’s Teaching.
h) Rumi: Rumi is a beloved Sufi poet from 13th century Persia who writes simple yet complex, spiritually charged, illuminating poetry. Coleman Barks is a favored translator of Rumi and has created collections such as: The Essential Rumi, The Illuminated Rumi and A Year With Rumi: Daily Readings.
Reference:
- www.florapathics.com or www.aromaweb.com for information on essential oils/for buying essential oils online www.barefootyoga.com for yoga supplies www.amazon.com for books online www.burtsbbees.com for Burt’s Bee’s products
