Hi! My kid (College Junior) is headed to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for the ‘spring’ semester. They told me they didn’t want any more stuff for Christmas - but I would love any ideas for what to give them for Christmas beyond straight up cash. I thought I’d ask some real people instead of ChatGPT. Thanks!
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Money for Scotch and Beer! 
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How about a membership to the National Trust for Scotland, or Historic Houses?
My D lives in London and volunteers at a historic house that’s part of the English Heritage group, so gets free admission to any English Heritage sites (plus a guest). It’s great when we visit.
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My kid will also be studying abroad- we got him a lightweight passport holder (the kind that has a neck strap), Euros and comfy socks for walking. I’m also looking into adapter plugs that have USB/computer plug ins. Oh, he’s also getting a mini-medicine kit (Covid test, Tylenol, Immodium, etc) to take with him. His big gift is the plane ticket- it wasn’t cheap!
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I love this adapter. It’s a little pricier than most, but I’ve traveled all over the UK and Europe with it, and it’s sturdy and can accommodate a lot of devices.
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Kid went abroad a few years ago and is planning to go again. We bought the following:
Agree with adapter and lightweight extra battery for recharging stuff.
Travel belt. Kid grumbled in advance but wore it on the plane.
A thin wool sweater, travel tees that pack well. Europeans dress nicer.
A carry on with backpack straps that stow away and an exterior that doesn’t scream American tourist.
Cash in small bills in local currency is also a good gift.
Inexpensive watch (Casio F91W) so he could leave special one at home and switch to 24h time.
Some students take along flags (USA or University) for photo ops. I bought a new University logo tshirt for his next trip.
We told kid no pressure, please take some of these items with and if you don’t enjoy/use them then pass along to other travlers abroad. Most saw a lot of use and came home again.
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This is a great gift. My go to gift for every college grad in our family is a Peak Design Every Day pack. Own one myself too.
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Gift certificates indicating you will pay for an adventure or two on their travels like a bike tour, beer tour etc. Of course, open ended since he won’t know about his extra travels yet.
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Cotopaxi Allpa Backpack
ETA - Peak is awesome too.
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I’m a big fan of merino wool for travel. A packable puffy (Patagonia Micro puff) is also a must.
Love my Waterproof Cloud 5 for rainy UK travel.
These too (for a more European look):
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Re the carry-on backpacks - just make sure you check the size regulations for the low-cost European airlines (assuming your child uses it for weekend travel). One of the biggest topics on the study abroad parents’ social media sites is the backpacks, what fits and what doesn’t. They are strict on sizes and the under-the-seat space on those airlines is a lot less than our U.S. carriers.
Most parents tend to over-buy on the front end (I was guilty of that), when they can get most anything they need in the larger European cities. A warm but lightweight coat (especially for Scotland), comfortable, lightweight waterproof shoes, plug adapter and travel-friendly clothes. I also like the passport cover idea - my daughter’s has a spot for an air tag (also a good gift idea). Durable luggage and new luggage tags.
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When DIL went abroad I got her a fairly large battery pack to power up phone and computer and a super lightweight raincoat.
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Here’s a sale on Rick Steves for some travel gear that might be useful.
Frequent drizzle and rain there.
It is really waterproof, relatively lightweight and flexible, serves as a good outer layer in wet weather, over a fleece and thin down puffer. High visibility in dark, which comes early there, until equinox. Buy it in a mens size and the sleeves can be cuffed for women. Buy a little large and it will go over the warm layers.
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