Of course, what he WANTS is money he can put into his car. But I have to get him some gifts to open, so I’m looking at stuff he’ll need for college.
I’ve already gotten him a tool kit (Home Depot a few weeks ago, $20 )
and towels-- 4 bath, 4 washcloths.
Right now, in my shopping cart at Kohls I have a twin XL blanket. (One of the schools he hasn’t heard from – but probably his #1 choice–has regular twin beds. So I can’t get sheets yet. But he’s looking to go to school in NY, MA or PA, so a blanket beneath his comforter will be needed.
and
a mattress topper (it can be cut – or, for that matter, returned.)
A nice smartphone or laptop (if he doesn’t have those already). Some nice clothes, like a topcoat or an overcoat. A tweed blazer or a pair of woolen trousers might be nice. I’m a high school student and these are the kind of things that I personally would love to receive.
Tool kit is a great idea but 4 towels is 2 too many! Honestly, they just take up space. Extra towels and extra sheets are things most kids say they didn’t use. A lot of stuff the kids need don’t make great gifts (at least my kids would not have been impressed by, say, clothes hangers or surge protectors…) Boys in particular seem to be minimalists in comparison to girls.
I had a couple of photos my son took (of the mountains, NYC) blown up to poster size at Costco. He used them to decorate his dorm room. Maybe something along those lines?
Honestly, he wants money and gift cards for Christmas. But there’s something so… I don’t know, detached… about giving him just money.
As his sisters are opening their gifts, I don’t want him sitting there with nothing but envelopes. I know I want to buy a toy tank and attach some money, so he can fill up his gas tank. And I’ll give him the cash and gift cards he wants, but also some stuff to unwrap-- even if it is blankets and mattress toppers.
And blowing up photos of Lake George is a great idea, thanks!!
Boys don’t appreciate college room stuff, at least the boys I know. I’d get rid of some of the towels, and go for a gift he’d like. Is there a video game he wants? I saved the lap top for HS graduation and college gift. Gift cards to his,fav movie houses and restaurants would also work.
Bluetooth speaker and headphones are good suggestions. Other than gadgets, my son wasn’t much into dorm room stuff.
I just got my senior D a nice robe. Figure that may get more use in a dorm than at home-/she hardly ever wears a robe now and hadn’t had one for s couple of years.
I could pick up a Bluetooth speaker for her now that I think about it. She never wants anything which is good really bit it does stump us every Christmas.
How about an external battery pack charger for his cellphone? A desk lamp with usb ports in the base for charging the cellphone? If he likes music, a wireless bluetooth speaker?
It wasn’t until my son was IN college that he wanted good sound canceling speakers. The robe I bought him then was probably given away, but now he wears a robe a lot. So much depends on the actual circumstances.
Honestly, I think many kids are scared about the college experience, and gifts for that just increase the anxiety. Treat them like they are still in HS. There was a parents weekend early in fall of freshman year. That is when I went with son to buy him a desk chair, monitor, love seat, etc. other kids would have a different wish list, based on their circumstances.
Abasket, as someone who spent 10 minutes scraping frost off the windshield this morning, I can tell you that anyone moving to a cold climate will appreciate a gift meant only for winter the first time it’s necessary.
I LOVE the idea of making posters of photos your child has taken! My D enjoys photography and she’d love something like that. Not sure how we’d transport something like that though. She too, plans to go quite far away.
My point @sseamom, was that if he isn’t in college until Fall 2016, it won’t be very “exciting” to get gifts to be put aside for college - for Christmas 2015! It’s hard to picture using stuff when you don’t know “where” you’ll even be using it! As someone said and I agree- he’s still in high school - give gifts for a high schooler.
Now, headphones could be appreciated and used now and in Fall 2016.
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