@BunsenBurner - great suggestion! I’m ordering one for a certain someone who forgets to unplug the flat iron?
Good for you. I got one for myself! 
L&T’s version of beauty blender set of 3 for $4.25.
https://www.lordandtaylor.com/lord-taylor-beauty-sponge-set-of-3/product/0500087234579
Ramen cooker, about $5 at Walmart. Ideal for dorm microwaves.
https://www.gossamergear.com/collections/accessories
Gossamer Gear has at least two things I love for hiking.
One, a shoulder strap pocket for a backpack that is large enough to hold a big iPhone. LOVE!
Two, I love Gossamer’s bungee straps for quickly lashing together trekking poles. It can be used for attaching other items to a backpack.
Not at Gossamer, but I love my PStyle for peeing outside or in a filthy porta-potty without dropping drawer. See Amazon.
Good carabiners always welcome. Multiple uses.
^^^^I also love this phone strap. I will attach it to my phone, then clip the strap to my backpack, then slip the phone into the shoulder strap pocket.
This way, if I drop it, it’s not going to hit the ground. It has a tether.
https://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-cm-salad-container-lunch-to-go-cups-2-or-4-pack
2 pack for $8.99, 4 pack for $12.99
These are awesome and timely ideas- I’ve been hurting my brain trying to come up with ideas for 20something hikers. Yay! Ordering several of the above items.
PEZ!!!
Thanks for the backpack strap pocket idea! Perfect.
I really like the Target beauty boxes. I just ordered their holiday one for $7. They are offering several different ones including one for young men. They usually include a $3 coupon for a future beauty purchase inside.
https://www.target.com/p/target-beauty-box-153-holiday-beauty-sample-box/-/A-54284254
I have 3 teen/college boys. Their Christmas lists recently are either $ or something that cost too much $ so I tend to like to do stockings that include things I think they’ll like/use.
Got these phone wallet/grip/stand at Sam’s Club (came in a two pack there but individual at Amazon):
https://www.amazon.com/Monet-Phone-Expanding-Stand-Wallet/dp/B0785PRN6B#customerReviews
Also bought an 8 pack of the original Tile which is being discontinued so it was marked down. Not sure how well these work so I didn’t want to spend a whole lot.
https://www.thetileapp.com/en-us/store/tiles/legacy-mate
Also Listerine Pocketpaks!
My youngest is getting a phone case with an integrated strap so he can carabiner it to something.
He’s dropped 2 iPhones while rock climbing, the first one the day after we dropped him off his freshman year. The last one he dropped over Thanksgiving break this year. Always fun to talk to AT&T when doing the claim thing. “no, I haven’t tried calling the phone. It’s lost and won’t be found until Yellowstone blows.”
So he gets a case.
I need some suggestions: my college kids are traveling this winter, and I want to give them some type of waterproof pouch that will hold a passport and phone. They have hidden money belts (not waterproof) but they need something more suitable for amusement parks with water rides or overseas beaches. I was thinking a pouch with a neck lanyard might work, but I’ve also seen waterproof waist packs that look pretty good.
Does anyone have any recommendations?
Ok, never mind! My kids are smarter than I am. They suggested putting their items in small Ziploc bags and using the money belt they already have.
These little LUMO lights are great-- they produce a surprising amount of light. I have one clipped to my purse handles.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018IMTCPU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For college son, bought a can of neutral paste shoe polish, then neatly cut up an old T-shirt for cloths that I (festively?) tied around the can with some ribbon. Also will put in a Mr. Clean magic eraser for cleaning up sneakers. (He is a super neat kid.) H is even luckier :(; he got three new cans of shoe polish! Not exciting but will be used and is something neither one of them would ever think to pick up on their own.
Most of what I put in is practical, and then H does a couple money origamis for each kid. The places they like to go near their schools aren’t national chains and I never think to pick up gift cards when I’m there.
I like the money origami idea!
Practical gift I sent my kid (along with fun things like chocolates and a humor book and such) - a hoof pick, to clean mud out of his cleats. 
It was in the gift guide on the website that covers his sport (Ultimate frisbee) last year, and I made a note of it. Would be useful for athletes in any sports where they wear cleats and sometimes play in mud. Or hikers.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MY3N0U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
He won’t get to that package till the end of Hanukkah (we sent eight little bags), so I don’t know yet if he’ll find it completely goofy or like it. But I accidentally ordered two, and my husband is happy to keep the other one to get mud out of his hiking boots.
@LuckyCharms913 My son loves his shoes, too. I added a two-pack of cedar shoe trees to my Amazon cart today!