What sort of holiday shopper are you? Do you enjoy the hustle and bustle of shopping right before Christmas? Are you an avid Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal hound? Do you start your shopping before Thanksgiving?
I fall into the latter camp. I technically bought my first holiday gift back in August when my favorite store in downtown Raleigh closed for good (we miss you, Port of Raleigh!) and except for a few last little things to pick up, I’m more or less finished with my holiday shopping. My secret to lessening the stress of holiday shopping? Gift guides.
I love a good gift guide. I wait all year long for different outlets to publish theirs, and I have so much fun reading them. From Oprah’s Favorite Things to The Strategist, it gets me in the holiday spirit to peruse these lists with my loved ones in mind. And a lot of the work is done for me because someone else has scoured the internet and curated a list perfectly suited for whoever it is I’m shopping for.
Since we’re coming up on the holidays (and because no one’s finding a PS5 at this point), I thought I’d put together my own gift guide for the high schooler in your life.
FOR A CHANCE TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW…
BOOKS
I’m a big fan of gifting and getting books. I think it’s really thoughtful to take the time to consider someone’s interests and what they might enjoy learning about and picking out a book for them. Putting thought into it makes a book a much more personal gift than grabbing something off the bestseller list and calling it a day.
I recommend putting time and thought into choosing a book for your high schooler, especially if they aren’t a big reader. Do they have a particular interest or is there something they’d like to learn more about? You can find great fiction and nonfiction books on politics, science, history, art, design, and just about any other topic you can think of.
And it doesn’t have to be a traditional book! Take some time to consider how your high schooler likes to consume media. Is a newspaper, magazine, or journal subscription more their speed? Would they prefer an audiobook? Audible and Libro.fm (my personal favorite because your purchases support local indie bookstores!) are great options. If physical books aren’t your teenager’s thing, then maybe a Kindle is the way to go. What about a library card if your student doesn’t have one already? It’s free! If your student is never far from their phone, download the Libby app, and they can get hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks on their phone. It’s how I’ve done most of my reading this year.
Lastly, as a gift to your favorite college admissions blogger, consider purchasing your book from a local independent bookstore - even if it doesn’t have super-fast 2-day shipping.
HEADPHONES
This is a present that would pair perfectly with an audiobook! But new headphones are also great for listening to podcasts, music, or tuning out the barking dog during online school.
I’ll be honest and say that headphone technology has passed me by, so I don’t have any recommendations. But there are tons on the market from AirPods (with a fun case, of course) to noise-canceling over-the-ear models.
A SUBSCRIPTION
At the top of my own holiday wishlist this year is an annual subscription to MasterClass. With over 90 vastly different classes, it’s a great way to learn something new - and for the holidays, they run a buy-one, get-one special on annual memberships.
There are other online education platforms to consider (many of which I wrote about during the early days of the pandemic) like Skillshare, Lynda, and Udemy where students can learn new skills in bite-size pieces. It’s a great way to bring learning out of the classroom and to learn about things that aren’t covered in school.
FOR A PRODUCTIVITY BOOST…
AN ORGANIZATION SYSTEM
Whether your student is returning to a physical classroom or continuing with online learning, it’s the perfect time to reset and reorganize. Help your student get a jumpstart on 2021 with a new planner and a customized way to organize their things.
I recommend that this be an “interactive gift” that you do together. What works for one person doesn’t always work for another. You want this to be a system that your student sticks with, so make sure it’s what works for them. Take a trip to the Container Store together, and I bet you’ll learn something about each other’s personalities in the process!
PHONE SANITIZER
We’re still in a pandemic, and sanitizing is the new normal.
I don’t have to tell you that phones are disgusting. Do some quick googling and be horrified by what you discover. We touch our phones dozens of times throughout the day. And even though most teenagers I know use their phones more as an entertainment box than a telephone, we often hold our phones up to our maskless faces. -Shudder-
Phone sanitizing wipes are a great stocking stuffer, but companies also make a UV sanitizing wireless charger that I’d recommend. Maybe get a few for the whole family.
LUGGAGE
Alright, this might sound a little boring and practical - I remember the year I was gifted luggage as a teenager and was more confused than anything - but one day, we’ll all get to travel again. One day, your high schooler is going to go off to college, and let’s give them something to pack their clothes in other than two mismatched duffle bags from their childhood and a laundry hamper.
A NEW BAG FOR SCHOOL
While we’re on the subject of bags, how about a new bag/backpack/tote bag/carryall of choice if your student is returning to in-person school in the spring? Most students didn’t get new bags in the fall because of online learning, so this is a great time to refresh that backpack from last year that the cat has been using as a bed for the last 6 months.
FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET CREATIVE…
A NEW JOURNAL
Give your future-student the opportunity to look back on their present-self with a journal they can use to record their experiences. Journaling is a great way to tap into creativity, work through feelings, improve writing skills, and boost mental health. What’s not to love?
But it can be a little intimidating to start with a big blank notebook, so consider a guided journal if your high schooler is new to journaling. I’m a big fan of the one-line-a-day journals and Wreck This Journal is usually a pretty big hit. Here’s a list of “journals that spark extreme creativity!”
A SCREEN-FREE HOBBY
Many of us are spending way too much time on our screens these days. For a lot of students, they have to rack up hours of screentime for school each day, and then they’re still turning to their screens in their down time. So I think a perfect gift this holiday season is something that doesn’t involve a screen at all.
One of my favorite pandemic-hobby stories is from my very STEM-focused student who finally got the opportunity to work on a paint-by-numbers set she got for Christmas two years ago. She had so much fun doing something creative that was out of her everyday experience. Other students have learned to sew, picked up golfing, redecorated their bedrooms, started boxing, learned new instruments and gotten into photography.
Help your student explore their creative side and give their screens a break with a gift that supports a screen-free hobby.
I hope this list has given you a few gift ideas for the high schooler in your life!