There can be some that dread the experience of gift giving. It’s not that they don’t want to make the person happy, it’s that there is stress and expectations that come with it. Gift giving is supposed to be a joyful experience, but gifts often come with expectations of a reaction or reciprocity, which ultimately can create a negative feeling.

This Christmas, DON’T stress, we have tips and tricks to make your holidays filled with happiness and positivity! 

Last minute holiday shopping is NOT a good idea. You might think you have time, but after Halloween you should start thinking about what you need to get for loved ones this holiday season. If you don’t give yourself enough time, your holiday season will be full of stress! 

If you do catch yourself stressing about it last minute, a good suggestion is a gift card. This option is reliable, and is guaranteed to be used if you pick the right place for your person! Sophomore Gabby Fontaine says, “Gift cards are a great gift and I love getting them.” Most people feel similar. 

Though if you have more time to be creative with your gift, you might want to think more thoughtful and timeless. These gifts end up being the ones you keep forever. English teacher Mrs. Peluso says, “The best gift I’ve ever gotten was a homemade dollhouse when I was younger. Although it was so long ago I still have it and I remember it being very important to me.” 

Although Mrs. Peluso’s gift might be hard to compare creativity wise, something homemade or a gift with lots of thought put into it are the gifts that are most successful with putting a smile on someone’s face. 

If you can’t find a thoughtful homemade idea, you could always look into what the person is interested in or a style they might have. Freshman Kissila Martins says, “The best present I’ve ever gotten from someone was a dandy hoodie.” This is a popular hoodie and clothing company and you would know Kissla worships style if you are close with her. Knowing this type of information about the person you’re buying for is important to find the perfect gift for them.

A trendy gift this year that you can’t go wrong with is a digital camera. These are very popular right now with teens and young adults. Most teens that I have asked have a digital camera on their list, and if they don’t they would still be excited by the thought of getting one. 

Another reliable gift idea would be an air tag, this works well for all age groups of preteens to adults. People need to know where things are whether it is their wallet, car keys, or a personal  item. These are exciting to get because people usually have to splurge and get it for themselves as a necessity, but if you get it for them, it is one less thing they have to worry about this holiday season.