Bells jingle and friends mingle as the holiday season comes around the corner. As winter scarves are pulled out and holiday music turned up, most teens have one thing on their mind: presents. Shopping for gifts, decking them up and giving them out to friends and teachers is a process that may sound tiring, but is quite rewarding. As teens, we rarely ever get a chance to buy and give to others because of our age. During the holiday season, we finally get to be the ones distributing the presents, and it’s great to be part of the spirit around us. The holiday season can be stressful, though, and it’s tough to get all of the shopping, wrapping, and distributing done on time. Which is why, it’s always nice to have a few quick fixes on hand in order to make sure that Santa Clause does indeed come to town, even when hope may seem lost. 

Giving to teachers is one of the most important parts of the holidays for teens. Teachers do a lot for us and even though it may seem like some teachers are better than others, they all deserve to be recognized for what they do. It’s always difficult to find a nice gift for every teacher that adequately shows one’s appreciation while still being affordable for a teen on allowance money. One of the best gifts for teachers is a small bag of Lindt chocolate truffles or Ghiradelli chocolate squares. Each bag only costs about $3 during the holiday season, and chocolate is a universal gift that simply can’t go wrong. If nicely wrapped with a bow or placed in small holiday gift bags, these chocolates can seem like the perfect holiday gift. Throw in a candy cane, and it becomes a classic. If there isn’t enough time to go out and buy a gift, teachers can always use homemade jars of hot chocolate or brownie mix, gift cards to Starbucks or Jamba Juice, or even holiday origami decorations for their classroom. It may seem surprising, but teachers receive so many gifts that they greatly appreciate personal touches to presents, like short hand-written notes or small crafts. Hopefully, they’ll remember your efforts the next time you’re late to class. 

Giving to friends can seem even better, because friends will always remember your gift the next time they go shopping for the holidays. Passing out candy canes seems overdone, and buying personalized gifts for each friend can become an exasperating experience. If you’re on allowance money, the best way to go is buy a pack of nice holiday cards, and write a short message on each. Then you can tape a candy cane or chocolate square to each one, and place them in nice labeled envelopes. Not a lot of teens give out holiday cards, and it certainly seems more thoughtful than digging into a bag full of candy canes and throwing one at every person you pass by. If money’s not an issue, stationery or small electronic accessories (headphones, cell phone charms/cases, etc.) are small gifts that almost every teen will find useful. When friends are involved, the more you give, the more you get.

The holidays are upon us, and the satisfaction of knowing that you have given to others during this time of jingling and mingling is like no other. Remember that the holidays only come once a year, and that it’s the only time of year when you can appreciate everyone around you for all that they’ve done. With these tips, even semester finals shouldn’t stop Santa Clause from coming to town.