If you have put off your holiday shopping until the last minute and haven’t found a gift for your college student, get creative and make a holiday gift basket for your college student. You know your student best. You know their likes and dislikes. Don’t try too hard to impress them by buying fancy cheeses and those boutique crackers that will merit a sampling and will then be stuck in the cupboard and not brought out again until your next visit.
The most appreciated gift that your student will receive will be one that they are familiar with. The easiest way to make sure they get all the things they like is to make your own gift basket. Start out by making a shopping list of their favorite foods and snacks, ones that you would buy if they were coming home for a couple of weeks. You may need to buy smaller packages, if you are used to cooking for a whole family. Of course you should avoid the perishables. Aim for enough simple meals to make it through two weeks. Don’t try to set them up for the whole year. Always leave yourself the option of sending a few more things later or give yourself a reason to visit.
Don’t get hung up on buying a fancy basket and then trying to fit the invariably square gifts in a round basket and then a round basket in a square box. Just put everything in the box. When you present it, or in the note that goes along with it, call it a gift basket at least two times. Next time you see them they will be thanking you for the wonderful gift basket that contained all their familiar and favorite foods.
A nice addition to the gift basket would be a new coffee mug or coffee press. Something unexpected that they would like or need. New kitchen towels and wash cloths can always be used and would be appreciated. Think back to when you were in college and what items you would have liked and then go shopping. Make this holiday gift basket for your college student as though you were making it for yourself!