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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

Gifting can be an exhausting practice. Sometimes you know the person so well that you feel you have to get the perfect thing for them. Sometimes, you don’t know them well enough at all. Either way, you’re reading this right now to get some gift ideas, so I hope you find exactly what you’re looking for to make this season go smoothly. 

Parents

They give you everything, and you will never truly be able to repay them unless you win the lottery. So, if you’re looking for good gift ideas for parents that are $100 or less, here they are. First, parents love any kind of handmade gift you can give them. Gone are the days you were making little handmade turkeys or drawing pictures in kindergarten, yet after all this time, it’s still something they love from their kids, regardless of age. You can make homemade ornaments and personalize them with photos of you together, or with something you know they love, like their dog. If you have a parent that loves cooking, try getting customized apron or cooking supplies you know they could use. Knit them a scarf or hat if that’s more of a hobby of yours. You can also make framed photos they can put on their desk, or create a scrapbook using the photos around your house that you know they love and would look at often. Etsy is also a great site for more personalized gifts that give you all kinds of gift ideas that your parents will brag to their friends about. And if all else fails, a blanket or coffee machine are usually a good bet. 

Siblings

Either the easiest or hardest people to buy for are your siblings. A safe bet is any kind of gift card to a store you know they like. If you have no idea what they like, Walmart is a good store with lots of options. Another good gift for a sibling would be clothes, if you know their size. Most people love getting a cozy sweater or a pair of sweatpants. Any kind of gag gift is also a great thing to get a sibling. Say you have a running inside joke you both talk about often, find something they will laugh at and get that instead of something more serious. 

Partner

You should know them best, but if you have a partner that has everything, you’ve come to the right place. Shoes are a great gift for the person that already has everything. Everyone always needs more shoes! Gifting giving to your partner is also a good opportunity to make a homemade keepsake. Show that you care about them in a little letter, make a little book of hug coupons they can redeem throughout the year or create a little collage of pictures you both love of you together. If you prefer not to test your craft skills, go for an experience. Do they love sports? Find cheap tickets to a team you know they like. Do they want to go skiing? Buy them a day pass and head to the slopes. Are musicals more their style? Find a local theatre with cheap tickets and go from there. 

Grandparents

Grandparents love anything you get them. Whether it’s a spoon or a TV, they would react the same way. The best gifts for grandparents are usually the Write Your Own Story Book from Amazon, a gift that they return to you after writing about their life story. Since they love telling stories, this is a perfect way to urge them to do this so you can keep them forever. If you are in university, any kind of merch will bring them so much joy. A mug, sweater, keychain, stuffed bear and so on with the school’s name is just the thing for their shelves. 

Friends

You know your friends best. But if gifting is extremely difficult for you in general, I get it. Depending on your budget, gift cards to their favourite spots like Starbucks, Tim Hortons, the local mall, Sephora and so on are great ways to help them with their daily expenses. If you see them often, find out what skincare products they use and go purchase some for them. If they love a certain kind of chocolate, buy a large amount of it. If you know they love a certain artist, any kind of record they can display is also a good idea. If you know they like a certain kind of wine or tea, adding this to the gift is a perfect touch to show them you care about them and value their friendship. 

Coworkers 

These can be the hardest people to buy for. Are you doing a secret santa at work and have no idea what to get? Universal gifts you know everyone will like are the best options for a gift exchange where you don’t know what to get. An LCBO card, local shop gift card or even a local restaurant gift card are good starting points. Blankets, Yeti water bottles or tote bags/lunch bags for work are also good choices. 

At the end of the day, you know the people closest to you better than any suggestion online does. I hope this article helps you figure out at least a few gifts to give this year, and I wish you luck! 

Bailey McIntyre

Wilfrid Laurier '25

Bailey is in her fourth year of English literature at Wilfrid Laurier University. From a small town, she escaped when she could by writing whenever possible, as well as reading all things Sci-fi and Romance. She loves Snowboarding, Baking and watching early 2000s movies with hot chocolate. Bailey has a passion for all things writing and reading related. Wishing to pursue publishing post grad, writing is her main creative outlet.