This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

Gifts Galore! It’s Christmas in every store, but what should you buy? Well, I am here to give you some small gift ideas that simple and thoughtful. Ultimately, you could look into buying one item on this list or you could buy multiple items on this list and make an adorable gift basket. To start off there are two stores I would like to give a special festive shout out to: these would be Lush and, more importantly, Indigo (as in the beautiful new locations of the store). Lush has a great selection of wonderfully pre-wrapped gift sets in various price ranges. Indigo (at least the new locations on Fairway and in Conestoga Mall) had me in awe. Indigo has an abundance of quality gifts and the setup is so pleasing to the eye: truly a shopping experience. Now for the list:

1. Candles

Candles are awesome. I personally will light candles anytime I’m home. You can’t go wrong with the nice, subtle scents, but if you are thinking of purchasing a more overpowering scent, you should really know the person you are shopping for. Winners actually has a cute selection right now — and then, of course, there’s Bath and Body Works.

2. Notebooks

Everyone can use a notebook, whether it is for schoolwork, to-do lists or even journaling. As someone who is constantly writing down lists and ideas, I have never been disappointed to receive a notebook. Indigo currently has a brilliant display of notebooks.

3. Succulents & Cacti

I have a bunch of little baby plants lining my windowsill. Gifting small, little low-maintenance plants is similar to giving the gift of a pet fish, but succulents and cacti (from my experience) require even less attention than a fish and are just as cute. Sheridan Nurseries is one of my go-to plant places. Or even get them a little Christmas tree — I just saw some at Home Depot!

4. Socks

Receiving nice socks for Christmas puts a genuine smile on my face. Socks are great, most people wear them and most people like them. The Gap has a great selection of comfy socks; Ardene and Forever 21 also have a decent selection of reasonably priced cute festive socks.

5. Fuzzy Blankets

Who doesn’t like to be warm? Blankets are the best thing before, during and since sliced bread. A lot of stores like to overcharge for fuzzy blankets, but Winners has some of the best deals I’ve seen lately in terms of a good quality product for a lower price.

6. Cookies

Holiday cookies are indeed available in stores and bakeries. Alternatively, you could take a walk on the wild side and make them yourself. Sweets are a great gift to give, although always take into consideration allergies and whatever other dietary restrictions your gift recipient may have.

7. Books

If you know the person you are shopping for well, you might be able to select a book that they will actually want to read. There is the new option of reading online versions of books, but there is still a large group of consumers, including myself, who prefer the more tangible option of an actual printed book. With books, I might even suggest checking out second-hand bookstores for a more unique selection.

8. Framed Photo(s)

Photographs are always a go-to. It’s not costly to print a photo per se: the expenses really come from the frame, which can cost however much you are looking to spend. You could even make a picture frame. I once made a decent frame out of interwoven sticks, which sounds ridiculous: but in my defence, it had a nice crafty-outdoors look to it.

9. Wall Art

Walls are so plain and plain walls are almost begging to be decorated. Getting or making a nice piece of art for someone’s wall is a nice gesture. This could be a painting or a famous quote on canvas — or it could be something more abstract and or personalized. So many possibilities with this one.

10. Coffee Mugs

Coffee mugs are always fun. Even if the person you are shopping for is not a caffeine addict, chances are they drink some sort of hot beverage. Again, I’m going to suggest checking out Indigo and Winners. Even better, you could personalize and order a mug online: this gives you the ability to be a bit more creative.

So there you have it! A list of ten small, simple and thoughtful gifts. I wish you all the best of luck with your holiday shopping and remember: Christmas is awesome.

Presents Are the Best Way to Show Someone How Much You Care

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