Great news: after scavenging the streets of Kirkwood and the stores in The College Mall, the best holiday gifts have finally been discovered (and their top secret locations revealed). Feel free to brush that gift-buying stress right off your shoulders and let the enlightenment begin.\n
For the trendster little sister:
\nCheck out the clothing stores on Kirkwood for a vintage tee shirt -- it's a guaranteed great gift. Urban Outfitters employee and apparel merchandising major Hannah Myers recommends checking out the new Charlotte Renewal Tees and the Heart Breaker brand. The best part: purchasing the vintage tee invites personalization, as opposed to having to go through that awful, tiresome hunt, desperately trying to find a gift that says to your recipient that you actually know something about them. For the cartoon lover, gift wrap a Charlie Brown tee. For the rock 'n roll connoisseur, try a white on black Ramones tee shirt. Soft on skin and style-savvy, vintage tees are destined to become wardrobe staples for both men and women this holiday season.\n
For your techno-geek brother:
\nWith so many having such a hard time getting their hands on the new XBox 360, you'll have to face the impossibility of landing one for yourself. It's a harsh world. On a more positive note: the video game system will encourage couch potato syndrome to the maximum, so avoidance of XBox 360 at all costs will actually abet your New Year's resolution of losing those 15 pounds you put on freshman year. Rather than giving in to the craze, check out juniors Jah Gilmore and Lance Bennett's suggestion of the iPod Video. Loaded with awesome extras, the new iPod allows you to listen to your favorite jams and watch music videos on the go for $299. Looking for something a little less detrimental to your budget? The iPod Shuffle is only $99. Your iPod recipient will be forever indebted to your great gift-giving skills for providing him with the ultimate walking-to-class experience, not to mention a tremendous enhancement of the awkward downtime in between classes. Lastly, it will serve as a source of inspiration to get off the sofa and get on the StairMaster, providing you with the upbeat tunes you need to finally face the gym.\n
For the person you owe, but barely know:
\nDon't be an ungrateful Grinch this season. Think back on the past year and you're bound to come up with at least one person who helped you out big time, but you never got to properly thank. What better time to repay old debts than the holidays? And what better way to repay them than with food? For a one-stop gift basket, hit up the Hickory Farms stand in the College Mall. Hickory Farms employee Michael Long says he helps you build a gift basket to fit your budget and then he'll send it off for you. He says the summer sausage and cheese balls are the most popular items this year. Hey, you can never really go wrong with something like cheese balls? Your mother would be proud.\n
For your stinky roommate:
\nSure it may be finals time, but that is no justification for your roommate to stop showering so abruptly. Let your roomie know that the odor has taken on a life of its own in a cheery, holiday way by giving them some nice-smelling toiletries. Bath and Body Works' gift baskets often include body gel, body cream, bubble bath, body splash, a candle and a loofah. After this scrubdown, your stinky friend will be smelling so sweet, you might even want to jump into the tub too. Don't want to break the bank? Keep it simple and buy the bare necessities, throw 'em in a stocking, stick in a branch of mistletoe and get ready to breathe easy once again. \n
FOR YOUR MOM:
\nCome on, moms are easy to shop for. Moms like new cars and diamond earrings and cashmere sweaters, right? See? Easy.\nBut since those are a little out of range, price-wise, you'll want to get something as unique as your mom is. Check out Nashville, Ind., (just a short drive away) for handcrafted pottery, jewelry and clothing. Be sure to tell her that it's made by local artists and that you had to trek halfway across the state to buy it -- she'll feel loved.\n
FOR YOUR DAD:
\nTwo words: IU paraphernalia. Dads love this kind of thing. Think T-shirts, sweatshirts, key chains, or any of the other nine million presents you can buy with the words "IU" or "Indiana" splashed all over them. Check out the IU Bookstore, TIS or Steve & Barry's. \n
FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY:
\nLet's be honest, family's great and all, but only in small doses. The stress of having to make conversation with family members actually makes finals week seem like a piece of cake. The solution for a stress-free holiday gathering: Fill it up with TV. The newly released DVD set of "Family Guy" DVDs will insure you a few hours of priceless family fun -- in silence. Hey, you might even feel compelled to talk to one another afterwards. For a great group discussion topic, perk up and pose the question "Who can actually hear what Stewie is saying, anyway"
