Holiday Shopping List: 40+ Gift Ideas for High School and College Students (part 2)

With the holidays right around the corner, I am trying to get a jump on all the holiday shopping.  Luckily, I have Amazon Prime which allows me free shipping (on mostly anything), and other awesome perks as well such as free streaming of movies/TV shows (much like Netflix, but it’s included in the Prime membership)!  Don’t worry if you don’t have Amazon Prime, I have a special offer for you! You can click here to sign up, and you will receive a 1 month membership for FREE (it must be the first time you have had a membership)!  That means you can order all your holiday goodies, and if you decide you don’t like it for some reason, you aren’t obligated to continue with your membership!  Don’t walk, run. 

For the first installment of this series, we focused on Infants-8th graders  and if you missed that post, go ahead and click here to check it out.  For the second part of Domestic Superhero’s Holiday Shopping List we are focusing on high school aged teens (14-18 years old) and college students.  Shopping can be tough sometimes, but with a little push in the right direction you can find the perfect gift.  Ask yourself a couple key questions….Do they have a favorite hobby or are they passionate about a sport?  If so, find something that relates to one of those.  Do they like gaming? Perhaps a new Wii or PlayStation game would be nice.  Do they likes movies or entertainment?  How about a new Blue Ray Player or the latest comedy?  Dorm stuff?  Here are some ideas that can get you going in the right direction….

Most people have a tablet nowadays and high school and college students are  no exception.  Heck, I even know 2 year olds with Kindle Fires!  The Kindle Fire HD is great because there is such a wide array of uses for it.  This is definitely a gift that keeps giving.

 

Does the student in question have a passion for running? The Apple Nike + iPod Sport Kit is a great way to keep track of running stats and help enhance performance.  Add a pair of Nike Women's Revolution 2 Running Shoes (men’s available too!) for the perfect runners gift.

  

How about some Audio-Technica ATH-M30 Professional Studio Monitor Closed-back Dynamic Stereo Headphones?! That’s a mouthful, and an earful! For music lovers, these headphones would be perfect.  Need some great tunes to go along with them?  Consider loading up an Amazon Gift Card so that they can purchase music from the Amazon Music Store.

 

 

At this age, most teenagers and college aged students are driving.  Make sure they know the laws surrounding driving while talking on their cell phone. You can go hands free with this Plantronics M50 - Bluetooth Headset and avoid the distraction of hold a phone.  Another great car/phone accessory is the iOttie One Touch Windshield Dashboard Universal Car Mount Holder (for iPhone 4S/5/5S/5C, Galaxy S4/S3/S2, HTC One DROID RAZR HD) which is fully adjustable and locks your phone in place on your dashboard.  They also make a version for a tablet too (see here).

Board games like Scrabble are really fun for sleepovers and holidays too!  Everyone loves circling around a game of Scrabble!

Looking for a BIG gift?  The one?! Perhaps the JOOLA Inside Table Tennis Table would be fun.  It could be set up in the basement or garage (probably not ideal for a dorm room), and I am sure kid’s from all over the neighborhood would come over to play!  When I was in high school I used to go over to my friend's house and play all night.  The people who owned the table would always dominate everyone else, and I always wished I would have had one at home so I could have practiced!  They even have Table Tennis Clubs in college, so this gift could be preparing your student for his or her future!

    

Have a gamer on your hands? Just Dance 2014 (available for most gaming consoles) is great for those late night dance parties and Grand Theft Auto V (available on Xbox 360 and Playstation 3) is perfect for guy’s nights!

Whether you are purchasing a new Kindle Fire, or they already have one, a neat new case could be a great gift! The FINTIE Stand Leather Case (for Amazon Kindle Fire 7" Tablet)comes in 24 different color options!

I think the Wii is at an all time low in price, less than $150! The Nintendo Wii Console Black with Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort is a great combination.  Grab a Wii and a couple games for some long lasting fun!

          

Two perfect gifts for trendy girls:  FRYE Women's Melissa Button Knee-High Boot (shown in Brown Antique) which come in several different colors, and the Soft Chevron Sheer Infinity Scarf which also comes in tons of colors and is only $5.99!!! That scarf may be the score of the year!

Loaded Questions is such a fun game! I think the description on Amazon tells it best: “This bestselling game tests players on how well they know each other with more than 1,000 questions designed to spark laughter, creative discussion, and lasting memories. Whether you're with friends, family, or people you're just getting to know, Loaded Questions is the perfect answer to "What should we do now?"

  

This is the holy grail of jackets at college.  Not only great for teens and 20-somethings though because they make them in all sizes.  People of all ages wear them (but especially High School and College students).  The North Face Denali Fleece Jacket is great quality and lasts for a really long time. I don’t know how long, but I bought one in 2002 and it’s still going strong, along with one I bought in 2004.  They last forever.  They come in tons of color combos and are made in men and women’s sizes (tip, if you are buying for a smaller teen, you can probably get by with the larger kid’s sizing, which is also cheaper!).

The Heat and Iron Man 3 (DVD + Digital Copy) are 2 great new DVD’s that would make great stocking stuffers.

Getting around campus is no sweat with this great High Sierra Loop Backpack . It has several compartments and can accommodate both large and small books. It also comes in tons of different patterns and colors!

       

For girls having a trendy clutch is a must these days. No one wants to haul around a big bag when they are running out at night, and these are perfect size for a cell phone, some cash, and credit cards. The Urban Expressions Chelsea Clutch and BCBGeneration Luna The High MaintenanceClutch are perfect for teens and college students alike.  

Nothing is more frustrating then losing random pieces of jewelry.  Even in jewelry boxes things get tangled and go missing.  This  Closet Complete CANVAS Ultra 80 Pocket Hanging Jewelry Organizer is the perfect solution. Not only does it keep everything organized, but it hangs up, which means you can slide it in the closet with your clothes. It takes up barely any space, and any college student knows space is very tight in those tiny dorm rooms.

 

This  Kenneth Cole Reaction Mens Time Travel Kit is perfect for putting all those toiletries.  From going back and forth between the dorm bathrooms, going home for the weekend, or a holiday trip, this puts all those bathroom goodies in one place. 

This Killer Concepts Rocksteady Portable Bluetooth Speaker (XS V1.5) system is really cool!  It is wireless, has 10+ hours of battery life, and can sync up to any device with blue tooth.  It can also be connected via USB if you don’t have the blue tooth option available.  It gives off great sound and would be perfect for a dorm room or home bedroom.  It’s portable too, so is easy to bring on a tailgate or to a BBQ. 

BioShock Infinite is a hot new game for nearly every gaming device.  If the student in question likes action gaming, this game will not disappoint! 

     

Nowadays every student it equipped with a computer and some computers don’t even offer CD optical drives anymore.  Stay easily connected with the  SanDisk Cruzer 32 GB USB Flash Drive.  You can save and store, transfer, and bring wherever you need it.  Keep it safe in a Case Logic JDS-2 USB Drive Shuttle 2-Capacity case and hook it onto your backpack for easy access.

 

By the time a girl gets to high school, it’s likely she is wearing makeup.   NARS Blush and NARS Lip Gloss are two best selling items for girls. They are light and fun, and don’t look too makeup-y….very natural and feminine.

 

To apply the perfect makeup, one needs the perfect tools.  The NARS Yachiyo Kabuki Brush No. 27 and NARS Bronzing Powder (Laguna) are a perfect combination.  Having a really fluffy, dense brush like this one will allow for even distribution and blending.

        

For girls in college, an Arus Women's Adjustable Velcro Closure Turkish Cotton Shower Bath Wrap is a must.  She can throw it on, fasten it, and then get ready in the bathroom without having to worry her towel is going to drop!  The Aquis Microfiber Hair Towel is a girl’s best friend when it comes to drying hair.  This towel reduces the dry time a ton, but absorbing way more than a regular towel. 

  

The Divergent book series is soooo good! The first book, Divergent , the second book Insurgent , and the 3rd book Allegiant are great reads for any age (12 and over). 

This Nostalgia ElectricsRetro Series Countertop Microwave Oven would be the perfect addition to any dorm room or apartment. I didn’t realize when I went to college that you could have a microwave in your room, and ended up buying one later. Even if you have a meal plan included in your tuition, it’s still handy for heating up snacks and coffee! 

      

Reusable water bottles are a must for people this age.  Really, I think everyone should just have a reusable water bottle because regular plastic bottles produce so much waste.  The Nalgene 32oz Water Bottle and the Camelbak Eddy Bottle are both BPA free and perfect for everyday use.  When I was in college I carried my Nalgene bottle with me everywhere.

On the flip side, every college student needs a travel coffee mug.  The Contigo Auto Seal West Loop Stainless Steel Travel Mug with Easy Clean Lidis the top selling mug on Amazon, and it has over 3,000 positive reviews.  This mug means business! It comes in both 16oz and 20oz, and 9 fun colors (I love the white!).  It promises to keep liquids hot for FOUR hours, and cold for 12 hours. This mug has it all!

When you are just stumped on what to buy, let the gift recipient pick his or her own gift with an Amazon Gift Card.  Available in any amount and it never expires!

Have kids this age or buying for people in this age range?  What are you planning to get them? What are their favorite things? 

If you haven’t signed up for your 1 month membership for FREE (it must be the first time you have had a membership) to Amazon.com, do it now!  Stay tuned for part 3 of this series which will focus on significant others!

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Thanks for visiting!

- Allyson