Our Gifted Advisory Board is doing a Secret Santa thing this year, and as Vice President, I kind of have to participate. Somehow, I wound up with some girl I’ve never met before. She’s in 10th grade, if that helps any. Everyone participating filled out a sheet with some personal information, but it’s not really helping me come up with gift ideas. Spending range is supposed to be $5 to $10.
Here’s some stuff about her:
Favorite Color: Blue, black, pink
Favorite Store: FYE, American Eagle, Barnes and Noble
Favorite Food: Taco Bell ANYTHING
Favorite Music: Classical, Ska, Classic rock
Favorite Restuarant: Macaroni Grill
Favorite Dream Vacation: Ireland
Hobbies: Field Hockey, Soccer, Violin, Reading
I’d prefer to get a few little things rather than one big thing, but I don’t have my heart set on that idea. Also, I’d prefer to stay away from the gift certificate idea- that seems kind of like a cop out. So, any one have any ideas on what the heck I can get this girl?
Hm, if she likes Barnes and Noble, why not see if there’s a bookmark there that incorporates her favorite colors? What about a little piece of jewelry (I know places like PacSun have them, but I’m not sure about AE since I’ve never gone there) in a generically cute fashion (I’d stick with adjustable rings or a necklace, though, since she might not have pierced ears or might have a nickel sensitivity, etc).
Hm… maybe there’s a cool tiny (cheap) accessory for music at FYE? I know they’re usually pretty expensive there, but hey.
Or something tangental like a silver Sharpie, or some tiny metallic gel ink pens.
Really good chocolate. That’s what I always give for cheap gift exchanges and it seldom goes amiss. I’m much more into the idea of small gifts that you can consume than giving cheap trinkets.
Gte her some kind of awesome, classic toy. Silly Putty is good, Slinkies are good, that kind of thing. Something that’s not personal, but still cool.
When I was in 9th grade, we did Secret Santas, and the girl who got me didn’t know me at all. So what she did was get a pair of socks with buckets of popcorn on them, a bucket of microwave popcorn, and a $5 gift certificate to Blockbuster. It was nice, and you could give it to anyone. I still wear the socks, even though the popcorn and the gift certificate are long gone.
Oooh, Mirror, I really like that popcorn/blockbuster idea.
It’s also been suggested that I get her some kind of blank, empty book with a pretty cover that she can write stuff in- use it as a journal or whatever else.
Is there any way you could find out what she likes to read? Barnes and Noble stocks a discount classics series, IIRC, so you could get some really great books for well within your price limit.
You know, since this is a gift exchange done by the Gifted Advisory Board, maybe something that fights ignorance would not go amiss. I think just about anyone who would be in a gifted program would enjoy one of the Straight Dope books.
I’m certainly not trying to tell you how to shop, or how to feel about anything, but, personally, I love gift certificates! Our financial situation has been tight for a few years, and much of what little spare money I do have gets spent on the kids. When someone gives me a gift certificate, it’s like them saying to me: here, go shop! For yourself! Joy, bliss, wonder! I love it!