The Annual College-Bound Holiday Gift Guide
Need a break from all those college or scholarship applications? Get in the holiday spirit by checking out our annual list of the coolest stuff, all with campus life in mind.
School Pride
Collegiate Beanbag Toss: Especially if you’re going to a school where tailgating before football games is a part of student life each fall, a beanbag toss game (also known as cornhole) is a must. Target is among the stores selling the games with school names and mascots on them; you can also find them offered by your potential school’s bookstore. $69-$99
Collegiate Wallet: One of the first thingscollege freshman was a faux-leather ID holder/keychain with my university’s logo on it. But the Pottery Barn Teen wallets are so much more stylish, with the logo and school colors stitched in needlepoint. $55.
Dorm Room Stuff
Door Organizer: In college, you’re going to be so busy that anything that can help you remember important items (like those keys!) is awesome. The Doorganizer from The Container Store is one of those items, staring you right in the face as it hangs from the door knob. It holds phones, keys, glasses, pens, flash drives, and other stuff that you need on a daily basis. $11.99.
Cool Tools: Show your independence by asking for some tools, even starting small with a hammer, screwdriver, and wrench set. But girls can still be cute, such as the Tools for Her set. $19.99.
Tech tools
Mophie Juice Pack Air: Here’s a common Facebook status update: “My battery died so don’t call me. Just FB me!” Don’t let your cell phone die and disconnect you from your friends and worried family. This iPhone case, available in red, black, and white, has a rechargeable battery. $79.95.
Pandigital Frame: Remember your high school friends – and have room for photos of new college friends, too – with a digital frame. There’s a ton on the market, but you’ll want to see how many images it stores (this one from Bed, Bath & Beyond can hold up to 4,000), the frame’s size, and if it comes with a remote (just in case you want to skip past any of those embarrassing photos). $59.99.
Traveling Around
KAVU Keeper: Look all laid back, but organized, with the five compartments in this slender bag to hold your cell phone, keys, and anything else you’re likely to lose while on campus or hanging out with friends. We love the pattern names, like Fireworks, Wallpaper Stripe, Licorice, and Arctic Bloom. $30.
Car Trunk Organizer & Cooler: If those busy weekend trips make it seem as if you are constantly living out of your car, you can get organized with this car trunk organizer. It may join the wooden bar you may have affixed in your car to hang up your clothes too. But this organizer also comes with a cooler, making you a popular person when on a road trip with friends. $49.95.
–Lori Johnston (Delaney Young contributed)
Add comment December 12th, 2011
Listen in Style
Despite campuses being overrun by iPods, PDAs, and laptops, there are still many students who prefer to take notes by hand. With the Penagain, your old-school friends will now be among the trendsetters. This wishbone-shaped pen is light as a feather and its ergonomic grip will keep them writing comfortably for pages and pages. It comes in fun colors for just $4.99 each. For the more discerning writer on your list, there’s a sleek chrome version for $17.99. Check out 
New England is home to hundreds of colleges and universities. It’s also home to Red Sox Nation, arguably one of the most rabid sports fan bases in the world. Want to spice up the life of a Sox fan on your list? Get them Big Papi’s En Fuego Hot Sauce and even the most mundane cafeteria meal will be a hit. Big Papi (David Ortiz) is known for his love of the hot stuff almost as much as he is known for his batting prowess, so you’ll hit a home run with this gift. Plus, part of the proceeds go to support David Ortiz’s Children’s Fund, which helps children in need throughout New England, as well as in Ortiz’s home country, the Dominican Republic. Buy some of the mini bottles (four for $10.99) at 
Have any music lovers on your list? Let them in on the backstories of their favorite lyrics with Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song (Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, $14.95). True to its title, this book brings together some of the most popular singers and songwriters, along with the inspirational stories that made them write those lyrics. From Paul Anka to Kanye West to Christina Aguilera, this book is an eclectic mix of music and musings. Find it at a bookstore near you.
Here’s a smart gift for sleepy students: the Neverlate Alarm Clock ($34.95 
If they were to rewrite the lyrics the song “My Favorite Things,” there would definitely be a line about n-a-p® socks. Slip on these socks—which come in a pack of three pairs–and slip into your own slice of heavenly fleecy comfort and warmth. They come in pretty pink, blue, and cream for women, and while the patterns for the men are a bit garish (green, red, and brown!), these socks are meant to be worn indoors, preferably when cuddled up under a n-a-p® blanket. Find them at Brookstone or on 
Coming at you today is our 2009 Holiday Gift Guide. We’ve combed through some of the coolest gadgets, gizmos, garb, and more to make your holiday the happiest and merriest it can be. Best of all? You don’t have to blow too much cash on any of these choices—all our suggestions are under $50, with some gifts for as little as three bucks. Grab one for a friend or family member and one for yourself, too! Be sure to check out our sister blog, CollegeSurfing, for
You may have remembered to bring your phone charger, but what if you can’t find an electrical outlet to plug in? With YoGen®, you don’t have to worry. By repeatedly pulling on the attached cord, which slides in and out like a yo-yo string, this nifty little gadget manages to work up enough energy to charge your cell phone, iPod, and other tech devices. The device is smaller than a computer mouse and is covered in a clear plastic shell, so you can see the “magic” happen. It’s the perfect tech gadget for all of your eco-friendly friends. You can snag it for $39.99 at 
Continuing with the timeless yo-yo tradition, check out YOYO Lip Gloss Minis. Clip a retractable lip gloss to your bag or pants pocket and have easy access to moist lips, without the worry of losing the tube in the depths of a purse or school bag. Lip gloss flavors include Big Bounce Bubblegum, Cha Cha Chocolate, Girly Green Apple, and Kissable Kiwi—at just $2.99 a pop, we don’t mind springing for all four. 
Monkeys are funny. Having monkey butt…not so much. Anti Monkey Butt® Powder is a thoughtful gift for your athletic friends who complain of having “monkey butt”—a sore, itchy, sweaty, red butt incurred from exercise-induced friction—after a long team practice. Heck, you might have monkey butt from sitting in class all day, too! Sprinkle some of this calamine-and-talc concoction in footwear, under sports equipment, and anywhere else that chafes and you’ll be good to go. The ladies will enjoy Lady Anti Monkey Butt® Powder, which comes in a pink bottle and is also known for soothing legs after a shave. At $5.95 for a six-ounce bottle, this is one stocking stuffer that won’t chafe your wallet. You can get it at 
The new year is a great time for making resolutions regarding the gym. Help a friend or family member get off to the right start with Jillian Michael’s Hot Bod in a Box. For just $14.95, you get 50 of the trainer’s signature exercises in a handy flash-card format that can be toted along to the gym or will inspire an at-home (or in-dorm) workout. Available at bookstores both online and offline.
Just because you weren’t alive for the 1980s doesn’t mean you can’t share a part of the awesomeness of that decade. 
Speaking of Atari, here’s a fun AND eco-friendly way to celebrate your love of the 80s. Designer Niles Zwolak presents the Atari Cartridge Wallet, a fully functional wallet made out of a repurposed Atari game cartridge. How cool is it to stow your cash and debit card in an old Asteroids cartridge? Wallets with a text label on them are $35 and wallets with a picture label are $55. We’d be willing to go over budget by $5 to own a Pac Man or Space Invaders wallet. Head on over to 
Sports Illustrated ranks among the sports journalism elite, so Sports Illustrated: The Football Book (Expanded Edition, Sports Illustrated Books) is a no-brainer for the football freak on your list. At only $29.95, this gorgeous hardcover book makes a nice addition to any coffee table—but it will work on a crate in a messy dorm room, too. This impressive volume is full of well-written articles and spectacular photos of action on the gridiron. Available at a bookstore near you.
Do you know someone who is wooed by the flashy lifestyle of Las Vegas a la Ocean’s 11? Let them discover the real deal with Under the Neon Sky: A Las Vegas Doorman’s Story by Jay Ranking ($14.99, Jay Ranking Publishing). After six years as a doorman at MGM Grand, Ranking knows a thing or two about the “grit behind the glitz” in Sin City. It reads like a novel, but it’s all true, baby. Check it out at 
Trader Joe’s might be a gourmet grocer, but its low prices make this store a favorite on the list of many a foodie. If you know a Trader Joe’s junkie, you’ll want to get them Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s by Deana Gunn & Wona Miniati (Brown Bag Publishers, $29.95). This book is filled to the brim with recipes—all based on the yummy and unique foods found in Trader Joe’s—that were written for people who like good food, but don’t have a lot of time to cook it. Got more than one aspiring chef to buy for? Opt for The Trader Joe’s Companion: A Portable Cookbook, a slimmer collection of favorite recipes by the same authors that is just $13.95. Find it at a bookstore near you.
You already know that Netflix is the way to roll when it comes to watching movies and TV shows, but did you know that for just $8.99, you can start someone off on a monthly subscription that allows home delivery of DVDs plus UNLIMITED streaming of movies and TV episodes directly to their computer? Now that the winter is here, this is a perfect way to help your friends plan a cozy night in.
Do you have a friend who feels out of the loop when people start tossing around quotes from famous movies? Help them get up to speed with Reel Culture by Mimi O’Connor (Zest Books, $15.95). This awesome little book has the summaries of 50 classic movies of the 20th century—from Gone with the Wind to Goodfellas—along with a ton of trivia and quotes. Even movie buffs will appreciate the wide range of flicks that made the cut in this book. You might want to pick up an extra copy at the bookstore—one for you and one for a friend.
News flash: being a student can be really stressful. From studying to papers to endless club meetings, it’s enough to make you scream. And now you can let it all out without scaring your family or college roommate. The Screaming Pillow ($19.95) will help that stressed-out person on your list achieve sanity. The pillow has a colorful, screaming face on one side, and on the other, a dotted circle and the gentle instructions: “When you just have to let it out…place face here and SCREAM!” Enough said. 
Even if you are trying to avoid buying “useful” gifts for the people on your list, your girlfriends will definitely appreciate this shopping choice. The Racktrap is the perfect solution for females who need to carry the essentials, but either don’t have pockets or a purse to store them in. The one-size-fits-all bra pocket allows women to store cash, a credit card, and a photo ID for safekeeping. Celebs like Cindy Crawford, Wendy Williams, and Dolly Parton—who can probably store a lot more than a credit card—are fans of The Racktrap. Buy one for $7.95 or splurge on the Fashion 4-Pack– including pockets in black, white, and nude lace, as well as a sweat-proof blue one for your sports bra—for just $19.95. 
The ponytail has always been the hairdo of choice for busy women on the go. But finding a hairband when you’re busy can be a bit of a chore. The problem is solved with Buji Baja’s Endless Pony Ball ($18). Reminiscent of the funky rubber band ball found in office cubicles, this nifty timesaver ensures that you will never go without a hairband. A choice of fun colors makes this gift an easy choice for all the ladies on your list. 
Last but not least is a cool alternative to the tired old gift card. Vivabox is a unique gift that offers the recipient something now and something for later. We like the $29.95 Men’s or Women’s Magazine Vivabox, which contains seven issues of a magazine, plus a gift card for a subscription that can be redeemed at 