Every year without fail, a select group of people can be found racing around department stores in a frenzy, desperately searching for a last minute holiday gift. I speak from experience: You don’t want to be one of those people.
To help ease the burden this year, here are some helpful ideas to ensure you find a thoughtful (and economical) gift for those you love.
Music
Music can be a great gift for anyone, young and old. Jordan Smart, assistant manager at downtown Davis’s Armadillo Music, recommends giving parents Raphael Saadiq’s The Way I See It, and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’s new album Raising Sand.
Smart described both albums as “jazz inspired and bluesy,” a popular genre among older generations.
For a sibling or younger person, Smart suggested Kanye West’s new album 808‘s and Heartbreak. Smart also recommended anything from heavy metal band Enslaved or country group Old Crow Medicine Show.
Another fun gift option (and personal favorite of any poor and creative college student) is to make someone a personalized CD. It can be fun to give someone music that they haven’t heard before, and it’s also a thoughtful way to show how much you care for someone.
Mondavi Tickets
This season’s highlights include Willie Nelson (Jan. 11), Yo-Yo Ma (May 14), The Winter’s Tale (Feb. 13 to 22) and Cinderella by the State Ballet Theatre of Russia (Feb. 6). All tickets are still available, but going fast. Tickets can be purchased at mondaviarts.org; students receive a discounted price.
Electronics
For the electronic-savvy, check out the Tech Hub located in the Memorial Union Bookstore. Buyer Chantay Jones listed iHome speakers, iPods (Shuffle and Nano are available) and colorful portable hard drives (available in pink, red and black) among the most popular products.
For those of us on a budget, Skullcandy Ink’d Earbuds are available for $11.99.
Crafts
Not art-and-craftsy but wish you were? Take advantage of the Craft Center’s Silent Auction, located across from the Silo Bookstore. The Silent Auction runs until Friday, and the live auction will be held Friday at 6 p.m.
All items are handmade, and include glass-fused jewelry, ceramic and glass bowls, vases and teacups as well as crochet hats. If you are feeling crafty, textiles manager Jennifer Hopkirk suggests making a beeswax candle as a last minute gift.
JULIA McCANDLESS can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.
