Christmas gift ideas for DD17...

[StitchBuddy]

Looking for Christmas present ideas for DD17, ideally things to take to college. Give me your best ideas...

 

[Ladcassidy]

A cute towel/ bath wrap in a cheery color with lace or bows to match her style and her name on it.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I tried to do this last year, but I found it difficult to shop ahead before I knew where she was going and what kind of dorm room she would be in, here's what we came up with:

Nice coat
umbrella
coffee maker or hot pot (dd drinks tea so she has an electric kettle to heat water for tea)
travel mug
kindle or nook
laptop with Office
security cable for laptop
board game or playing cards (DD took Cards Against Humanity, but be warned, it's really off-color)
pj pants/yoga pants to wear around the dorm and on laundry day
slippers
pretty towels

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

I have a freshman in college staying in a dorm this year. If you are looking for dorm room ideas....
Keurig Coffee Maker (if she is a coffee drinker). My daughter uses it every day.
Anything monogrammed. Very popular with the college girls.
Rug for dorm room floor.
Small crossbody purse for tailgating or taking into the stadium for games.
Vera Bradley Duffel Bag

 

[Soulsearching]

Looking for Christmas present ideas for DD17, ideally things to take to college. Give me your best ideas...

A Pink Tool Box

Spring Rods to add to her closet, because a girl needs more closet space!

Slim line hangers - the ones that are velvet wrapped - so the clothes don't fall off

Bed lifts - You can fit a lot of things under the bed - like shoes

Lysol - Clorox Clean ups - Tissues - Cold meds - She will get sick

A Cork Board to put all her pictures on. Frames.

A Shelving unit to put over her desk - to hold the printer, books, etc. - Those black steel ones work well, they assemble easily. Shelves are adjustable

Something fun for outside the door - So her friends can leave a message.

Full length mirror to put on the back of the door.

Silly String for those days she want to get silly!!!

 

[bmraar]

Doing the same thing right now. Just got my daughter a small tool kit from Walmart with purple tools in it. Also ordered an instant ramen noodle cooker for your microwave-- she LOVES ramen and I thought it would be perfect for her lol! Doing luggage for her birthday in February. It's tough without knowing the school for sure yet, and also some of the specific items (i.e. bedding, towels) I thought she would like to pick out herself.

 

[powellrj]

Not sure what kind of a room your DD will have, but I got my DD lots of things most people don't think of that they will need.

Lots of command hooks of different sizes
She has a suite situation and I got her a plunger/ bowl brush (she was so embarrassed but was glad to have it that first time they needed a plunger!)
Power strips and extension cords
umbrella
S hooks to hang things off her bed
tervis water bottle
rain boots and coat
lots of vera bradley travel bags

 

[danygirl]

I wouldn't buy shelving, power strips, and that type of stuff until you know the dorm. Turns out Dd has a tiny room with built in shelving and no power strips are permitted.

Honestly no need for tools until she moves into an apartment

Towels, wash cloths, shower caddy (didn't need that either - shelves in the suite bathroom) and door mirror are more universal

Nice laptop, kerig mini would be good

Two of my kids needed mini fridge but at one school you could not bring your own

 

[Scambone]

See what's around food/drink wise and get gift cards. Some study nights might need coffee breaks so a starbucks gift card would be nice. You always hear about the dreaded ramen dinner college students have so maybe get either food or grocery gift cards when her money gets tight.

 

[HM]

I'd also be thinking about buying some personal things, not dorm items, since it will be a good eight months before she can use any of those things. Nothing like having your Christmas gifts boxed away....

Laura and Lilly Bracelets
Personalized Tervis cup
Infinity scarves

I also like the idea of a nice coat.

Will she need a new backpack?

 

[jrmasm]

I wouldn't buy shelving, power strips, and that type of stuff until you know the dorm. Turns out Dd has a tiny room with built in shelving and no power strips are permitted.

Honestly no need for tools until she moves into an apartment
Towels, wash cloths, shower caddy (didn't need that either - shelves in the suite bathroom) and door mirror are more universal

Nice laptop, kerig mini would be good

Two of my kids needed mini fridge but at one school you could not bring your own

I have to disagree. DD and her floormates used her tool kit during her freshman year in the dorms just as I used mine the in the dorms when I was in school.

 

[Disney Dynamite]

I tried to do this last year, but I found it difficult to shop ahead before I knew where she was going and what kind of dorm room she would be in, here's what we came up with:

Nice coat
umbrella
coffee maker or hot pot (dd drinks tea so she has an electric kettle to heat water for tea)
travel mug
kindle or nook
laptop with Office
security cable for laptop
board game or playing cards (DD took Cards Against Humanity, but be warned, it's really off-color)
pj pants/yoga pants to wear around the dorm and on laundry day
slippers
pretty towels

This list is awesome. The Christmas before I left for college, my parents gave me a really nice winter coat and a good pair of boots, knowing that I would be living on campus and walking to all of my classes. I used that coat and those boots more than any other gift I've ever received.

I noticed that someone else also mentioned gift cards. Those are great for college students. I loved it when my parents gave me Starbucks or Target gift cards. It felt so nice to be able to "splurge" on something without dinging my already-strained checking account.

 

[HM]

A tool kit was not really useful to either of my children. My parents got them each one for graduation. In fact, in my son's dorm they had a rule that they could not even have a hammer in the rooms (no nails in the walls) and a couple other things that I don't remember...necessitating our taking some tools back home with us. What was useful in them was the measuring tape and duct tape.

 

[puffkin]

-Lipstick charger for phone/electronics
-Cord Buddy (google it) to keep cell phone cords accessible (I love mine)
-Keurig
-Umbrella and/or a North Face type rain coat to wear around campus
-Alarm clock...more reliable than a cell phone if forget to charge it
-Nice work out clothes if you think she will be into the gym/fitness center at college
-Nice make up tote/organizer to store all her stuff if she wears a lot of makeup

 

[alohamom]

WOW everyone, this is a wonderful thread! Thanks for all the terrific ideas, I am going to get a couple of personalized bath towels for sure-the idea of roommates using each others towel (especially without consent) is just so icky to me!

 

[3boymthr]

You've got some great suggestions Double check the rules of the college she is going to DS' college bans the following items in the dorms:

Refrigerator unless it is one of three very specific models
coffee makers/Keurig of any kind
Microwaves
Hot pots and hot pads
Electric Kettles
Electric Skillets

They have dorm monitors go thru all the items you are bringing into the dorm on move in day looking for these items and will confiscate the contraband. After the kid is moved in it's then sent home with Mom and Dad when they are on their way out.

OTH - even though the school has WIFI in the rooms but because it runs so slow the following items were highly desired by my son:

WIFI Router
Internet Cable (around $30 for 50 ft)

Other items:
Extension Cords
a nice caddy for taking soap shampoo, etc to the showers
hamper with removable laundry bag
To make his life easy I also bought him Tide pods no mess no measuring for his laundry. They are much more pricey than regular detergent but he's very happy with them.
A ream of Printer Paper

ETA - one other item he really wanted was a rug. But each dorm varies. his has an industrial tile floor like you find in most schools or public buildings.

 

[lam0037]

Definitely agree on holding off on stuff like extension cords and fridges and microwaves until you know what's allowed at her school. But if you already have an idea, Black Friday is a great time to get deals on microwaves, etc

It definitely depends on where she's going, but I would suggest a nice pair of rain boots. Hunter rain boots and duck boots are popular in the south/SEC schools.

I know people said workout clothes and yoga pants for the gym and dorm but that is almost all I wear to class. And then either football jerseys or dresses to football games (again, SEC school). So I definitely agree with nike running shorts, yoga pants, workout pants, etc.

 

[danygirl]

I have to disagree. DD and her floormates used her tool kit during her freshman year in the dorms just as I used mine the in the dorms when I was in school.

they are not permitted to take the furniture apart, hammer anything, etc
In that tiny space tools would just be junk. Trust me - DH sold tools and we have more than you can imagine- each kid told us to take them home after DH set things up

Duct tape on the other hand ...

 

[danygirl]

Definitely agree on holding off on stuff like extension cords and fridges and microwaves until you know what's allowed at her school. But if you already have an idea, Black Friday is a great time to get deals on microwaves, etc It definitely depends on where she's going, but I would suggest a nice pair of rain boots. Hunter rain boots and duck boots are popular in the south/SEC schools. I know people said workout clothes and yoga pants for the gym and dorm but that is almost all I wear to class. And then either football jerseys or dresses to football games (again, SEC school). So I definitely agree with nike running shorts, yoga pants, workout pants, etc.

yes on the hunter boots! They walk a lot on campuses even if it is myddy

 

[jrmasm]

they are not permitted to take the furniture apart, hammer anything, etc In that tiny space tools would just be junk. Trust me - DH sold tools and we have more than you can imagine- each kid told us to take them home after DH set things up Duct tape on the other hand ...

That's nice. My dd told me she and her floor mates used her set during the year.