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Thrifty Gifts
The National Retail Federation (NRF) and the
average college student don’t look at Christmas
the same way. For retailers, the season’s festivi
ties are about increased sales, and the visions
dancing in their heads are customers with fat wal
lets. For students, the holidays are a time to go
home, relax and have someone else do the cook
ing and cleaning: The last thing most students are
thinking of is spending money.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the NRF
is estimating an increase in holiday sales of 5.7
percent this year. Last year’s dismal holiday sales
loom large in their balance books, and retailers
hope that this year’s holiday shopping spree
makes up for it.
If college students as a whole can be classified
as any one thing, being cheap would top the list.
As a result, few students want to go and break the
bank on presents for friends and family, unless
daddy’s credit card is doing the spending.
Students tend to turn to alternatives where the
thought counts more than the price, and little to
no time is involved in the purchasing decision.
“Gift cards are great for my sister, my mom
and my dad,” said Brian McCarthy, a senior
electrical engineering major. “They’re easy to
pick out and you can spend as little or as much
as you want.”
These days, people can buy gift cards at prac
tically any retail location, from Kroger to Foley’s.
While they may not say anything special, they are
easy to wrap, and you have the satisfaction of
knowing that the recipient got exactly what they
wanted. Most require as little as a $10 starting
amount and the sky is the limit. Online retailers
also issue gift certificates.
The Internet is an arena students are familiar
and comfortable with and also serves as a fantas
tic shopping opportunity for cash-strapped stu
dents. EBay.com, a site many students have used,
is the quintessential cheap-and-easy experience.
It takes five minutes to learn to bid, and from
there shoppers can find virtually anything under
the sun. This is a paradise for those on a budget,
and the site is logically organized so that bidders
can easily find what they’re looking for.
EBay is not the only option for shopping
online. Target has a full-featured Web site that
ships straight to one’s door. One-click shopping
on Amazon.com makes it simpler than ever to
locate that hard-to-fmd CD or book in a matter of
minutes, plus they gift wrap it for you. In addi
tion, online-only storefronts have been popping
up, selling regional products you can’t find in
Texas. Just do a search on Google for the item
you are looking for and you are bound to find it
for sale somewhere.
Thomas Hryhorchuk, a senior mechanical
engineering technology major, is a firm believer
in Best Buy.
“Eveiybody loves electronics,” Hryhorchuk
said. “It’s always the best buy for Christmas,
birthdays, whatever. It has everything I need from
DVDs to video games.”
For the student with loans to pay, spending
money is not always an option. It’s the do-it-your
self presents that appeal to these undergrads.
“Pictures are a great present for everyone,”
McCarthy said. “Frames are cheap and pictures
give the present a personal touch.”
For that someone special, personal touch is
what it’s all about. Significant other gifts require
a lot of thought, but not necessarily a lot of
money.
“For someone special, I would give a sweet,
romantic gift that accentuates both our personali
ties, that we could enjoy together,” McCarthy
said.
A simple drive to look at Christmas lights or
having carolers stop by the house is a wonderful
surprise that shows you care. In the end, that’s
what giving gifts is all about: that warm, fuzzy
feeling that comes from being with friends and
family.
By Jim Daniel
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COOZ ‘6
UNWRAP THE HOLIDAYS
THE BATTALION
Giving
to the
Brazos
Valley
Strands of twinkling lights
are being untangled, trees are
being purchased and people are
racking their brains to come up
with the perfect gift. That’s
right, Christmas is almost here.
It won’t be too long before stu
dents and shoppers are cram
ming into the car to search for a
parking space at the mall to find
the gift for the person who
already has everything.
Every year many fill their
Christmas mornings with sounds
of crumpling wrapping paper.
For another group of people
those mornings are filled with
silence. These people do not
have the means to provide much,
if anything, for their loved ones
on Christmas morning.
The good news is a tot people
have dedicated themselves to
making sure this is not the case
for as many people as possible.
Numerous opportunities exist
for everyone to help give some
one a special Christmas.
Through organizations such
as the Salvation Army’s Angel
Tree, Twin City Missions’
Community Cafe and many
others, people who would oth
erwise have nothing are given a
wonderful gift.
Shannon Jeffcoat, director
of the local Angel Tree pro
gram, said volunteers can do
many things to help during the
holidays. In addition to donat
ing new toys, Jeffcoat said vol
unteers can “help by sorting
gifts, distributing the gifts,
transporting the gifts” or what
ever someone feels most com
fortable doing. Programs such
as Angel Tree are important to
the communities they serve,
See Giving on page 4
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
Nine-year-old Grade Duke of the
Wixon Valley 4-H Food and
Nutrition Group serves local people
in need of a warn meal at the Twin
City Mission Community Cafe in
Bryan on Friday evening. The dinner
consisted of two meat patties, gravy,
green beans, potato salad and
bread. Photo by Joshua L.
Hobson/The Battalion.
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“Never cease to amaze her.
Always exceed her greatest expectations. ”
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INER'S
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