All I Want for Christmas: A Student Guide to Asking for Presents

Christmas is such a joyful time of year, and as a first year who used to have to do homework over Christmas break, I cannot wait to get exams over with in a few weeks, and go home to enjoy all the Christmas festivities without the stress of projects and exams.

So for those of you who have been asked “What do you want for Christmas?” here are a few tips on how to ask, and some things you could put on your gift list.

How to ask

Be polite. Channel your inner Canadian and throw a “Sorry could I maybe have this?” in there 😉

Be realistic. Don’t ask for anything super expensive — like a car or a flat screen or a check to cover your tuition.

Give lots of options. This way, you’ll still be (somewhat) surprised upon opening your presents and allow the gift-giver to choose something within their budget.

What to ask for

	A massage. After exams, what better way to de-stress than by having all those kinks in your neck worked out?
	Books. Think fluffy, no-thinking required rom coms.
	Money. Play the “I’m a broke student” card, because if there’s ever a time when it’s socially acceptable to ask for money, this is it.
	Movie tickets. Let’s face it, going to the movies is not cheap, so why not ask for something that’ll cover the cost?
	Restaurant gift card. There’s something really awesome about going out for real food and not having to pay for it.
	Clothes. It’s getting cold here in Victoria, so getting some scarves or sweaters for Christmas would be perfect timing.
	Colouring books. Channel your inner child, it’ll be such a good way to take a break from readings and writing papers in second semester.
	Decorations. Still haven’t made your dorm room feel like home? Ask for decorations (even better if they’re Christmas-themed).

Now I wish I could say that I would love Christmas just as much if there weren’t any presents. But the truth is that I don’t actually mind getting presents (shocking, I know).

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Christmas is about gifts. It is, however, largely about spending time with the people you love, and for me gift giving is one way to express that. So hopefully these ideas will help you make your Christmas wish list for this year.

Good luck with exams everyone! Just a few more weeks to go!