Christmas is coming, but if you’ve got a senior in high school, you may be stumped about what to get your soon-to-be graduate. Here are thirteen gift ideas that will help prepare your senior for college life without appearing too practical. (No laundry baskets!)

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Ca$h - Money is easy to give and happily received. If you’ve got a senior who is saving for school, you can make a direct donation to her bank account. Or if you’re afraid he’ll blow it, give a gift card to a store where he’ll have to spend it on something useful. Pair the cash with a certificate to an online budget course or a finance book, like “The Complete Guide to Personal Finance For Teenagers and College Students” by Tamsen Butler.
Bullet journal - There are oodles of apps that can help your teen stay organized, but there’s something about writing by hand that makes it stick. The bullet journal craze has taken the world (and Pinterest) by storm. Start your senior off with a dotted journal, fine point markers, and some stencils.
Travel gear - Your senior will be doing lots of traveling soon, whether to tour colleges or heading back home for the holidays. To make travel a breeze, give him a collapsible duffle bag (easy to stash away in a tiny dorm room), an inflatable travel pillow, and a portable iPhone charger. Since they can no longer steal YOUR iPhone charger when they are in college, you probably should help them stock up with some extra charging chords.
Seasonal supplies - If your senior is headed somewhere cold, wrap up a good winter coat, scarves and an ice scraper. If your senior is headed somewhere warm, stock up on swimsuits, sandals and a daily moisturizer with sunscreen.
Food - Give seniors the gift of grub so they don’t starve their first year. There are lots of great options to help them stay nourished — gift cards to local restaurants, meal subscription memberships (like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh—this link gets you $40 off your first subscription at Hello Fresh), or even a homemade coupon book with free cooking lessons from mom. I have also given the cookbook “101 Things to Do with Ramen Noodles” since Ramen fits in with every student’s budget!
Dorm room decor - Decorating your dorm room is a rite of passage. Help your future freshman get a head start by gifting them some room decor. Bedding, throw pillows, and stylish storage are essential. Twinkle lights and an iconic movie poster will add a special touch. For your senior who wears makeup, this portable vanity mirror was on my senior daughter’s wish list. It will save sharing a dorm mirror and help with the notoriously lousy dorm room lighting: Vanity mirror.
Subscription box - Give the gift that keeps giving with a subscription box. For senior dudes, try Wohven, which delivers a quality, graphic design T-shirt every month. For senior ladies, sign up for Ipsy, a personalized monthly makeup service that sends five new products in a unique makeup bag.
Smelly stuff - Dorm rooms can get pretty stinky, and most colleges don’t allow open flames, including candles. Some wick-less alternatives are oil diffusers or concentrated room spray.
Hometown pride - Help your senior celebrate where they come from with a sweatshirt or jacket emblazoned with their favorite local team, city name or high school mascot. Next year you can gift them an updated version with their new alma mater on it.
New tech - These gifts aren’t cheap but will make your senior squeal with joy. A new laptop, tablet or smartphone will be well used before and after senior year. Too pricey for your holiday budget? Consider a Kindle, where they can read assigned books without being distracted by texts or emails.
Family Photos - Okay, you can’t follow my blog and not expect this on here SOMEWHERE. :) But what better way to remind your kid of where they came from than a framed family photo? Consider getting the whole family together for a family shoot (don’t forget the dog!) so they have something to look at when they get homesick.
Experiences, not just things - Consider concert tickets, a play, or a show. A one-on-one parent and child trip, even just an overnight, is an opportunity that will not soon come around again.
Other miscellaneous things on my senior’s wishlist -
- Echo Dot is compact and functions as a speaker and alarm clock. This is going in my daughter’s stocking as it can (hopefully) help wake her up in the morning (or afternoon) for class!
- Airpods seem to be on every teenager and adult’s wish list!
- This hairdryer/brush has over 15,000 five-star reviews and is only $30! It is high on the list for my girls and me!