By Emanuel Nader & Keith Lokmagozyan

Although holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid al-Fitr, and Diwali revolve around religion, society also often sees them as a time to give back to the communities and spend time with friends and family.

One aspect that these holidays share is gift-giving. Many give gifts on December 25 for Christmas. Others look forward to eight days of gifts during Hanukkah.

Similarly, Kwanzaa also coincides with the gift-giving idea. Zawadi, or gifts in Swahili, are given on New Year’s Day.

With so many different holidays being celebrated around the same time, those with a diverse range of friends may struggle to find the perfect gift.

Common solutions include asking friends what they’d like or gifting them something that you would like to receive. However, according to Red Stag Fulfillment, an organization that ships and packs online orders, there is a 35 percent return rate for holiday gifts, and nobody wants to spend money on a gift that someone isn’t going to like and wants to keep.

Many students are hoping for expensive gifts such as cars or gaming platforms.

“I’m going to college soon so I’m hoping to get a Macbook so I can have a reliable piece of technology, or if I don’t get it considering it’s pretty expensive, I really would like a PS5 and the new 2k game,” senior Jory Kramer said.

Most students can’t afford to give their friends these kinds of gifts, however. So, instead of having to awkwardly ask all your friends what they’d more realistically like for the holidays, we did it for you instead. Here’s a list of gift suggestions for all different kinds of people.

When giving your friend a gift, you should evaluate their wants and needs. This could include merch from a friend’s favorite show or movie, a video game, a book, decor for a room, or technology. Necessities include clothing, skincare, or hygiene products. Here are some more specific suggestions.

If your friend, family, or loved one is planning on attending college soon, good gift ideas could be LED lights to make their dorm room interior more vibrant, or silk pajamas to ease the stiffness of their college mattresses.

For cooking enthusiasts, it’s a great idea to give them a show-themed cookbook or some new cooking gadgets, so they can create new and fun recipes.

For Gym-goers it’s a great idea to give a new weight-lifting belt or a gym bag, so they can make sure their form is perfect, or they can store their water bottle in a stylish design.

For students who love to use makeup and explore new looks, it’s a good idea to give them something new and trendy. Many make-up enthusiasts spoke about “Rare Beauty blush” or “anything Glossier,” as gifts they would definitely use with enjoyment.

However, if you’re still confused as to what to give a friend, anyone would be content with a handwritten letter. Anything heartfelt and thoughtful is a gift that all friends, families, or loved ones would love to receive.

But when we personally asked students what surefire gift they would love to receive, they all replied with “food.” Maybe these students were just hungry, but since the majority of students said the same thing, it might be a good idea to give a friend some food for the holidays.

Although gifting can be an exciting part of the holiday season, it’s important to remember that the holiday season isn’t just about the gifts, but about spending time with our loved ones.

“The prayer before and the lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah is a fun family bonding memory to look back on. I love Hanukkah and I look forward to it at the start of every year,” Kramer said.

If gift-giving isn’t within your budget this holiday season, it’s important to note that even a hug or a smile is enough to brighten someone’s day and can be the best gift you can give to those who are celebrating this season alone. Any way of giving back to our community is giving back regardless. Small or large, expensive or not, what counts the most is the thought and effort you put forward.