Holiday Shopping Gift Guide

Between school, tight budgets, and crowded stores, finding the right gift can feel like another exam.

To see how students are managing the holiday rush, we asked them where they shop, what they buy, and the go-to gifts that never fail. Here’s what they said.

Q: Where are you shopping this year?

Students recommend these local shops in Edmond and OKC:

Click here to view the gift map.

Several students shared that they do a lot of shopping online, but several local retailers were also mentioned.

“I usually shop at the mall,” said Juelz Hunter.

Some students like to shop locally at Classen Curve, including Hunter and Sierrah Wright.

“And of course… Amazon is always in the mix”, said Wright.

Students like Madison Breeze and Maurine Derk like to shop mainly online to find what they’re looking for.

“More often than not, I’m looking for something specific and turn towards Amazon”, said Derk.

Other Students like Anika Ouwejan and Faith Taylor like to do a mix of both in-store and online shopping for Christmas.

“It depends on who I am shopping for and what I’m looking for”, said Taylor.

Q: What is your go-to mall?

Most of the students prefer to shop at Penn Square Mall.

Wright said she likes to shop at Penn Square because she finds more of what she’s looking for compared to Quail Springs and smaller shops.

 “It’s kind of my go-to because they have a great selection of stores and it’s easy to spend a whole afternoon there without feeling overwhelmed”, said Wright.

Several students still prefer shopping online or at smaller stores, but prefer Penn Square Mall among the rest.

“When I do need a few last-minute things, I prefer Penn Square since there’s so many options”, said Tiger.

If you’re looking for a different shopping vibe like Taylor, the outlets are a good choice.  

“It feels less crowded, and there are better deals there”, said Taylor

Q: What gifts are you buying for others this year?

Most students have specific ideas and gifts picked out based on the person, but clothes seem to be the hot gift this Christmas.

“I have different gifts for different people however, the majority would be clothes”, said Hunter

Wright said she’s buying gifts from sporting and athleisure stores

“Places like Lululemon, Dick’s, Alo, Acta, Gymshark, and similar spots. They have great options for both men and women, so it’s kind of my go-to for holiday shopping”, said Wright.

Among clothes, other students are giving Oklahoma-themed gifts to family and friends.

“I have gotten a new Carhart vest for a family member and a painting of the Oklahoma State University stadium”, said Tiger

“I’m mainly buying Oklahoma stuff for my family and friends at home”, said Ouwejan.

Q: Edmond or Oklahoma City shops you’d recommend?

Hunter said he recommends the Classen Curve.

 “It’s a good area because there is a variety of stores that you can shop at”, said Hunter.

Tiger said she recommends Rally House.

“It’s good for any college-related team present”.

Derk recommended Luca.

“It’s a really cute boutique in Edmond, but is on the higher price end”.

Another local shop Derk shops at is HOPEfully Yours.

“It’s a 2nd hand store that has high-quality products, and all proceeds that the store earns goes directly back into the community through the HOPE center of Edmond”, said Derk.

Ouwejan recommends Painted Tree.

“They have a bunch of little boutiques in their store, so you can buy a bunch of Oklahoma home stuff there”.

Taylor recommends Full Circle bookstore.  

“In the plaza district, there are really good thrift stores like Bad Granny’s, or Out on a Limb is a cute boutique”, said Taylor

Q: What’s your go-to store when you’re short on time?

Several Students said thire go-to store for when they are short on time is Target.

“Whether it’s for a girl or guy, there’s so many options like clothes and Christmas sets that can very versatile”, said Tiger.

“It’s a one-stop shop and always has something cute and trendy”, said Derk.

Other Students, like Hunter and Wright, lean more towards the self-care side.

“Definitely Sephora or Lush”, said Hunter

 Among Target and Sephora, Wright’s other go-to store is Bath & Body Works

“They’re super reliable, easy to shop, and I can grab great gifts without overthinking it”, said Wright

On the other hand, students like Ouwejan prefer bigger retail stores for a short on time gift like Tj-Maxx and painted tree.

Q:  Gifts you can’t go wrong with?

Several students said their gifting clothes, gift cards, and necessities, like slippers and blankets.

“I usually will look at Nike for guys or Aerie for girls, these are staple items that anyone would love”, said Tiger.

Other Students like Wright have staple items that are more mix and match.

 “You really can’t go wrong with a gift bundle from Bath & Body Works”, said Wright.

 Derk and Ouwejan said you can’t go wrong with is perfumes, colognes, candles, and home decor.

“Definitely matching sets, hair care, new makeup, perfumes, colognes, and candles”, said Derk.

Q: Any gifts you would recommend to a student who’s stuck?

If you’re having trouble picking out a gift, many students recommend doing a basket of small gifts, finding something premade, or getting something for day-to-day use.

These types of gifts still make the gift thoughtful without being stressful, said Wright.

“I’d definitely recommend making a little ‘burr-basket’, it’s easy, personal, and you can fill it with all their favorite candies, a cute mug, makeup or skincare, cozy pajamas, a blanket, hot cocoa mix, fragrances, gift cards, and anything else they’d love”.

If you’re having trouble shopping for a fellow student, Taylor said a good set of pens and Bluetooth headphones might be the way to go.

Other students say gift cards are a good go-to as well.

“Even if people think they aren’t thoughtful”, said Breeze

Students like Derk recommend getting clothing if you’re in a rut because they can be versatile.

“Try and find a cute matching set, like PJs, lounge wear, or athletic”.

“If you’re wanting to go more personal, a cute trend I’m seeing this year is scrapbook photo frame”, said Derk.

Q: What’s the most popular gift you’ve noticed among your friends?

Common gifts among students’ friends are self-care, gift baskets, and gift cards.

Wright said her friends’ go-to has been ‘burr-baskets’.

“They’re easy, customizable, and pretty much always a hit”, said Wright.

Other items students’ friends are asking for are clothing.

 “A lot of my friends this year want sets of clothes, like sweat sets or workout sets”, said Taylor.

“Most of my friends mainly ask for things like clothes and shoes because it’s always nice to have new ones”, said Tiger.

What’s the biggest factor when looking for a gift?

A common factor for students when looking for gifts is the convenience of getting it, and whether the person will actually use and like it.

“I love finding something that fits the person perfectly, but I’m also realistic—I want it to be easy to grab and within a reasonable price range”.

Wright said she tries to balance these three things: something thoughtful, not too pricey, and convenient to pick up.

“I want to gift people things that they will actually use and appreciate, by combining uniqueness and practicality”, said Derk.

“Uniqueness and what they really want is my main concern”, said Taylor