With Christmas right around the corner, finding the perfect gift for family and friends as a broke college student can be a challenge.

The perfect gift may seem out of reach due to a variety of factors, but that does not stop Saint Francis students from finding the perfect gift for their loved ones.

“It is hard for me to find gifts for my parents, especially because I do not have a car on campus,” said freshman Erika Ellison. “Most of my gifts have been ordered online.”

Ellison is an ROTC cadet, and something she has found to be a great gift for many on her shopping list is Saint Francis and Army ROTC apparel. 

And while a Saint Francis T-shirt is a great gift for family, even clothes from the bookstore can add up quickly and get pricey fast.

Being able to get crafty and make your own gift is a great way to save money and give friends and family something heartfelt. 

Sophomore Shaylee Caulkins said she is getting crafty this winter for her boyfriend’s Christmas gift. 

“I am making him a photobook with pictures and notes from the last year. It is not an expensive gift, but it is time-consuming,” said Caulkins. 

“It will be worth it in the end once it is all finally put together.”

For freshman Kelly Dickson, it’s also a crafty approach to Christmas shopping in 2019.

“I am making the fleece-tie blankets with Christmas-themed fabric for my family,” said Dickson. “It is pretty easy to make, and the fleece is not that expensive.”

Dickson said she got her materials from Walmart, and she thinks it will be a nice gift because it is handmade.

Some of the top gift ideas for this year that students shared are Saint Francis T-shirts, photo books and even a cup of hot chocolate. Some students are putting packs of hot chocolate in mugs with fuzzy socks and wrapping that as a gift. 

You can get fun mugs and fuzzy socks from any dollar store at a reasonable price. Then all they have to do is add a few packets of hot chocolate and wrap it with clear plastic wrapping.

College is hard, especially around the holidays, but gift giving does not have to be.

And when all else fails, go with the ugly Christmas sweater!