Gift Ideas for Friends
Staff Writer Emily Sharrer

It’s not always easy to know what to buy for your friends come the holiday season and buying uniform gifts for all your different types of friends just won’t cut it. Whether your friend is into music, books or athletics, this guide will tell you what gifts to buy your friends that they will love instead of those same old cliché gifts.

Artsy Kids
For art majors, photographers, poets, or just spare-time painters, handmade gifts are always much appreciated. Making something for your friend is not only inexpensive, it is something that an “artsy” person can appreciate. Any craft store will have display upon display of do-it-yourself projects that include picture frames, scrapbooks, candles, little boxes you can decorate, and so on. If you’re willing to invest more time in a project, scrapbooks make good gifts for your better friends, as do handmade purses. Picture frames are always a nice and simple gift that you can personalize for your friend. If you’d rather buy a gift than make something, check out independently owned stores rather than chains for handmade gifts like candles, mugs, jewelry, incense, poetry books or art.

Sports Fans
For friends that are big into sports, items like t-shirts, jerseys, office supplies or hats with their favorite team’s logo on them make perfect gifts. If your fan plays a sport, purchasing equipment for them to use is also a great idea. Sporting goods stores like Modell’s, Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods are ideal places to shop for footwear, apparel and equipment for the sports fan in your life. If you’re looking to save a little money, most discount stores like Wal-Mart also carry sports equipment. Specialty shops are another great place to look for sports-themed gifts. Memorabilia and collectibles such as autographed items can end up falling a little out of your price range depending on where they’re purchased, but any sports fan will surely appreciate the gesture. If your friend is very athletic and into working out, accessories such as sweat bands or arm bands that can hold their iPod while they work out are thoughtful and inexpensive gifts.

Music Junkies
Even if your friend isn’t a huge fan of music or up to date on all of the popular bands, gifts related to a friend’s favorite band or genre of music are always good gifts. If you’re looking for a cheap gift for someone that’s into music, mix CDs with different songs are always a fun present. Or, if you’re willing to spend more money, buying older, classic CDs from your friend’s favorite genre or by a newer band in a genre that your friend likes (check out allmusic.com) are a great idea. Check out CD Cellar located in Arlington and Falls Church, and also The Record and Tape Exchange located in the shopping center beside Fair City Mall for good deals on used CDs.

Though a little bit more pricey, shirts sporting your friend’s favorite band make for a unique gift and could be paired with other inexpensive band merchandise such as a bumper sticker or buttons. Posters with a friend’s favorite band make for good dorm or apartment wall décor and can be picked up online or at poster stores like Beyond the Wall. Hot Topic carries things like concert tees, bumper stickers or key chains at reasonable prices, but the featured bands tend to be more of the emo or indie persuasion.  If items featuring your friend’s favorite band can’t be found in stores, check out the band’s website to order these items.    

Fashionistas
Rather than struggling to pick out the right shirt size or design for your friend that already seems to have everything, search for accessories that can accentuate your friend’s good fashion sense. Things like scarves, cufflinks or headbands make for cute gifts and even if you’re fashion illiterate, you can’t go wrong with a cute, patterned scarf, tie or hair accessory. Stores like Forever 21 or H&M have good deals on accessories like stylish headbands and scarves as well as cute and cheap jewelry. If you’re looking for more expensive jewels, Express is a good place to start looking. Purses are a good investment for that fashion savvy friend of yours because you can never have too many purses. Notice the types of bags that your friend likes to carry (i.e. big, small, plain, etc.) and go in search of similar bags you think your friend might like. Target has good deals on bags, but if your friend only has a taste for more expensive brands like Coach, look into buying a wristlet which starts at $30. Vera Bradley, which is sold in the George Mason University bookstore, also sells wristlets that run cheaper than brands like Coach and still make for a nice gift.

Book Worms
The best place to start looking for friends that love to read are book lists such as The New York Times Bestseller list. This way, you’re sure to pick out a new and good book that your friend hasn’t read yet. Also, look for books by an author that your friend likes or by a new well-acclaimed author. Books on an interesting subject or era that your friend is into are also a good choice. Bookmarks, reading lights, or other book-related items to give your friend can be picked up at the counter in book stores like Barnes and Noble or the Mason bookstore.