It’s the time of year again when names are scribbled onto scraps of paper and mixed up in a bowl before being secretly picked out at random, inducing relief or complete dread…

Yes; it’s now the time of the obligatory student Secret Santa shtick!

Now, if your selected Secret Santa ends up being the person in your friendship group whom you know the least, selecting Christmas gifts that are ideal can be a complete nightmare. Even though Secret Santa is a bit of harmless fun, you still want to use your budget to the best you can to get this person something they will appreciate.

Gifts for him:
Don’t deny it guys, it’s obvious that most male students are still immature enough to enjoy dirty, crude and toilet humour. Be sensible though and remember to seek information about your gift receiver if they are prude, do not buy crude!

Bog rolls printed with jokes or Sudoku puzzles will not only amuse and/or flex mind muscles but will be incredibly useful as toilet roll is something that can often be lacking in student houses! (Around £5)

As drinking is usually what most students master in, your male mate would be appreciative of a new set of shot glasses or a pint glass (prices vary). These are available in many types; personalised, with certain designs or with novelty lights, so ensure to shop around to find the perfect match.

Another gift that I have seen amuse Secret Santa gift receivers of the past is the super slingshot monkey which has stretchy arms and a “oooo-ooh-ing” sound chip. The monkey complete with cape and eye mask – is light and safe enough to fire at your friends. Hours of entertainment! (Around £6)

Gifts for her:
When it comes to the ladies, it should be pretty clear that anything that smells nice is going to be a big hit straight away. Flavoured lip glosses in funky little pots or containers are always useful in a girl’s handbag or at their desk and the ice cream shaped lip gloss pen also compromises…er, well, a pen! helpful! (Around £3)

Woman don’t exactly adore cleaning like many men would like to believe, but they certainly prefer it! The pink desktop USB ‘Henry’ cylinder hoover is cute and it will help her to keep crisp crumbs out of her keyboard! (Around £9)

Personalised wine glasses are also available (Around £9)

More and more parents are going without Christmas gifts to pay for their child’s expensive present according to report compiled by SAGA and Netmums. So expectant parents beware, you’re in for some bleak Christmases on the gift front. If you’re a parent then you know what it’s like to have your Christmas gifts consist of a pair of slippers and a pack of socks. So when buying gifts for parents-to-be why not get them a really great gift.

The hardest decision you will have to make is whether to get them a present specifically for the baby or a gift personally for them. There is a variety of gifts to choose from for parents-to-be. There are a number of great presents on pregnancy-specific websites such as pregnancy books, beauty products and nappy bags. You may think these are quite dull gift choices but baby items are great if the couple are low on funds. You could the couple specific presents for them and wait until the baby shower to get a child related gift.

There are beauty treatments tailored for pregnant women which are great in getting the mum-to-be to relax. Or maybe some beauty accessories like make-up, straighteners or hair dryers. I’m not too convinced dad-to-be will enjoy a spa weekend. Technological gadgets are always a great choice for men; remember the phrase ‘boys with toys”? High-quality laptops with an internet connection are not only great gifts for him but incredibly useful for the family. If you’re thinking of buying a conjoined gift for two, coffee makers are a great choice for expectant parents especially with all the sleepless nights they’ll be having! In trying to choose that perfect present, try and remember what it felt like to be expecting a child.