Compounded with the stresses of travel, family gatherings and the year’s end, buying gifts can seem like yet another thing you have to do this December. Gift giving can be hell. But it doesn’t have to be. Putting some time aside to perhaps make a list, or even a spreadsheet, can alleviate this gift-oriented anxiety and make your loved ones smile. Below you’ll find recommendations to inspire your gifting spirit.

For your respected elders:

Parents, guardians and older relatives can be hard to shop for. You don’t want to get them something frivolous, but there might not be something obvious they would actually use. When my siblings and I are shopping for our parents, we like to aim for gifts that will enlighten our elders — gadgets that the ‘rents are unfamiliar with.

A great gift this year is a nice gadget that will make driving easier for anyone who spends time behind the wheel:a phone mount for the car. The iOttie iTap 2 is a great choice. It has a magnetic mount, so there are no clumsy clips or clamps to secure your phone. Having a mount like this can improve a driver’s safety by keeping their eyes up, in addition to being helpful when you need a navigation app to get you where you’re going.

Another reliable and easy to find gift is a good charging cable for their phone, tablet or whatever it may be. When you need a cable, you need a cable, and quality is not always crucial. I like Target’s heyday cables for most things. If you want to get someone the sturdiest cable they’ll ever have, the Santa Barbara based company Nomad Goods makes Kevlar lined cables.

You could also get a gift that reminds them of a favorite memory or a family vacation, such as a framed photograph. IKEA frames never fail to impress me. They are by far the best quality for their great prices and are available in numerous sizes and layouts. For the actual photograph, Walgreens’ same day photo (usually within a few hours) turnaround is clutch and usually pretty decent quality (in my experience).

For those who love to shop locally in Eugene:

Eugene has a lot of gift potential, with its myriad of unique small businesses. For instance, if you head to Dot Dotson’s Photo Finishing camera store on Willamette Street, you could get a disposable camera (waterproof options also available) for a friend to capture their adventures on film.

If the gift-recipient is more of a vintage clothing fan and/or loves the Ducks, you could pick them up something from The N.E.S.T. on East 13th Avenue, a tasteful store with a great selection that was founded by a recent UO alumnus.

If you’re looking to buy someone a book, you should head to Smith Family Bookstore near the Amtrak station. Smith has an awe-inspiring selection of new and used books on just about everything, with 10% off all new books. I especially recommend their section of art, photography and architecture books on the second floor.
If the person you’re shopping for prefers baseball to books, Eugene has something for them too. The local minor league baseball team, the Eugene Emeralds, has a wide variety of team merch available online, and items can also be picked up locally. They have one of my go-to dad hats on sale currently: a beige lid adorned with the logo of the 1951 Eugene Larks.

For the fellow college students on your list:

College students have unique and distinct habits and needs, and they are consistently looking for a few key things. If the college student in question is chronically in need of coffee, a Dripkit (or three) would be a great gift. The Dripkit design is aesthetically pleasing, functional and their coffee options from small roasters produce great instant coffee.

If you are getting a gift for an Oregon Duck who loves to make things, consider buying them a spot in a Craft Center workshop, which range from Jewelry Fabrication to Indigo Dyeing to Cigar Box Guitar making. The UO Craft Center is located on the ground floor of the EMU and is a well-stocked and well-staffed wonderland for anyone who loves to make.

Finally, if the college student you know just needs a break, they might just want to light an Oregon-made candle and relax.

With the right planning, gift giving isn’t so bad after all. A gift given with love will brighten this winter for any recipient.