Looking for the perfect way to break the ice and make lasting memories? Kick off the new semester with a gift exchange to connect with your friends, old and new, like roommates, sorority besties, members of your fave clubs or buds from your intramural team. Getting to (secretly) know your giftee through their Wishlist is a great way to treat them to a cool gift and make an A+ impression.
3 Reasons To Create A Gift Exchange
You’ll Get a Gift You Actually Want
As a college student, it’s all about balancing the budget. Why waste your giftee’s funds on getting you something you’ll never use or giving gifts that will end up as a re-gift down the line?
Smart Solution: Create an Elfster Wishlist! It’s a polite way to drop a gift hint – and it’s there anytime, from anywhere you find something you’d actually love!
- Essentials for [campus] life
- Items for your dorm room
- Cooking gear (if there is a communal kitchen)
- Gift cards
- School supplies
You Can Pick a Theme To Make Gifting Easier
Unique and fun gift exchange themes start with creativity. A theme that encourages personal connections and offers broad appeal will make it fun for your whole group. If you’re in a club or fandom, a relatable theme is a great place to start. We’re big fans of doing themed gift exchanges revolving around things like:
You Can Do it Any Time of Year (Not just the holidays)
Gift exchanges are super fun for all sorts of events, not just the holidays. You can exchange gifts at pledge time, at the beginning of the semester, at the start of a season, when a new club forms—for any reason, at any time. Check out 3 Elfster gift exchanges that started on campus.
Get the Party Started: How to Create a Gift Exchange
1. Go to elfster.com or download the app to sign up for an account
2. Go to Dashboard → Gift Exchanges → Start A Gift Exchange
3. Invite new and old besties via email or text
4. Party on!
Be The ‘Most Likely to Succeed’ at Gift Giving
Explore our curated Gift Guides sure to bring Joy to the Dorm. Extra Credit: Add these gifts to your own Elfster wishlist – it’s an easy and polite way to let everyone know what you really want!
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