Throughout the academic year, Melinda Giampietro, Options Founder/President, will share some of her favourite things in her monthly Founder’s Feature. Melinda loves reading, data, research, and following academic and adolescent news around the world.
I love the holiday season. I love gift-giving. At Options, we have our very own resident Options Elf. I have, maybe, been spending too much time on Instagram and perusing all the holiday gift guides. This inspired me to create the very first Options Gift Guides. I tried to include a little something for everyone, and I’ve separated them into two lists: one for teens of all ages, and one specifically for grade 12s
Note: These are all things that are known to and loved by me and my family, but we do not get any financial kickbacks for these recommendations. They are, instead, from my experience and heart.
If you purchase something, please let me know how it goes!!!
- Lap Gear Home Office Lap Desk
$55
- JSTORY Monthly Planner
$10
- Etsfmoa Beanie with Light
$16
- Yeti Rambler with Chug Cap
$40
- Redbubble Stickers
$4
- Board Games
$15-$46
- Wonderboom 3
$100
Great gift for those students who study on the couch or in their beds (not Options-approved study places!!).
This was a bestseller in our back-to-school recommendations.
This is a good one for these dark days.
Another bestseller from our back-to-school recommendations.
And don’t forget to get some stickers on redbubble.com to decorate your Yeti or new planner.
We play a lot of board games at our house. These are a few favourites: Catan, Qwirkle, Monopoly, and Jenga.
Good for everyone. Even parents. I’m embarrassed to admit how many of these we have. They are indestructible and beach friendly.
Perfect gift for your teen’s friends.
Perfect gift for grade 12’s traveling out East to school next fall. I’m representing my East Coast, preppy roots here. A true classic.
A little expensive but definitely worth it (there is so much research about anxiety and weighted blankets).
We live in these in the winter in our house! And these are good karma: you give one and they donate one.
The perfect-sized pencil kit for university.
My son has used these all through boarding school and university. I also give this often as graduation gifts.
