With finals week coming up and the end of the semester looming in the near future, many of you will undoubtedly be very busy during the next few days writing that paper or studying for that exam on top of preparing to go home. And since we Grinnellians like to be efficient in everything we do, here’s an idea for all of you multi-taskers and overachievers out there—find gifts for your friends and family back home as a study break!

There are many places around Grinnell where you can get gifts to give to your friends and family back home, whether it be for the upcoming holidays or simply because you miss them and want to show your affection. Whatever the reason may be, here are a few gift ideas for your gift-giving plans.

Shirts from Local Establishments
Many of the local eateries and establishments around town offer their own unique tees that patrons can purchase typically for under $20. Lonnski’s Pub and Deli have shirts in a variety of colors for $15, while Paglai’s Restaurant and Kum & Go offer hoodies along with their tees. Pick them up for you friends—unique shirts, especially ones chock full of light sexual innuendo, are generally popular with the younger crowd—or for you parents, especially if they’ve taken you out to eat there before.

Maytag Cheese
If you’ve got the time, head on over to the Maytag Dairy Farm in nearby Newton to pick up some tasty, locally made cheese. Pick up a 4 oz. wrapped wedge for $3.75, or for that special cheese lover in your life, there are 4 lb. wheels of cheese for $37.50. And if you don’t have time to make it all the way to Newtown, you can pick up Maytag Cheese at local supermarkets like McNally’s and Fareway.

Grinnell College Student Publications
Share with your friends and family what’s on the minds of Grinnell students by picking them up one—or all—of the many student publications offered through the Student Publications and Radio Committee (SPARC). If your friend or family member likes interesting literary pieces, there’s the Grinnell Review or the newest publication, GoGo, or if you want to show them a taste of Grinnell humor, there’s the B&S. They’re free, so pick up as many as you want from the JRC Mail Room.

Digital Art from the CCL
Remember in elementary school when you would make art and bring it home as a gift for your parents? Well guess what—you can still do that! Show family and friends back home your artistic abilities by giving them something you made. The Creative Computing Lab (CCL) is located in the forum, and offers Photoshop and other applications to help bring out that creative side in all of you.

Local Art from Saint’s Rest
If you have a little extra pocket money, consider some of the local art offered at Saint’s Rest in town. They offer plenty of fine photographs, posters and prints taken by local photographers. Unframed photos are $35 and posters are $10.

Recordings and CDs of campus musical groups
Con Brio, G-tones and Grinnell Singers offer studio-recorded, high quality recordings and CDs of their music—a great gift idea for the music lovers you know back home. Also make sure to check with Freesound if they have any recordings or compilations of campus bands that could be worth checking out. Or—for you cheapos—just go to the KDIC Website (kdic.grinnell.edu) and burn some off the Internet.

The Grill
Not exactly your typical go-to stop for gifts, but if you have a few extra dining dollars you need to burn before they expire at the end of the semester, check out the Grill for some sweet stocking stuffers. 

THE CAMPUS BOOKSTORE
If all else fails, head down to the bookstore and pick up some good, ol’ Grinnell-logoed merchandise for your friends and family back home.

OR…
If you’re looking for a special gift that doesn’t require you to walk anywhere and won’t cost you money, consider a jar of melted snow from Grinnell’s first blizzard in a number of years.  It’s a gift that says “I love you enough that I want you to have a piece of my Grinnell College experience – just not enough to freeze my ass off walking into town for a real gift.”