USC Bookstore offers great options for seasonal gifts

As we make our way into this holiday season, the same question remains on everyone’s mind: “What do I buy my friends and family for Christmas?”

For many college students, life is always in the fast lane, always on the go and always on a budget. So what can they do? Where can they go to buy quick, easy and affordable gifts for our loved ones?

The answer is simple: the beloved USC Bookstore.

The on-campus bookstore has four floors packed with potential gifts for friends and family members of all ages and all walks of life, from Mom and Dad to best friends to significant others.

For Mom and Dad, some brand new Trojan gear makes a great gift. The bookstore offers stylish USC Dad coffee mugs for the reasonable price of $5.95. To match, the store sells USC Mom decals for the car, also $5.95.

If your parents enjoy wining and dining, browse the bookstore’s affordable gifts for the kitchen. The bookstore sells USC potholders for only $8.95 each — the perfect compliment to a warm, home-cooked meal in the wintertime. In addition, USC vintage wine stoppers and cardinal music bottle openers are on sale for affordable prices for those interested in pairing their meals with a beverage.

Other family-friendly gifts include a variety of festive and fun wall calendars, such as the popular 2013 Trojan football calendar, for a price of $15.99.

For those trying to find gifts for friends, the bookstore also has an array of options, from Trojan gear to books to accessories. For example, the store sells winter apparel such as USC beanies or the ever-popular USC Potter scarf, each gift priced under $20.

If your friends are fans of stuffed animals, the bookstore has added three new plush hits to their collection. Customers can now buy the cute and cuddly USC round cub for only $15. The bookstore also sells “I Heart USC” stuffed letters for a fairly affordable price of $19.95. If this price is a little out of reach, customers also have the option of buying the smaller USC stuffed letters for only $8.95.

When shopping for diehard Trojan football fans, consider gifts that showcase pride in our football team and our Trojan spirit. A USC foam sword only costs $6.95 or foam fingers $7.95. Or feel free to go all out and purchase a Trojan fuzzy football for $19.95.

The bookstore also offers a variety of small stocking stuffers. Customers can find products such as the USC Sock Monkey keychain, USC Hello Kitty plush toys, mini rubber basketballs, “I Heart USC” bracelets and classic USC pom-poms. The bookstore even carries a Traveler baby rattle so the little ones can have a special Christmas gift.

All the Trojan spirit too much for you? The bookstore offers a variety of gift options that do not sport cardinal and gold. These choices include best-selling books like J.K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy, day planners for 2013, journals and sketchbooks. For the fashionistas in your life, make-up and accessories like sunglasses and scarves can be found on the ground floor.

For those who have the luxury of spending a bit more on gifts, try making fun and innovative gift combinations to give to your family and friends. For example, you could create a “Trojan Spirit” gift package, featuring a foam sword, a USC bracelet and a set of pom-poms. Other combinations can include a new book and a journal for literature-loving friends or a matching beanie and scarf for friends who live in cold weather.

But no matter who you are shopping for this holiday season, everyone appreciates a homemade Christmas or holiday card. The top floor of the bookstore has all the art supplies needed to make Christmas cards on a budget. Whether students are looking for construction paper, crayons, colored pencils, markers or envelopes, the bookstore is the place to go for your various card supplies. Or, if you want to get a little fancy and show off your crafting skills, the bookstore also sells a variety of paints and paintbrushes that anyone could use to spice up their holiday notes.

With all of the options offered at the bookstore, it’s easy to worry about travelling with newly purchased gifts. But the USC Bookstore allows customers to order online and have their gift items shipped to their homes, a valuable offer for those who might be traveling outside of Southern California.

From shopping for fellow Trojans to family members and friends, USC students have an advantage for giving creative, fun gifts that are sure to be a hit. So before you head over to a major department store or log on to Amazon.com, consider the USC Bookstore’s wide selection of potential presents. After all, these Trojan-themed items are sure to add a little cardinal and gold to the holiday spirit.