--- title: Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Exchange Student description: We've rounded up the top gift ideas that exchange students will love! image: https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/gift%20blog.png --- [![ices@2x](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/ICES_Logo_%20sm_wht.png?width=77&name=ICES_Logo_%20sm_wht.png)](https://www.icesusa.org/)   - [INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/international-student-exchange-programs/) - [HOST A STUDENT](https://www.icesusa.org/host-a-student-overview/) - [AMERICAN STUDENTS](https://www.icesusa.org/american-student-exchange-programs/) - [WORK WITH US](https://www.icesusa.org/student-exchange-careers-and-partnerships/) - [ABOUT US](https://www.icesusa.org/about-us-overview/) - [CONTACT US](https://www.icesusa.org/contact-ices/) - [BLOG](https://blog.icesusa.org) [Let's Talk](https://blog.icesusa.org/contact)subscribe ### I’d like to learn more about Campaign Creators! read # Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Exchange Student By [Kari Owens](https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens) ![](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/gift%20blog.png) Christmas is a time of festive decorations, scrumptious treats, family traditions—and gifts! A major part of the holiday season, [gift-giving](https://www.giftsinternational.net/knowledge-hub/guide/gifts-unwrapped-the-history-of-christmas-presents#:~:text=To%20Christians%2C%20the%20gifts%20given,the%20story%20of%20the%20Nativity.) is a wonderful way to show your exchange student how much they mean to you. But before you head out to start shopping, there are a few things you should keep in mind. While it may be sad to think about right now, remember that in a few months, your student will be heading back to their home country—with all their stuff. Most students accumulate far more than they can get home, which becomes painfully evident when they start packing. While there used to be affordable methods for shipping excess bags and boxes overseas, those days are long gone, and now everything they take with them must be squeezed into two suitcases. So what’s a host family to do? We’ve got your back! Here are some fabulous gift ideas your student is sure to love! These won’t burst your student’s suitcase, or worse—be left behind when they go home. ![wrapped Christmas gifts](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-24-06-6021-PM.png?width=709&height=461&name=image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-24-06-6021-PM.png)   ## **Consumable Gifts** Gifts they will love now and use up before they leave are a perfect fit! Pamper your student with fragrant lotion, shower gel, or shampoo. Add some fun to their school day with stylin’ pens, pencils, and notebooks. Perfume and cologne make ordinary days a bit more special, as does that perfect make-up. Art or craft supplies will hit the spot for creative teens and provide some fun for them over the break. ![basket of bath supplies](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-03-51-30-9563-PM.png)   ## **Gift Cards** Your student is sure to love a gift card to their favorite coffee, ice cream, or fast food place for some yummy treats. Provide an afternoon of fun through a gift card to a movie theatre, arcade, or fun center.   Everyone loves shopping with an Amazon gift card, and a Visa gift card is good virtually anywhere. Who wouldn’t love that? ![teen girl holding gift card in front of xmas tree](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-03-55-38-5148-PM.png?width=646&height=535&name=image-png-Dec-05-2022-03-55-38-5148-PM.png)   ## **Experiences** Exchange students love to experience as much as possible during their time in the U.S., so gifting them an experience is sure to be a hit. Tickets to a concert, play, symphony, or ballet will create a memory that will last long after the event is over. Or maybe a cooking class or music lessons are more your student’s style. Most teens love bowling, skating, putt-putt, and escape rooms. And what’s more American than a college or professional sporting event? Be sure to check out a community calendar to find out what’s coming up in your area that your student might enjoy. ![two boys at foodball game](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-19-44-7495-PM.png?width=707&height=529&name=image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-19-44-7495-PM.png)   ## **Trips** Day or weekend trips will be fun for the whole family! Head to the beach or the mountains to explore and play together as a family. Plan a skiing, rafting, or camping trip, or maybe even a DU (destination unknown) in which you figure it out as you go. Whether you take the trip on Christmas day or wrap up a gift that points to a future trip, your student will surely get excited about this! ![girl riding a horse on the beach](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-02-20-4584-PM.png?width=642&height=462&name=image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-02-20-4584-PM.png)   ## **Service Gifts** Give your student something they can’t (or don’t want to) do for themself.   This might include a certificate for a haircut (& color?), a mani/pedi, or a massage.  Or perhaps a gym membership for the rest of the year would light up your student's eyes. Or keep it closer to home and add a personal touch with coupons for “Pass on today’s chores",  “Dessert of your choice”, or “Breakfast in bed”. Prom is just around the corner, and what teen wouldn’t love to ride in style in a chauffeured limo? Half the fun would be the planning and anticipation leading up to the actual event. ![teens in a limo](https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-05-18-6668-PM.png)   ## **Sentimental Gifts** A nostalgic gift will not only delight your exchange student on Christmas morning, but will also be a treasured momento of their exchange year. How about a coffee table book or photo calendar of your city or state? A t-shirt or hoodie with the name of your city or high school is sure to please. A locket containing a special photo will keep you close to your student’s heart. Personalized photo gifts are simple to make, easy to pack, and fun to look at for years to come. [Shutterfly](https://www.shutterfly.com/) and [Snapfish](https://www.snapfish.com/home) are just two of the many sites where you can create photo calendars, framed collages, personalized puzzles, and much more. If your student loves your cooking, gift them all your favorite recipes—complete with a set of imperial measuring cups and spoons. ![three personalized photo books](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-14-03-5706-PM.png?width=696&height=464&name=image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-14-03-5706-PM.png)   ## **Food Gifts** Teens love to eat, so edible gifts are always a favorite! Consider a basket of favorite snack foods, a stocking of indulgent sweets, or a box of special-ordered ingredients from the student’s home country. And don’t forget about beverages! Many students love getting bottled coffee, a box of their favorite tea, a hot cocoa bomb, or a fruity [kombucha](https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-benefits-of-kombucha-tea). ![girl drinking hot cocoa in front of xmas tree](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-17-05-6434-PM.png?width=717&height=475&name=image-png-Dec-05-2022-04-17-05-6434-PM.png)   This list should be a good start to get your creative juices flowing. What other ideas do you have? Share them in the comments below.   And above all, enjoy this very special holiday season with your exchange student!   Tags: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays) ### Related Articles ## [Mid-Year Check: Make Your Year Great!](https://blog.icesusa.org/mid-year-check-make-your-year-great) *( read )* Topics: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays) ## [Why January Is the Best Time to Say Yes to Hosting](https://blog.icesusa.org/why-january-is-the-best-time-to-say-yes-to-hosting) *( read )* Topics: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays) ## [How Different Cultures Celebrate the New Year](https://blog.icesusa.org/how-different-cultures-celebrate-the-new-year) *( read )* Topics: [Host Families](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families), [Exchange Student](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student), [Holidays](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/holidays) ### Subscribe to The Chronicles of Marketing Newsletter ### Posts by Tag - [Cultural Exchange (141)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/cultural-exchange) - [Exchange Student (106)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/exchange-student) - [Host Families (97)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-families) - [Host an exchange student (78)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/host-an-exchange-student) - [Youth Exchange (68)](https://blog.icesusa.org/tag/youth-exchange) ## Subscribe to Our Blog Today! ![Boris_ICES_Ads](https://blog.icesusa.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Boris_ICES_Ads.png?width=749&height=698&name=Boris_ICES_Ads.png) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kari Owens", "url" : "https://blog.icesusa.org/author/kari-owens" }, "dateModified" : "2023-12-16T16:16:58.497Z", "datePublished" : "2022-12-05T16:52:13.000Z", "headline" : "Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Exchange Student", "image" : [ "https://blog.icesusa.org/hubfs/gift%20blog.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.icesusa.org/five-star-gift-ideas-for-your-exchange-student", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" }, "name" : "International Cultural Exchange Services" } } ```