As we all know, gift giving can be such a headache. From trying to find the most thoughtful gift to having it fit in your budget, choosing the perfect gift can be extremely difficult. After polling a sample of students from the Upper School, we compiled a list of popular gifts for birthdays. Because birthdays can often sneak up on you, it can be really hard to find something that is affordable and that the recipient will like.
The first gift idea, while more costly, is something that many people have on their lists: the Kendra Scott Elisa Pendant Necklace. Based on our poll, the majority of students would purchase this necklace as a birthday gift (See Figure 1).
This result was not a surprise because this necklace is very popular right now. However, even though many people said they would buy it as a gift, when asked how much they would pay for it, few had the actual cost of the necklace included in their budget. 33.3% said that they were willing to spend $10.00-$30.00, while a few of the others also said that the cost was not a factor in their decision. However, most people were willing to spend around $30.00-$50.00 (See Figure 2).
Because most styles of this necklace start at around $65.00 and go up to $100.00, it reflects a cost many people aren’t willing to spend for a birthday gift. However, if you are willing to spend this much, most would be ecstatic if they received it. Because this necklace is so versatile, anyone can wear it—mothers, aunts, cousins, sisters, girlfriends, etc., which makes it well worth the expense.
The next gift is a great option for someone who loves music: a Spotify Premium gift card. Even though a little over half of those polled (52.9%) said that they would purchase this gift card, the rest said they had no preference at all. 53% of those said that they would buy this for their friends, while others had no preference. Paying for a 3 month or 6 month subscription was wildly unpopular with only 21.5% choosing this option (See Figure 3). Over 50% of the people voted for buying a one month subscription, and 20% even said that they would buy a full year. When we asked them if they wanted to receive it, the results ended up being the same as when asked if they would purchase it for someone (See Figure 4). So, if the person to whom you’re gifting this loves music, uses Spotify, and doesn’t already have Spotify Premium, this gift could be the right option for them.
The last and final gift could also be a good option for music lovers: a portable speaker. Surprisingly, all of the students polled said that they would give others portable speakers for their birthdays (See Figure 5). Because there are so many different models of portable speakers, you could find portable speakers for a wide range of price points. But just to gauge how much others are willing to spend, 52.9% said $20.00-$30.00 while 35.3% said $10.00-$20.00 (See Figure 6). This gift option is one of the better contenders because of its accessibility, affordability and versatility. However, even though everyone said that they would buy a portable speaker for a gift, not everyone wanted to receive it. 76.5% wanted to receive it, while the remainder did not (See Figure 7). Most respondents said that they would get it for their friends, and only a few said that they would buy it for their siblings.
The clear winner for Latin students is the portable speaker, but it was surprising to learn how much people were willing to spend. While Hawks definitely like celebrating their friends and engage in gift-giving, there is a limit to how far their budgets will stretch. It appears they plan to leave the pricier items for parents and others with deeper pockets.
