What special gifts do you send yout DD's off to Uni with ?

[Flossiefoo]

I don't mean practical things like dried pasta or condoms ha! ha! We've bought all the essentials ... I mean poignant or special ideas. Or little thngs that would make them smile when they start to unpack and get sorted ?
I've been mentally book marking little comments like ' Ooh i need a nice diffuser, cushion ...' etc

I've also bought a cool little calendar type flip book '365 messages to a daughter'. It contains a quote and illustration for each day of the year to remind her to be confident & proud. Sounds cheesy but they're short and sweet & nice thing to glance at & know how proud we are of her.

Any other ideas ?

It's horses for courses though isn't it? And all about knowing your child. I'm doing envelopes with some nice stuff in because I know dd will love it. She really will. And it will make her feel looked after from afar which for various reasons (brutal parental alienation for years) is very important to her. She needs tangible tokens that I care. As daft as that is to me, who has never needed that but had different childhood experiences.

My other dc also off to uni, is not bothered at all. Doesn't want me to waste my money and would hate it. I have a photo of him and his late great uncle and living great aunt. I'll get that framed for a Christmas present. That's his style.

I hid things like a tin of chocolate brownies (I admit a lady from church made them for me!) some haribo and a few cute stationary things from memory among her stuff and she found them after I left

Well this thread has pissed on my bonfire!

Its my niece’s birthday and she is shortly off to uni. I was going to do her a wee parcel of cosy socks, nice notebook, fairy lights, face mask etc but the last few posts have suggested I am committing some sort of sin.

Wrapped, to be opened on 31/10, a big bag of Hallowe'en haribo mini-packs

Wrapped, to be opened on 1/12, an Advent calendar (you might need to post this on, as very few are available that early)

I wouldn't get things for the sake of getting Stuff, but might get food/drink treats that remind them of their Dear Old Mum

It depends on the personality! I would have hated anything twee, like an inspirational quote book or envelopes. But some people would love it.

@Afterfire suggestion was more in line with what I would have wanted - money, alcohol, food. Maybe some bits for my room like fairy lights, or a hot water bottle. A nice notebook maybe.

Its my niece’s birthday and she is shortly off to uni. I was going to do her a wee parcel of cosy socks, nice notebook, fairy lights, face mask etc but the last few posts have suggested I am committing some sort of sin

Why do you care what randoms think? Just don't put any condoms in!

My box is all packed. I’ve gone for:
Paracetamol, plasters, antiseptic, Vaseline, lip balm, multivitamins, first aid kit and condoms.
Then caramel macchiato sachets, chocolate, small Pringles, microwave popcorn, pot noodle, banana liqueur 🤢 and some orange juice cartons.
Bluetak, sellotape, hair bobbles, toothbrush, toothpaste.
Then, in a Xmas come early thing, LED lights, an air tag and a key ring to put it in 🙏 and a hot water bottle.
The box is actually quite small 😂😅
Added a card to say good luck and that we love her etc.
Moving in over this weekend!

@AbsentinSpring i have ignored the randoms and put together a few nice bits! But no condoms!

We posted up a hamper from our favourite local bakery to arrive shortly after they got there and also sent up a few small presents related to their hobby. We didn't do volume but kept it up through Year 1, little by little.

Lovely - I'm sure your niece will be chuffed 🙂

My daughter is super practical but this thread has given me some good ideas. I think the wheat bag, cold and flu tablets (we NEVER seem to have any and buying them when you’re feeling rough is the pits) air tag for keys, playing cards, and super long phone chargers are great ideas.

My dd goes tomorrow, I bought her this because she loves Totoro and just gave it to her to pack and she loves it.
(she does also have care packages of emergency medication/ice packs/period stuff, food stuff and decor for her room but this was just something I spotted recently to add)

My love and support. Free yet priceless. Oh there was the rice cooker but it doesn't fit with the narrative

I gave my niece a fluffy blanket and a popcorn maker.

Money and love. No special caramel stuff, but she is no, 4. On the other hand she knows she is very much loved by her three big people (her siblings are 28, 26, 25).

Each to their own. My dd would hate a message to my daughter from mum every day. Just not us but whatever works for your family and keeps everyone happy is just perfect xx

Ignore all the bah humbug negativity & do what you feel is right in your situation. I can’t believe the unfriendly comments either. As the opening poster all I was asking for were ideas, not shitty comments from other mums !!!

I sent our dd off with a bag of small gifts, each with a Paddington style tag with a funny message eg “when you’re room gets a bit stinky” attached to a reed diffuser … she absolutely loved it, made her laugh !!!

It’s not cringeworthy or unnecessary, not every child would appreciate it but mine did & that’s what matters. Some kids go off without a backward glance & that’s fine. Others still need to feel a connection & by sending them off with a few things is a nice thing to do.

Post it notes, postcards, an emergency £20 note, photobox voucher, nice hand sanitizer, cosy fluffy socks, chocolate, a photo of our beloved dog we lost whom she grew up with (tell me that’s not a lovely thing to send her off with .. I dare anyone) and lots of other small things to help make her room feel more cosy.
I also sent her off with a big tub of chocolate brownies to share with her flatmates.

It is horses for courses …

I think threads like this and "what are you buying for your DC when they graduate?" and other similar threads just put pressure on those of us to whom it hasn't occurred to buy gifts.

I love that!

RampantIvy: to state the obvious, if “threads like this” put pressure on you, don’t read them!
I hadn’t thought to prepare anything for my D.C. but now have some good ideas for a few small treats and, fortunately, a week to prepare (probably a tin of brownies and a few photos and/or frames for him to put whichever photos he prefers — which might not be the sentimental childhood photos I would select!)

Our Ds was working the only day we could get over to do a pre university IKEA shop so we did it without him. I got carried away and got him a colour changing head shaped lamp 😂😂. That's my random room cozying contribution. The whole bedding and kitchen and whacky lamp shop cost £250, and then there will be food stuff, toiletries and medical stuff to set him off with, so I don't think there will be any presents on top, but I did print off a couple of nice photos of the dog for his pin board and I like the idea of a bottle of something and some chocolate to share.. It's a big deal all this. One week still to go for us and we are all nervy!

I used to like getting small parcels in the post from my mum with random treats in. She also gave my housemates money for a surprise birthday party once. They ordered a Chinese / wine and got me flowers. I loved it.
To go with they bought the Wilko / IKEA essentials. All appreciated.
I think some supermarkets do synced cards so you can put money on a gift card and it goes on the matching ones. I thought this was a nice idea. No guarantee it won't all be spent on booze though!

Don't go OTT it is a bit cringey, especially in halls.

My Mum gave me a card to open after they had gone, it was one of my favourite paintings so I could pin it up but there was a nice heartfelt message inside.

Then a box of biscuits for sharing, a box of supplies for my room which was individually wrapped cake bars/biscuits plus some sachets of hot chocolate, individual teabags etc, a corkscrew and bottle opener.

The important thing was a trip to the local Wilko after arriving and having a look at the place so we could buy all the daft bits that you aren't sure you need until you know how well stocked the kitchen is. Things like a cheese grater or colander.

A good door wedge is a godsend though, get one of the rubber security ones as they can be used to stop people coming in, and they grip well enough to hold a fire door open.