Mindy Trotta
Adult Children are often tough to shop for. They are into so many different things, not all of which you’re familiar with. You know they would always be happy with Gift Certificates, but we 
know you have it in you to be more creative than that. Bonus for you: these gifts have a certain cool factor, so your street cred will be bumped up just a little.
For the Poetic Sort: Perfect for the progeny who’s got a poetic side. Perfect for dorm rooms (or baby’s bedroom), Pozie Poems are whimsical-looking mobiles that send out very inspirational messages wherever they hang. Various messages and color schemes are available.
For the Kid Who’s Got A Lot of Stuff: Anyone who lives in a small place (or even a large place) and has lots of “stuff” often has to deal with where to put it all. These Moroccan baskets from West Elm offer a practical and very exotic solution.
A Gift of Entertainment and/or Culture: You can never go wrong with movie tickets. Some theatres offer gift cards and others such as Laemmle, sell booklets. Add a few bucks for snacks at the theatre and your gift is done.
If your giftee is a theater or ballet lover (this is where the culture part comes into play), tickets to a community theatre or university theatre performance would be wonderful (and might be less expensive than tickets to a major venue). Often the recipient can choose which performance they would like to see, and a schedule can be included with the gift. (And of course, if you want to spring for a Broadway box-office hit, that would be great too.)
For the Scarf Lover: These scarves are made in Italy, but they start in outer space. Slow Factory’s Cities by Night Collection features images of cities across the world as taken by astronaut-photographers on the International Space Station. There is a humanitarian component to them as well: some of the proceeds support a humanitarian aid organization for women and children affected by conflict in the Middle East.
For the Pedaling Lover: If your child likes to toodle around town or campus on a bike, there’s a host of accessories you can purchase to add a little panache and style to their ride. This Green Bike Basket was designed in Sweden, is easily detachable and has a useful strap so it can be carried as a tote. DringDring sells adorable hand-painted bike bells so your rider can make themselves known both audibly and visually.
The Gift of a Secure Financial Future: Even though most of our children are nowhere near retirement age, getting them to think about their future is a great idea. And that’s why we thought this article about Financing a Roth IRA for them was terrific. By gifting them with a deposit, you will be starting them off on the right foot.
Coffee, Tea or Cocoa? The Keurig K65 is perfect for when you don’t want to make that Starbuck’s run early in the am or late at night. It’s as perfect for the dorm room as it is for an apartment and it offers you the luxury of using the pre-measured K-Cups or making our own brew. (And hopefully there will be a lot fewer expensive coffee purchases on your credit card.)
The Gift of Always Being “Plugged In” Young adults are always on the go, be it at school or out and about, and they don’t always have time to recharge their phones and tablets. The Anker Astro E4 is one of the most powerful External Battery Packs you can find. It’s also great for long flights, and camping trips, and once they have it, your son or daughter will no longer be able to use the “ran out of juice” excuse for why they haven’t called.
For Those Who Love Selfies: And boy, what selfies the GoPro can take! When we saw a clip on 60 Minutes about this wearable camera that allows you to put yourself into the movie you’re filming, we were blown away. It’s great for amateur or pro athletes, adventurers, and even a new dad or mom who wants to capture their roaming toddler and create a once-in-a-lifetime movie that becomes a family blockbuster. You can film yourself surfing (yes, it’s waterproof), mountain climbing, sky diving (ok, we don’t want our kids sky diving, but what we don’t know won’t hurt us), just about anything!
For the Just Starting Out Kid: Got a kid who’s just moved into a new place or started a new job? These dollar-sign coolers are a humorous way of letting them know how thrilled you are. (And they probably really need glasses anyway!) They’re designed by Amy Sedaris for Fish’s Eddy, a fabulous store in NYC, that specializes in fun dinnerware and gifts.
