BY DREW BOWERMAN

In the midst of the 2022 holiday season, members of the Wadsworth community have indulged in the pursuit of gift giving. While numerous residents and WHS students have considered the desires of their friends and family members, many tend to differ in their means of spending. Even with large margins in budgets, various trends in gift ideas remain prevalent throughout this year’s festivities. 

Some students at WHS are yet to purchase presents for their loved ones. Connor Croley, a senior at WHS, is among the majority who still need to acquire Christmas presents.

“I plan to spend 20 dollars for some people that I know pretty closely,” Croley said. 

More specifically, Croley explains his strategy in securing gifts for his friends and family, which involves a year-round attentive mindset to their interests. 

On the contrary, others have not considered the methods and amounts associated with their gift giving processes. David Nichols, a junior at WHS, feels unprepared for the holiday season, having procrastinated all purchases that he wishes to make. 

“I haven’t thought that far ahead on what kind of Christmas presents to get,” Nichols said.

Several students, however, have provided themselves with more preparation and much larger budgets than Nichols and Croley. Emma Barrett, a senior at WHS, claims that she has already spent around 90 dollars on gifts for this season. Similar to Croley, Barrett is buying items that are less costly for her close friends. 

“I’m buying my friends smaller items that are along the lines of an inside joke and some nice things that are personal to each one,” Barrett said. 

While students tend to spend less on their friends, trends show that they often focus greater sums of money on their closer relationships, which largely involve their family members. Croley, for example, plans to spend 50 dollars on those who are closer to him. 

Even with these varying amounts, students continue to shop for trending presents of the 2022 season. The Today Show created a list of popular gifts for this year, which includes blankets, mushroom lamps, record players, weighted stuffed animals, and charging stations. 

Anthony Hose, a junior at WHS, is following the societal movement of this year’s bustle with some of these publicly-favored gifts. Not only does he plan to spend a substantial amount of money on those who he is buying for, but he also plans to indulge in the “trendy” present ideas. 

“I’m getting one of my friends a blanket and a gift card. I plan to spend 400 dollars on everybody this year,” Hose said. 

Although students have differing budgets, there is a consistent prevalence of certain gifts among Wadsworth teenagers. Even though a majority of students are cutting their time close to the date, many continue to prepare and engage in the act of gift giving for the 2022 holiday marathon.