Struggling with gift ideas for the people in your life this holiday season? Who better to ask for help than experts from Indiana University?
Check out recommendations from IU faculty and staff for what to get the foodie, the drama king or queen, the globetrotter and everyone else on your list with Inside IU Bloomington's 2018 Holiday Gift Guide.
View print quality imageRahul Shrivastav, executive director of IU Dining
With all of the recent updates to dining at the Indiana Memorial Union, it's the perfect place to treat the foodie in your life to a holiday treat. Pick up a locally sourced specialty food item from the Union Market, snag a gingerbread or no-bake cookie from Sugar and Spice, or treat them to Sunday brunch at the Tudor Room, complete with chef David Tallent's delicious fare and carving stations.
View print quality imageConstance Glen, senior lecturer in the IU Jacobs School of Music
In honor of the centennial of Leonard Bernstein, some music lovers may be interested in books like, "Dinner With Lenny: The Last Long Interview" by Jonathan Cott, a personal and insightful 12-hour interview near the end of Bernstein's life, or "The Bernstein Letters,'" edited by Nigel Simeone. The stunning collection of Bernstein's letters reveals his thought processes, passions, deep friendships, family life and the professional priorities with which he struggled.
View print quality imageMaria Santa, assistant director of international admissions
All three of these are necessities for one who travels often. Easily identifiable luggage tags help calm any anxieties of wondering which suitcase is actually yours on the baggage claim. Packing cubes are a true life saver while traveling; they keep your suitcase organized and make packing up at the end of a trip much quicker. Finally, an over-sized scarf does wonders on a plane. You can use it as a blanket or a pillow and avoid using the ones full of germs that are provided by the airline.
View print quality imageJames Brosher, multimedia producer at IU Communications
For the photographer -- amateur or otherwise -- in your life, give the gift of a camera lens mug this holiday season. Camera lens mugs are great conversation starters around the office. I remember the puzzled looks the mug would elicit from my co-workers the first time I started drinking water out of it around the office. And unlike real camera lenses, this won't break the bank this holiday season. Most cost between $10 and $20 and with varying degrees of realness. Just make sure you don't get mixed up and pour a hot beverage all over a real lens.
View print quality imageDan Calarco, chief of staff, IU Office of the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
Consider picking up a Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) token for the giftee who is concerned about cybersecurity (and that should be everyone, am I right?). Granted, a U2F token may not be the sexiest tech gift, but it's definitely effective. While two-step logins at IU have also drastically reduced the number of compromised accounts, there's room for improvement. U2F tokens offer several advantages over other methods like the Duo app. Bonus: Most U2F tokens cost less than $10. U2F tokens look like a flash drive and plug in to a USB port. When you need to perform a two-step login, you just tap the token. Not only are U2F tokens more secure, they usually do not have a battery and so never need charging, unlike phones or other tokens. Many are also water-resistant or waterproof. Be sure to buy one that is FIDO certified.
View print quality imageLinda Pisano, chair of the IU Bloomington Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance
The term "drama queen" is a phrase used to describe someone who is typically reactive or melodramatic in most situations. If you aren't one, surely you've met one. What is more fitting for a drama queen than to call upon Dionysus himself, for a relaxing libation in soap form while reflecting upon the theatrics of your workday? What better way to unwind after an eventful day of melodrama than in a smooth tub of vegan chardonnay? Top it off with a fragrant laurel-wreath crown befitting of a queen and download Diana Rigg reciting dramatic monologues of Jocasta, Medea or other queens from Euripides and friends and put your life in perspective.
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