Holiday Guide 2017

GUIDE GUIDE Monday, December 4, 2017

THE DAILY ILLINI

Monday, December 4, 2017

The Daily Illini

2

Students studying abroad say campus goodbyes

BY KYRA KIRSH STAFF WRITER

Winter break begins later this year, and many students are disappointed to see their holiday time has been cut from four weeks to three. But for students studying abroad in the spring, this winter break marks the start of their semester-long goodbye to Champaign.

As a junior who is studying abroad this spring, I am approaching the odd reality that I will not be returning to Champaign in mid-January as I normally do after a month at home for winter break.

Although students are getting excited for the opportunity to study abroad, they are beginning to realize that there are little things about this small rural town they might find themselves missing.

I will miss the Americanness: the comfort of walking down the street and embracing my culture, rather than hiding it.

At our study abroad meetings, we were told to “not fulfill the American stereotypes abroad.” Although that doesn’t necessarily mean “don’t act like an American,” it does give off the impression that our culture is not exactly accepted in Europe.

During one of my many recent study abroad meetings, I looked around at the hundreds of students sitting around me and wondered if I was alone or if they were going to miss some things about Champaign, too.

So, I asked.

“It’s weird because, from the outside, you look at this town and wonder how anyone could even compare it to Italy, Spain or Prague. But from the inside, there are definitely things that I have grown to love about Champaign, especially the fact that I’m so comfortable here,” said Wyll Teubel, junior in Business. “It almost feels similar to when I was leaving for college, just with a lot more excitement.”

Teubel decided to study abroad in Rome, Italy, because he wanted the “big-city feel” in a European country. Teubel said he’s been soaking up his last few weeks on campus by “eating at places unique to Champaign.”

And once he returns home, he is in store for a less-than-ordinary winter break.

“I’ll be spending this Christmas break preparing myself for abroad by getting all of the necessary clothes, accessories and tools that I will need come Jan. 18,” Teubel said. “Normally we travel for the majority of break, but this year we can only travel for a few days since there’s so much to do still. It’ll be far from a relaxing break.”

When it comes to experiences, well,

MARGARET KOTS THE DAILY ILLINI

there really is no competition there.

Studying abroad is known for the experiences you cannot get in America. However, the perceived magnitude of an experience, a food or a location isn’t all that matters. Many things hold a personal importance to us, and the idea of familiarity holds a lot of value.

Dyllan Whitehead, junior in LAS, is studying abroad in Tel Aviv, Israel, and she can attest to the importance that familiarity holds in her life.

“I feel embarrassed for expressing concern about experiencing new, unfamiliar things because that is pretty much the

reason why I am going abroad, but I can’t help but worry,” Whitehead said. “What if I don’t like the food? Or what if the Israeli people treat me unfairly because I look visibly American? These are things that I never have to worry about in Champaign, especially by now because I know so many people on campus.”

Whitehead said she plans to spend her last few weeks on campus embracing the familiarity and comfort of Champaign because she will soon be trading it in for complete unfamiliarity.

“My family always travels for winter break, but this year we are not going any-

where because my mom thinks I will be doing so much traveling in Tel Aviv that I will want to appreciate home in the weeks leading up to it,” Whitehead said. “I also have a ton of shopping to do. Unfortunately, I can’t wear my sweatshirts and sweatpants there.”

Hundreds of students are preparing to live in different continents, countries and cities, but one thing remains certain: They will return to their beloved campus next fall with tons of new stories to share.

Kyra is a junior in Media. kkirsh2@dailyillini.com

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Winter break’s best binge-worthy TV shows

MARIEL ELOPRE THE DAILY ILLINI

BY MOLLY ZUPAN STAFF WRITER

A well-deserved post-finals break is on the way, so keep your head up and keep your mind focused until you can finally catch up on the shows your friends keep telling you about.

If you find yourself stuck while studying, take a few minutes to get excited about the upcoming time off. Take a look at today’s most popular TV shows available on Netflix, Hulu, HBO and more, and decide which are the most binge-worthy for you.

Comedy

Endless laughs and good humor accompany shows like, “Parks and Recreation,” “The Office,” “New Girl,” “Wet Hot American Summer,” “The Good Place,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia,” “Friends,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Arrested Development” and “Shameless.”

If you’re from Chicago, “Shameless” may be the show for you. The comedy/drama series tells the story of a poor, dysfunctional family from the South Side of Chicago. The hit show is about to begin filming its ninth season, due to its popularity and huge fan base.

Thriller

If you are someone who gets a thrill from twists and turns, check out “American Horror Story,” “The OA” or “Black Mirror.”

“American Horror Story” is a good show to binge because the seasons are not attached, so each one has a brand new plot.

Eight seasons have been released, each with a different theme: murder house, asylum, coven, freak show, hotel, Roanoke and cult.

Crime

For those of you who are fascinated by criminal activity, check out “Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit,” “Criminal Minds,” “Sherlock,” “The Killing,” “Bones,” “Mindhunter” or “NCIS.”

“Law & Order: Special Victim’s Unit” is the longest-running primetime drama currently on television, according to NBC. Emmy-winning producer Dick Wolf has created 19 seasons that feature a group of detectives investigating crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse.

Drama

Just a few of the most popular drama TV shows include “Scandal,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Crown,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Narcos” and “How to Get Away with Murder.”

Shonda Rhimes, who grew up in the Chicagoland area, created both “Scandal” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” She has become notorious for her TV drama and thriller series, and she’s not done yet. Rhimes was recently hired by Netflix, so new thrills are likely just around the corner.

If you like your drama with a little bit of comedy, find a good laugh and cry with shows such as “Gilmore Girls,” “Orange Is the New Black,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Girls,” “Dear White People,” “Fargo” or “This Is Us.” These will be sure to entertain you.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Some fan favorites of the fantasy world include “Game of Thrones,” “Stranger Things,” “The Walking Dead,” “The X Files” and “Rick and Morty.”

The thrilling Netflix original, “Stranger Things,” shocked audiences worldwide when it was released on Netflix in 2016. A countdown for the release of season two was featured on Netflix’s website this past October.

Anticipation was high, so if you didn’t catch it during midterm season, be sure to check it out this winter break.

In a few weeks, just sit back, relax and throw yourself into a new show. You’ve definitely earned it after studying so hard for finals.

Molly is a sophomore in FAA. mollyz2@dailyillini.com

The Daily Illini

Monday, December 4, 2017

5

I don’t mean to sound like the Grinch...

BY CHINMAYA SHARMA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Christmas: a time when adults plan family gatherings and children dream of gifts they’d like Santa to deliver.

Seeing homes aglow and streets abuzz with chatter may bring back fond memories; however, there are others who find this a little nauseating.

Maybe Christmas is a little overrated?

Not that I like the Grinch, but for once, I feel I might actually be on his side — and for good reason.

Christmas was my favorite holiday as a child. I always hoped that my holidays would be as dreamlike as the Hallmark commercials.

Maybe it was the allure of gifts or good food that kept me on my toes. Every subsequent year, however, the holiday excitement dimmed down a little more.

Christmas is just another holiday, in a long holiday season, that encompasses Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Boxing Day and New Year’s. Although each is celebrated for different reasons, the way they’re celebrated boils down to the same: dinner, drinks and gifts. Add a tree and an imaginary Santa, and it’s Christmas!

Christmas is celebrated the same way

every year — it’s repetitive with little innovation. Consider, for example, Christmas carols: repetitive hymns about warm fires and white Christmases. While these may help perpetuate a holiday spirit, they are so overplayed they make me want to cringe.

Every year, Christmas comes a little too early. As if a 12-day Christmas wasn’t enough, people start talking about it even before Thanksgiving.

Then, there are those who take it a step further and go way over the top. In fact, every neighborhood has that one person who lights their Christmas tree at the start of November.

They are only second to American retailers that start advertising Christmas all the way in October. In fact, Sam’s Club and other large retail chains have pioneered a trend known as the “Christmas Creep,” wherein they introduce early Christmas sales to support merchandise resellers.

While we’re on the topic of merchandise, it’s worthwhile to look at how materialistic Christmas celebrations have become.

A few decades ago, Christmas gifts were much more modest and homemade. Back then, giving gifts was a tradition with meaning and sentimental value. The practice has since been replaced with a more consumer-

ist outlook.

While it is always nice to receive presents for Christmas, people now expect to be given a gift. Presents have become the focal point of a holiday that is supposed to focus more on celebrating family and friends.

Buyers feel the pressure to spend more money on the perfect gift, and they expect to receive a perfect gift in return. In fact, a gift isn’t perfect if it doesn’t look right, making its appearance of prime importance. As good as elaborately wrapped boxes look, they often set the expectations too high.

Naturally, receivers may be set up for a disappointment that leaves them feeling empty and wishing for something more. Given the pressure and expectations, it’s not uncommon for a holiday to be overshadowed by its materialistic aspects, which we know all too well as the “holiday blues.”

Whether it is the passage of time or my shifting awareness of the world around me, I can’t see the holidays as anything more than something that gives children an opportunity to dress up, young adults an excuse to drink and adults a strong dose of anxiety.

Given that, what does my perception of Christmas mean for my holidays?

Not much. I know better than to expect

anything from family, friends or myself on these designated days of fun, because expectations will take me nowhere. The best way to approach holidays like Christmas is with an open mind.

That way it can be the best day of the year or just an average day with family and friends. It can be anything you choose to make of it.

Chinmaya is a freshman in Engineering. csharma4@dailyillini. com MARGARET KOTS THE DAILY ILLINI

TH DEC 14 Looking for a casual place to study on Reading Day from 11am-4pm?

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Take a study break with Kristina Reese from noon to 1pm for a free all-level yoga class for students, staff, and faculty on the Foellinger Great Hall Stage. Please bring your own yoga mat.

Join Krannert Center in helping children stay warm this winter. Bring new or gently used coats, mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, and ear muffs for this season’s clothing drive for the Champaign Unit 4 School District and Urbana School District 116.

Donation boxes will be available in the lobby near Intermezzo cafe.

Monday, December 4, 2017

The Daily Illini

6

Hanukkah: A crash course on the holiday

BY YOAV MARGALIT STAFF WRITER

Being happy at times of celebration is a universal constant in all cultures, and it’s that consistency that brings both curiosity and common ground to those who celebrate different holidays.

The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, sometimes known as the Festival of Lights, is one example of such holidays.

What is Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a celebration, by candlelight, of a miracle that is recognized by the Jewish faith. In short, the story of Hanukkah is that there was a holy candle that should have run out of oil to burn, yet it kept burning for the eight days that it took to bring more oil.

To commemorate this event, the holiday includes lighting a succession of candles on a special candle holder, called a menorah, which is lit every night for eight nights, each time with another candle.

Usually, the ceremony of Hanukkah in the home involves singing, eating traditional foods and the famous spinning of the dreidel. The dreidel is a spinning top with four Hebrew letters etched into the sides.

These letters stand for the Hebrew phrase “‫םש היה לודג סנ‬,” which translates to “a large (or great) miracle happened there,”

in commemoration of the event Hanukkah celebrates.

What about the gift- giving? How does that fit in?

The short answer is that it doesn’t. The long answer is that the American version of Hanukkah has adopted the tradition of gift-giving from Christmas, which is, in itself, an example of gift-giving finding its way into a previously gift-less holiday.

The European and Israeli traditions of the holiday generally ask for relatively little gift-giving, with an emphasis on family gathering and the ceremony of the occasion (the traditional songs, foods and praying).

How important is the Hanukkah holiday?

Despite the fact that it comes during such an important time in the Western calendar (when there is a break for students and workers alike), Hanukkah isn’t that important, as far as the range of Jewish holidays go.

Yom Kippur, Passover and Rosh Hashana are all Jewish holidays that hold quite a bit more weight to the majority of Jewish people. This doesn’t change the fact

MARIEL ELOPRE THE DAILY ILLINI

that Hanukkah is a revered holiday. However, it certainly isn’t as important to the average Jew as Christmas is to the average Christian.

Seeing that we are at the time of the year that brings people together through celebration, now is also a good opportunity to learn about others. Whether it’s discover-

ing more about one’s own holiday or working to understand another, it’s never a bad idea to learn more about the world around us.

Yoav is a junior in LAS. yoavm2@dailyillini.com

Getting ready for a switch: new semester, new you

BY JULIE KANG STAFF WRITER

With 2018 quickly approaching and my first semester of college coming to an end, I am focused on two things: finishing the semester strong and setting new goals for the next.

For freshmen, this has been a year of change and adjustment. Regardless of whether this semester went by smoothly for you, there are definitely ways to improve. Here are some of my personal resolutions to make the next semester more successful.

Start studying a week in advance.

Rather than cramming information into my head one or two days before a test, studying the same amount over a longer period of time will be less overwhelming and will help me study the material more thoroughly. For my situation, most of my classes have midterms and final exams that weigh heavily onto my final grades, making it more important for me to do well on these tests.

Beginning to study a week before my tests will help me improve my grades greatly.

number of friends during my first semester, I want to create friendships that are as strong as those with my high school friends. I plan on grabbing meals, working College is full of opportunities for stuout or having movie nights with my friends Self-control is one way to avoid prodents of all years. Building my resume dur- more often, and getting closer to them from crastination. I’m planning on rewarding ing these four years can be beneficial later this. This will give me a group of friends myself with one episode of my favorite on, as it shows experience and dedication. I that will not only have fun with me but will Netflix show after I finish a chapter in may not work during the next semester, but also be there for me in times of need, even my textbook, along with buying a coffee I want to begin searching for internships or after I graduate from college. to motivate myself. I will try to avoid pro- job opportunities for the summer. crastinating by turning off my phone and using a self control app, which restricts One goal I set for myself before college me from accessing certain websites for a was to exercise every other day, and I told period of time. myself that there were no excuses, espeSetting an agenda for both schoolwork cially because I live right across the street and my lifestyle will help me stay orgafrom the ARC. Although this plan was For me, it was important to establish nized and focused. During this past semes- successful for the first few weeks of this a stable and positive social life during ter, I ate, showered, slept and woke up semester, I slowly stopped going because the first semester of my freshman year. at different times every day. It was difI told myself I “had too much homework” I rushed a sorority, hung out with people ferent from the routine schedule of high or “was not feeling well.” Next semester, I more than I usually would and particischool and home life, and it made me more want to create a more achievable goal by pated in many social events. Now that I unproductive. starting off with going to the gym twice a have my close group of friends, I plan on week, then increasing to three, four and putting more time into schoolwork and then hopefully five times a week later on. other extracurriculars next semester.

Julie is a freshman in Media.

Although I have made an overwhelming sekang2@dailyillini.com

Do not procrastinate.

Look into internships or jobs.

Set a schedule and stick to it.

Work hard, play hard.

Get to know college friends on a deeper level.

Exercise more.

The Daily Illini

Monday, December 4, 2017

7

Students reflect on favorite holiday memories

BY ARDEN YOUN STAFF WRITER

The holidays are filled with love, family, food and, though not quite as important, Santa Claus and presents. No matter which holiday your family celebrates, in a season overflowing with nostalgia and old stories, what better time than to reminisce? With the holidays approaching, Illinois students share their favorite past memories.

Madison Kaufman

Isabelle Long

Reetahan Mukhopadhyay Eunice Lee FRESHMAN IN ENGINEERING

FRESHMAN IN LAS

“Last year, we went to the ZooLights at the Lincoln Park Zoo and that was fun because we had never done that before. It was our first time and it was really Christmas-y and festive, which was nice.”

“All my cousins and aunts and I went to downtown Chicago to go ice skating in Millennium Park about six years ago. We were all still pretty young so it was a great time to spend with my family.”

“Spending Christmas at my house with my family. Two years ago, we invited several family and friends over for dinner, and the food was my favorite. There was this big chicken, assorted green beans, carrots and apple pie.”

“Seeing and opening the presents on Christmas morning. Waking up early and running downstairs and opening up the presents and that makes me feel like a kid. Because I’m at college now, I guess I can appreciate it more and spend time with family.”

Joey Zajac

Brendan Held

Matthew Mentzer

Jack Flanagan

“Probably opening presents Christmas morning. I liked it when I was little, and my favorite year was probably the year before I found out Santa Claus wasn’t real.

I was the most excited about it, so it was the most fun.”

“I would say the biggest thing for me is just spending time with family that I don’t get to see very often (because) they come from different states. Since they are my family and I don’t get to see them very often, I like to spend time with them any chance I get because I may only get to see them once or twice a year, so it makes it that much more special to see them.”

“My family usually goes up to Colorado to go skiing for Christmas, and I love skiing. It’s really fun because my whole extended family goes, so spending time with them is really nice. My parents used to do it when they were young, so the trip kinda just continued.”

“Eating food on Thanksgiving. It’s just a fun time to just pig out, and my mom makes really good mashed potatoes.”

SOPHOMORE IN AHS

FRESHMAN IN ENGINEERING

FRESHMAN IN ENGINEERING

SOPHOMORE IN BUSINESS

FRESHMAN IN LAS

FRESHMAN IN ENGINEERING

Arden Youn is a freshman in Business. ysyoun2@illinimedia.com

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8

Plan ahead for winter break festivities, studies

BY KAOLIN SEWELL STAFF WRITER

So you’ve just finished finals and you find yourself asking, “What should I do this winter break?” Your answer could be relaxing, working or both. There are so many activities to look forward to during your highly anticipated winter break.

I’m sure you are reading this guide to get into the holiday spirit that much sooner.

As busy students are preparing for finals, you may find yourself wishing to be back home with friends, family and lots of great food.

Now is the time to anticipate and strategize your plans for the coming winter break. As you carry out business as usual, consider what you need to do to be ready for another jam-packed semester.

So, let’s recap your last break. You’ve just come off Thanksgiving break with a much-needed celebration of free time spent with loved ones. You’ve probably eaten enough food to make you sick to your stomach and simply want to sleep off that stomachache from all of that turkey.

Whether Thanksgiving stands as a fall tradition for you and your family or if it’s

simply the shopping on Black Friday that made everything worth it — the week off of class was needed for all of us.

Now back to reality.

With all of this recollection of Thanksgiving break, how will you choose to spend your winter break? Will you celebrate time with family? Will you choose to enjoy the holiday season with Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or bringing in the new year? Or will you continue to study and work hard at home?

There’s many different ways to spend our next break. For many of us, we are presented with no break at all. Winter break is yet another small semester within the given time off.

We guiltily chose to sign up for a quick winter semester to take that class we forgot about taking during earlier semesters.

This is not the most desired option, but if it means we get to graduate on time, then it makes it all worth it. Just think, you’ll get to celebrate the holidays with loved ones. Isn’t that the most important thing?

For some of us, like myself, we haven’t signed up for classes yet and wait until the last minute to prepare for the follow-

ing semester.

So, we spend part of our winter break planning for the spring semester by organizing our schedule with classes and extracurricular activities. We order books, buy new binders and sharpen those pencils again.

If you are an upperclassman, many of you have final degree projects that must be completed in the spring for graduation.

Thus comes early planning. You know you still have to complete the project even though you’ve finished all of your required classes, right? This just adds to the list of things to plan for during winter break.

Perhaps you’ll spend break abroad because you’ve planned ahead to “peace out” after the holidays for that highly anticipated winter study abroad trip. Or maybe you are looking ahead fondly at your flight booked in January for a spring spent abroad. Winter break comes as a time to relax with friends and family at home.

That spring break trip you plan to spend in Mexico is going to need some funding, so maybe you’ll apply to some campus jobs over break? Maybe you were

even appointed to that executive board position you’ve been vying for.

Whatever it is, you’ll most likely spend a good amount of time over break planning for another successful semester on campus.

Winter break is a perfect time to plan ahead for all of the new activities you’ll find yourself involved in. While you consider where and what you’ll be doing over winter break, just remember it’s OK to carry out some work. But most importantly, you should relax.

Holidays are a time for some much needed prepping and pampering for the coming spring semester.

Whether you are planning a spa trip with friends, traveling somewhere warmer for winter months or just enjoying time at home, winter break is a time devoted to the activities you wish to do but don’t have time for during school.

Soon you’ll have time for those activities you’ve been dying to do. So, moving forward toward the holidays, go for it and have no regrets.

Happy holidays, Illini!

Kaolin is a graduate student in Media. ksewell2@dailyillini.com

The Daily Illini

Monday, December 4, 2017

9

Where to shop for holiday gifts on campus

BY YIFAN GU STAFF WRITER

The holiday season is now in full swing on campus. You could simply wait to buy your gifts at home, but it is possible to pick just the right personal gifts on campus with a bit of thought. Here are five places you can buy memorable gifts, any of which will say “Illini” in their own unique way.

Illini Union Bookstore

Our beloved bookstore provides a range of wonderful resources when it comes to choosing gifts. The bookstore has released some Illinois-themed Christmas decorations. The small snowman ($19.99), shatterproof bauble ($9.99) and bell ornaments ($13.99) are so cute that you may want them for yourself rather than give them away as holiday gifts. The gifts can be ordered online directly from the Illini Union Bookstore website or bought at the store.

Promenade

Promenade is the gift store for the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Simply enter the gate at Krannert, then turn to your right. Promenade has a wide range of products that could make great holiday gifts,

including photography prints, Krannert postcards ($4.50), notebooks, bookmarks, and photo frames. If your friend adores the arts, why not consider gifting the newly released photo gallery of Monet’s passion, the gardens at Giverny ($15.95).

Hanjin

Hanjin is a Korean gift shop located on Sixth Street near Lando Place that has a wide variety of gifts. The shop includes plush toys, stationery, notebooks, and decorative cards and boxes. Plush toys of favorite characters such as Doraemon, My Neighbor TOTORO and Spongebob are popular choicADAM ZHANG THE DAILY ILLINI es for gifts, and currently, the store has a sale The Illini Union Bookstore is a popular destination for students looking to buy Illini-themed holiday with up to 50 percent discounts on many gifts on campus. featured products. A gorgeous 60 centimeter teddy bear could be yours — or your friend’s, ing from women’s, men’s and kids’ outfits, to a mini pennant. As the Official Fan Store of hats, bags, accessories and even drink ware, the Fighting Illini, Gameday Spirit particif you can bear to give it away — for as little office supplies and novelties. Start designing ularly serves alumni and fans of the Unias $39.99. now at Underground Printing’s website or at versity of Illinois. You could buy an Illinois their store on the corner of John and Sixth baseball ($9.99), a fighting Illini deluxe basStreets. ketball ($22.99) or even an Illinois golf gift Considering customized gifts? Underset ($32.99) to deliver to the fighting Illini ground Printing has you covered. Add any among your family members to remind phrase you like to a T-shirt, or go further Do you have sports fans among your fam- them of sporting times. and choose an image before adding text and ily or friends? Gameday Spirit store has just special visual effects. The store offers a vast the gifts for them, with prices ranging from Yifan is a sophomore in LAS. range of choices of things to print on, rang$409 for an Illinois fire pit to just $1.49 for yifangu3@dailyillini.com

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Monday, December 4, 2017

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10

Easy gift ideas for penny-pinching students

BY MELISSA NIEMIEC STAFF WRITER

If gift-planning has not entered your mind at this stage of the holiday season game, I regret to inform you that you will not be getting those Black Friday deals.

However, even without lots of planning, it’s possible to celebrate the holidays without breaking the bank.

The crafty gift

Handmade gifts send a special message, showing that you cared enough to actually make something with your bare hands.

Don’t worry if you’re not Martha Stewart, as there are a multitude of DIY gifts that are relatively easy to make with items that are found in most kitchens. The easiest of these is a sugar scrub.

All you need to make it is sugar (white or brown works equally well), coconut oil or olive oil and essential oil or cooking flavoring if you’re feeling extra fancy.

Mix the ingredients together and put it into a nice jar. It’s low cost, looks nice and portrays that you made an effort. Examples of other good DIY gifts are soaps, bath bombs, coasters or picture books.

You can find tons of how-to tutorials online.

The collective gift

Sometimes when it consists of a singular item, your gift can look a little lame.

This can be remedied by spending less on a lot of small items. It allows someone to unwrap a multitude of gifts, mak-

ing up for the fact that they’re each a little cheaper.

Good places to find small, cheap items are the dollar section of Target, local dollar stores and discount counters. These places have gifts that are good quality but would be too small on their own. Examples are candles, stationery, soaps or fun dishware. Wrap up everything in a nice gift bag for a collective gift. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can even follow a theme such as sports, wine night or bath time.

The experience gift

Instead of just buying or making something the person will probably throw away or forget about, give them the gift of your time. The expense of this type of gift can vary, but it is possible to keep it on the cheaper side with some creativity.

Examples could include making a meal together, getting tickets for a movie, having a picnic or going to a zoo or museum on a free day.

The fact that you aren’t contributing that much in regard to money is overshadowed by the contribution of your time, which often ends up being worth more.

The gift of an experience can be inexpensive and fun, and it allows you to spend quality time with you friends or significant other.

The funny gift

Finals are approaching, the semester is wrapping up and you haven’t had a sin-

MICHELLE TAM THE DAILY ILLINI

gle second to spare for this Secret Santa your friends dragged you into. It’s the day before the exchange and you don’t have a lot of cash to burn. This is when your saving grace is humor.

Walk into Walmart. Pick up something completely random off the shelf: Hot Wheels, a baby bottle or a fun pair of patterned boxer shorts. The goal in this gift is to be so lame it’s funny. Be sure you know the gift-receiver’s sense of humor so you don’t create an awkward situation

for them. If you’re going to buy something cheap at the last minute, you might as well own it.

There’s a lot of pressure to give the perfect gift to the person you love or to the random stranger you received for Secret Santa. But the perfect gift doesn’t always mean the most expensive gift, and as always, it’s the thought that counts.

Melissa is a sophomore in LAS. mn3@dailyillini.com

Top places, events to go to in Chicago over winter break

BY ASHLEY RAYAN STAFF WRITER

If your hometown friends are anything like mine, it’s bound to include more than a few trips downtown to see Cloud Gate (The Bean) and to go ice skating at Millennium Park.

Whether you’re going home and tired of seeing the same things every time, or it’s your first time visiting the city, try some of these exciting winter activities.

Christkindlmarket

This open-air market, conveniently located in Daley Plaza, is a must-see for visitors and locals.

It’s based off the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, Germany, and is the perfect place to stop to try some authentic and affordable German cuisine, as well as to get some holiday shopping done early at the gift vendors. And if you aren’t one for crowds, try stopping at the newest Christkindlmarket in Wrigleyville.

Ice skating at Maggie Daley Park

Rather than ice skating at Millennium Park, opt to skate at Maggie Daley Park. The ribbon shape of the rink is a less crowded alternative to the oval Millennium rink.

Admission into the rink is free — just pay for your skate rental or bring your own.

This is the perfect daytime activity for your friends and family during your trip to Chicago.

Lights at the Lincoln Park Zoo

The ZooLights are a time-old tradition at the Lincoln Park Zoo, and is a great place to make a full-day trip with friends and family.

Admission is free, and there are carousels, trains and a Ferris wheel to ride. They also have special themed nights on certain days of the week, especially for adults.

Chicago Architecture Biennial

Although this isn’t restricted to only the winter, it is definitely a sight that should be seen before the exhibit leaves Chicago in January.

The program celebrates and showcases contemporary architecture in Chicago, and it aims to spark an interest in the next generation of architects and designers.

The main venue is located downtown at the Chicago Cultural Center, but there are also six anchor locations and many other program partners showing parts of the exhibit outside the city.

“The Nutcracker” ballet Chicago is home to one of the best preforming arts scenes in the country. Every year the Joffrey Ballet brings “The Nutcracker” to Chicago.

If Joffrey is out of your budget, try the Chicago Ballet, which also performs “The Nutcracker.” Discount balcony seats can be as low as $10.

Christmas Around the World

The Museum of Science and Industry’s famous Christmas Around the World exhibit has just turned 75. On the weekends, there are different cultural dance performances for the celebration. Also, check out the Brick by Brick and Robot Revolution exhibits.

Ashley is a freshman in LAS. amrayan2@dailyillini.com

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Monday, December 4, 2017

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Monday, December 4, 2017

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