Getting gifts on Thayer Street
The holiday season is coming up, finals season is hitting us hard, and many of us have yet to buy Christmas gifts. Not only do we need to dig into our angry bank accounts for our beloved friends, old and new, but some of us have to show the parents back home that we haven’t forgotten about them while writing all those final papers and cramming for that psychology exam. But screw getting something off of Amazon! Instead, turn to the quirky little stores right on Thayer Street!Snugly between Insomnia Cookies and CVS, there’s a store called Pleasant Surprise. You’ve probably passed by their window if you go to the Nelson, and you might’ve seen those very direct cards for any occasion. The inside is chock full of quaint little things you can definitely get someone.For that person in your family (chosen or birth) who loves wine:
There’s an entire section dedicated to wine (they really know us college students), and this doesn't show half of it.Maaaaaybe don’t indulge yourself with the xl wine glass right before a final.For the person whose phone is always on low battery mode and still dies after two seconds:
Seriously. Portable chargers have saved my life multiple times. For your nerdy person (or math teacher):
For your person that loves being prepared for anything.
They’ll probably let you take this on the plane, too (granted, they let me take a set of computer screwdrivers disguised as a tiny hammer). It includes a small box saw, a screwdriver, a couple “wrenches,” a small ruler, and a bottle opener. Not sure how it would fare in the pockets of women’s clothes, but they would for sure fit in any other pocket. For the immature friend:
It’s ingenius. Disgustingly beautiful.There’s actually a lot of random things in the store, both Providence/Brown related and cute, useful gifts. Give them a shot if you’re feeling lost!Next stop: The Brown Bookstore.Now, to be honest, I was kind of disappointed. I thought they’d have a better assortment of Christmas stuff, but they really only have the one Brown sweater that you might’ve seen around and a couple of knit hats. 
At least this sweater is only $23. But they did have this wonderful book right on display:
The last stop I was able to survey was Pie in the Sky. If you’ve ever walked on Thayer, you’ve seen that random store with the wig in the display, right next to the lower Baja’s. It is indeed a very small store, but it’s got a couple quaint things that you might not get right on Thayer.Get this for your significant other or your crush without context (or some poor innocent soul):
This one isn’t so innocent:
But it is cute.If you’re a reasonably normal person and want to give someone something cute but normal:
I bet there’s a lot of space in those.For the friend who’s really into succulents and tea:
Actually, they have a variety of these. The tea towels have like a giant poster of the design on the outside, so if you find that a friend’s dorm is absolutely empty, this might be a good thing to get them.Check out these stores and other Thayer Street stores before turning to online shopping immediately. Just walking through a store and browsing through their collections might turn up the perfect gift for your parents! Images via MJ Lee, '22.
