Everyone likes receiving gifts, but finding them for others can be a trying, pressure-filled task for NIU students this holiday season.

“Sometimes you just have to make sacrifices,” senior accounting major Greg Munch said.

Especially if you have a lengthy list of people to buy gifts for, added junior communication major Meghan Michel.

“[I will be shopping for my] mom, dad, sister, roommates, grandparents and godparents,” she said.

Randy Garcia, a senior sociology and criminology major, thinks gift giving is all about love.

“I love them and want to show my love in return,” he said. Garcia doesn’t know exactly what he will be giving his family, but it will be “something they need.”

Chief sacrifices made during the holiday season are time and cash.

“I will be out of a lot of money. It hurts my pockets, but so what,” said junior accounting major Romian Crockett, who shops for his family, friends and girlfriend. “I will be shopping for them because I know they’ll be shopping for me.”

What he and others will shop for varies. Michael Pensinger, a junior mechanical engineering major, has an idea of what his friends might want.

“Beer. Who doesn’t want beer?” he said. Luckily, his family wants CDs, tools and clothes.

Michel thinks her family wants something a little less materialistic.

“Me, they love me, even if they don’t admit it in public,” she said.

Crockett doesn’t have his list set yet.

“[For] my male friends, probably a video game or something like that,” he said. “[For] my lady friend, I don’t know yet.”

Senior sociology major Nikkisha Banks has specific criteria when buying gifts for her family.

“[It has to be] something that compliments the person,” she said. “It shows how you feel and see that person.

“You have to look at what the gift does for the person and the result of how you feel for giving it & not how much it costs.”

In the end, an old adage still is remembered.

“It’s better to give than to receive,” said Michel.