Holiday Gifts for College Kids (For $30 or Less)

Thrifty, Whimsical Gifts for the 18-22 Crowd

iTunes gift cards are a guaranteed teen pleaser, but if your teen is toting an iPhone, these gift cards can be used to buy applications for that too - games, crossword puzzles and all sorts of educational apps. Got a musician? There's a tuner application so his A resounds at a perfect 440, an app to coach him through musical scales and a virtual guitar that lets him practice his fretwork anywhere, anytime. Pack the gift card in a CD jewel case with a note suggesting ways to spend the loot. (iTunes gift cards $15 and up; Apple apps less than a buck.)

Got a "Harry Potter" fan? Most older teens and college kids grew up on J.K. Rowling's famous series. They've read the books and seen the movies. But there's more fun to be had, from audio books for that big road trip to wizard wrock, museum tickets and Hogwarts-related books. Here's a complete guide to gift giving for that Harry Potter fan.

Winter's on its way. Best to keep the old (or young) bean warm with a beanie. Get a soft knitted beanie or scarf emblazoned with your child's high school or college logo or college colors. ($13 and up)

Parcheesi may have entertained our grandparents, but board games are enjoying an enormous resurgence, thanks to games such as Apples to Apples, Tiki Topple and the very random, very hilarious Quelf. Players quickly find themselves dodging fictitious bees, rapping about tomato soup and doing other funny tasks. Easy to learn and quick to draw a crowd, Quelf is a guaranteed dorm pleaser, but it's not the only one. For more ideas, check out this "Great Dorm Board Games" list too.

Whether they're Edward fans or members of Team Jacob, most female teens and 20somethings have read - nay, devoured - Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" series. They've scrutinized every paparazzi-fueled Twilight-tidbit, and seen the first movie several times. So here's a complete guide to other gift ideas for the Twilight fan, from soundtracks to movie tickets and companion books.

The USS Enterprise, a curmudgeonly widower and his balloon-fueled adventures, dysfunctional South Philly bar owners who get into unbelievably cringe-worthy trouble - there's a DVD tale out there for everyone. Among the possibilities in our DVD Gift Guide for Teens & 20Somethings: "Star Trek," "Up," "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and more.

There's no need to fork over the bucks for bottled water when you can simply filter the tap water and stash it in the dorm room fridge. This slim Brita pitcher holds 40 oz. of water and filters out the minerals and heavy chlorination that make dorm water just taste ... wrong. ($17 and up)

This little 3-cup French press coffee maker is the lowest tech thing imaginable. Pour in the coarse ground coffee beans, add hot water and let steep 4 minutes. Push down the plunger and pour. No plug, no electricity. It's the perfect thing for caffeinating your favorite college student, especially if small appliances like electric coffeemakers are on the dorm taboo list. ($20 and up)

Pick up a cozy fleece blanket with the university logo at the campus bookstore (or order it online) to keep your college student warm and comfy through the chilly winter months. ($24 and up)

Check out 89 more holiday gift ideas for college kids and 20somethings too.