Christmas presents that aren't just more "stuff"

[EllenFrasier]

What are some creative gifts for young people that are not just more "stuff"? The older kids have cell phones, Ipods, etc. and I really don't want to spend a fortune on the newest gadget on the market.

Guess it's because it's only October, but I'm not feeling too imaginative right now. The most I've come up with so far is movie tickets.

 

[LJSquishy]

What ages are you shopping for?

 

[MSSANDRA]

A few we have done, or are doing this year:

A family date night..dinner and a movie
A beach week-end (we are 4 hours from myrtle beach)
A night at great wolf lodge
gift cards to movies, restaurants, build-a bear

 

[EllenFrasier]

Ages 24, 22, 19, & 13

 

[luvmy3]

Concert tickets
sporting event ticket
ski/snowbaord lessons
paintball or lazer tag session

Just saw their ages
Car wash tickets and gas cards for the older ones

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Netflix subscription
magazine subscription
food--popcorn tin or fruit basket, cookies, baked goods

 

[mom2d&b]

Segway tours
Zip line experience
Last year all the nieces and nephews (10 - 18) recieved footie pj's from an aunt. They were a hit much to my surprise. They all pu them on for a group pic.

 

[sissy_ib]

Last year I got my DH theater tickets. For my birthday I had him take me zip-lining. I saw both of those and more mentioned and just wanted to add they are great ideas. We don't need more "stuff" either so we are moving to getting and asking for experience type gifts or practical.
Today is DH's birthday and one of the things I got him was a pack of razor blades. Those things are expensive, so a great gift for a young person who might not have a ton of cash. I know my mom put them in stockings when I still lived at home.
I am asking for Wen shampoo for Christmas. Practical but not something I would buy myself because of the cost. If his parents ask what to get him for Christmas I am going to tell them a gift card so he can get new running shoes.

So I guess my contribution is beauty/personal hygiene products!

 

[limace]

I may get my teen girl who loves fashion and makeup a birchbox subscription.

 

[4GoofyCrew]

I am a big fan of 'experiences' even for our 8 and 5 year old. I struggle because family prefers to get actual presents (toys and clothes) but that isn't really what our kids need. The closets and toy boxes are overflowing...

For your age group -

amusement park passes
overnight away (with adult) to an indoor water park
iTunes gift cards/movie gift cards
gas cards
restaurant gift cards (teens like to eat out with friends)
depending on where you live - parasailing, you could rent a boat for an afternoon (with an adult driving as the chaperone, of course), etc.

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

we're looking at experiences as gifts for our 12 year old (to be 13 in 2 months) for both birthday and Christmas

So far I have ziplining and an archery lesson at WDW FW

 

[zoemariesmamma]

What are some creative gifts for young people that are not just more "stuff"? The older kids have cell phones, Ipods, etc. and I really don't want to spend a fortune on the newest gadget on the market.

Guess it's because it's only October, but I'm not feeling too imaginative right now. The most I've come up with so far is movie tickets.

A family trip to Disney of course!!! I am in the same boat, although mine is only ten so it is much easier. For her birthday she got tickets to Beauty and the Beast from the Broadway series and tickets to an American Girl Fashion show. The fashion show is done for a local children's hospital so it does double duty as a charity contribution. HMMM...now that I think about it it may be a tax write off?

Anyway, I haven't read all the post but amusement park tickets, theater tickets, dinner and a movie night, a weekend getaway. I know that I love to get gift certificates for massages that is something I love but don't always want to splurge on for myself. I know that people have mixed feelings about giving groupons but sometimes you can get great deals for spas and weekend getaways.

 

[MomToOne]

Clothes
Shoes/boots
Purses (a nice Coach or whatever they are into)
Perfume/Cologne
A really nice watch

All of these require them to give you a pretty specific list (my mother once bought me an "outfit" without any input from me around that age - please don't do that!!!). But I'm sure they'll help you out if you drop a hint or two

 

[kayrosek]

My kids are getting season passes to the zoo, an amusent park and a water park. Individually they are each getting tickets or a gc to a place or experience they enjoy. A GC that will cover the cost of a few skating sessions for my oldest, a ticket to Legoland Discovery center (to go with mom or dad) for my youngest, and probably tickets to a play for my DD13. I have also considered lessons for something they want to learn. Lessons or classes can work even for older kids if there is somthing they love or always wanted to learn to do. We have done theatre or concert tickets a lot for our kids, each other and other family members. Same thing with sporting events, museum tickets or memberships. The kids enjoy passes for mini golf, go karts or arcades. We have also done gym memberships, manicures, spa gcs and hair salon services.

 

[clh2]

For many years - we got our DD tickets to see a play. Sometimes they were broadway (on tour) productions, other times - they were local theaters. Each type of theater has its own charm! And - we enjoyed them all.

This year - we will be seeing Newsies in New York, technically the trip is DD's high school graduation present...but we happen to be doing this trip the week before Christmas

We've also given DD classes to take at our local Y - as they used to have a great craft night one time a month.

DD is now at the age where she would enjoy the splurge of a mani/pedi and or massage.

One last idea - and depending on your specific circumstances (i.e. how much you want to spend) is give them a trip to go visit someone. We bought airfare for DD to go visit an aunt and uncle when she was 15.

 

[cornflake]

I too like the experience gifts.

Not sure where you are but I've given trapeeze lessons, stunt lessons, classes (jewlery making, blacksmithing, art), etc. There are driving lessons with cool cars, all different types of things for almost any interest.

 

[mom2d&b]

Another idea would be stock to something they are interested in. When my kids were very little I was overwhelmed but all the "stuff" so I started buying stock from ONESHARE.COM. I picked things that worked with their age, when they were 1, I bought Striderite, (since they were just walking and wearing shoes), at 2 it was Energizer since all their toys needed batteries, another year it was McDonalds, then Disney, then Delta to celebrate their first plane trip. DS received Nike stock when he got into sports, Oneshare.com has an option where you can even get the stock certificate framed. We have done this and presented the framed certificate as the gift. One year DH received a share of stock in for Home Depot and another year it was the company that makes his favorite beer.
The ideas are endless and can be adapted for any age.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

This is why we travel over xmas now!

We all have time off from school/work, and everyone has all the plastic and electronic stuff they need, really. We spend time together and do something fun like WDW! First cruise this year, but alas, not Disney...

 

[crisi]

We've done lift tickets, camp, skate park passes. And lots of clothes for my son (my daughter isn't into clothes yet, but he is).

 

[Mkaz]

What about a money tree for the older kids? Stuff for their rooms like new bedding, curtains, etc.

This year we are going with stuff that our daughter needs (except for the laptop), and things that our son has taken up as hobbies (for the most part). We would love to do a trip, but it's really not in the cards because we are trying to plan a trip to Alaska in 2014 (sounds far way, but it's not)

Our 20 year old dd moved out recently:

We bought her a washing machine as an early gift (she really needed it)
Money for her new laptop
crockpot
bread machine

Our son will be 13 in January:

hunting and fishing gear
Roxx (I think that's how you spell it)
maybe a few video games
Sax lessons
ipod touch (not 100% on this yet)