Xmas Ideas for Teens??????

[lntsmom]

I started buying my son useful stuff when he turned 10. Items in this category include a hot air popcorn popper, a dustbuster for his room, memory cards for video games, and (always on his request list) comfy pjs.

For his birthday this year he got a "comfy bed" themed set of gifts. It included a foam mattress pad, a fuzzy body pillow pillowcase, and new super-soft pillows. He also got a glider/recliner of his own for the livingroom and a new spiffy desk chair for his room.

I know that a lot of his friends get only splurge-type items for their birthdays. I figure he'll get a lot more enjoyment out of things that meet his basic needs.

Anyone know if the Disney Store still carries Mickey Waffle makers? That is on his list for Christmas.

I figure that whatever is still working when he moves out goes with him.

 

[ugadog99]

I will do some gift cards for my teen girls for Christmas. However, most of their Christmas shopping will be done at the Jonas Brothers merchandise site! It makes for very easy one stop shopping!

 

[ticktock]

I started buying my son useful stuff when he turned 10. Items in this category include a hot air popcorn popper, a dustbuster for his room, memory cards for video games, and (always on his request list) comfy pjs.

For his birthday this year he got a "comfy bed" themed set of gifts. It included a foam mattress pad, a fuzzy body pillow pillowcase, and new super-soft pillows. He also got a glider/recliner of his own for the livingroom and a new spiffy desk chair for his room.

I know that a lot of his friends get only splurge-type items for their birthdays. I figure he'll get a lot more enjoyment out of things that meet his basic needs.

Anyone know if the Disney Store still carries Mickey Waffle makers? That is on his list for Christmas.

I figure that whatever is still working when he moves out goes with him.

Will you teach him how to make waffles to go along with that waffle iron? That would be the real gift, so many young people can't cook, do laundry etc... It's sad.

 

[Xcited4Disney]

DD 15 (16 in Oct) wants a Mustang for Bday & Christmas
Last year I purchased gifts cards
I-tunes
American Eagle
Abercrombie
Hollister
Sonic
Star Bucks
Mall Visa (gift cards)
Victoria Secret
Barnes & Noble
Nail Salon
& Others
Then I taped a hook on the back & hung them from the tree , ( I placed beside of the big tree Christmas morning) She LOVED it ... stated " I'm in gift card heaven "

So I'm probably do that again

Here's a pic of the tree ( you can't see all the gift cards)

I love that!

 

[Minnie]

This thread has lots of great ideas . Thanks

DS said today that his PS2 is having "issues" so I think it's time for a new game system. He has a Wii at his grandparents so I need to decide whether to buy one for home or a different knd

I'm also considering an Ipod as he loves my I-touch. He has a different brand MP3 player with a tiny screen so this may be an idea. There are tons of acessories to buy with it so that would give ideas for other holidays Now I need to figure out which one. I'm leaning toward the Nano as it's pocket sized but not sure yet

Though we have some time to go so other ideas would be awesome

Question - for those of you that do gift cards.... Do you buy other gifts to or just the gift cards? I just wonder how this goes over with nothing to actually "have" on Xmas morning?????

 

[vicb]

Great ideas. Thank you.

I have a 16 yo DD and 13 yo DS. We plan to get DS a stereo boom box thing with a remote control this year. We got one for DD 2 years back and she loves how you can lay in bed and control the music across the room.

Last year got each kid a big box with their own set of new bath towels including an oversized bath sheet towel. Surprisingly they really liked this and thought it was a luxury gift.

Not costly but always goes over well with all the teens in my extended family is magazines, they love to have something to read on xmas day when they get bored with family.

School merchandise, like a new sweatshirt or t-shirt from their own high school or a fav college.

 

[Dashzap]

Not costly but always goes over well with all the teens in my extended family is magazines, they love to have something to read on xmas day when they get bored with family.

Great idea. What magazines do your teens like? DS14 likes Muse, Wired, ComputerShopper, and a scout mag.

 

[Terry36]

DD 15 (16 in Oct) wants a Mustang for Bday & Christmas
Last year I purchased gifts cards
I-tunes
American Eagle
Abercrombie
Hollister
Sonic
Star Bucks
Mall Visa (gift cards)
Victoria Secret
Barnes & Noble
Nail Salon
& Others
Then I taped a hook on the back & hung them from the tree , ( I placed beside of the big tree Christmas morning) She LOVED it ... stated " I'm in gift card heaven "

So I'm probably do that again.

I like this idea! DD has a small tree in her room as well and we could do this too!

 

[vicb]

Great idea. What magazines do your teens like? DS14 likes Muse, Wired, ComputerShopper, and a scout mag.

DS likes MAD, MadKids, Nintendo Power, comic books, special magazines related to Starwars etc...

DD likes Life and Style, People, Seventeen. Also once in a while I buy her the hairstyle magazines.

Older nieces like Rolling Stone, Blender, movie magazines, People...

Not just teens but even the adults like receiving specialty magazines at the holidays too.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I have a teen that will be 15 in December, so I have both a b-day and x-mas and I have absolutely no ideas.....UGH

Same here...she will be 15 on Dec 6. She wants a laptop for birthday/Christmas. I don't know..I'm a little unsure of letting a 15 yr old have the internet at her disposal anytime, any place unattended. If she does get one, that will be about it. Maybe some clothes and books.

 

[luvmy3]

I was talking to my SIL about this today. She has a couple tweens and one teen. She said besides a car (which she is not getting) her teen has requested giftcatds to Hollister, Hollister and Hollister

 

[cruisnfamily]

Great ideas. Thank you.

I have a 16 yo DD and 13 yo DS. We plan to get DS a stereo boom box thing with a remote control this year. We got one for DD 2 years back and she loves how you can lay in bed and control the music across the room.

Last year got each kid a big box with their own set of new bath towels including an oversized bath sheet towel. Surprisingly they really liked this and thought it was a luxury gift.

Not costly but always goes over well with all the teens in my extended family is magazines, they love to have something to read on xmas day when they get bored with family.

School merchandise, like a new sweatshirt or t-shirt from their own high school or a fav college.

Have you seen any that can "dock" an ipod? All the boomboxes that I've seen that you can put the ipod in only have radio. I want an actual boombox with CD and radio and ipod dock but I'm not having any luck! Don't need an alarm clock which is what they all seem to be

Great idea! Both my kids loved this when I did it last year. DD16 got Teen Vogue and Cosmo Girl. DS13 got Nintendo Power.

Another fabulous idea DD started HighSchool last year and we had gotten her a t shirt but not a hoodie. We got the High School hoodie and had that under the tree. She was really happy with it!

 

[katiee511]

DS15 loves to play video games so every year we get him $50 giftcards to Blockbuster to rent games. Closer to the holiday season they always have a promotion to get a free $5 card when you spend $50.

This year is super easy.... we will be at Universal Studios on Christmas Day and he is getting 2nd row, center section Blue Man Group tickets!! He already knows and specifically asked for them. He doesn't care to be surprised and that makes shopping easier.

Last year he also got Gift Cards for AMC Theaters so he didn't always have to ask us for money when he wanted to go with his friends.

Next year will be gas cards because that will be important when he is driving

 

[semo233]

Question - for those of you that do gift cards.... Do you buy other gifts to or just the gift cards? I just wonder how this goes over with nothing to actually "have" on Xmas morning?????

I will say that my 11 year old did NOT like not getting to open all different kinds of presents, even though she asked for GF!!
I also battle with spoiling her and getting her what she wants. Our family usually does enough spioling!

 

[vicb]

Have you seen any that can "dock" an ipod? All the boomboxes that I've seen that you can put the ipod in only have radio. I want an actual boombox with CD and radio and ipod dock but I'm not having any luck! Don't need an alarm clock which is what they all seem to be


To be honest I have not started looking yet. DS just had his 13th birthday last week and we bought him his first i-pod (prior he had an inexpensive mp3). The boom box we bought for DD doesn't have a docking station and she mentioned we should look for one that does for DS.

 

[vicb]

Same here...she will be 15 on Dec 6. She wants a laptop for birthday/Christmas. I don't know..I'm a little unsure of letting a 15 yr old have the internet at her disposal anytime, any place unattended. If she does get one, that will be about it. Maybe some clothes and books.

Just wanted to share that we bought our DD a laptop for her 16 birthday this year. She took drivers ed late and hasn't accumulated enough hours to get her license yet (she is 16 1/2) so we wanted to do something special for her 16th.

She was thrilled with the laptop and stated several times she'd rather have that than an expensive piece of jewlery.

There have been a few conflicts as we have worked through the "rules" of having her own computer. We continue to talk about our expectations of what she should be using it for and letting her know that we will check the machine regularly. For the most part she has used it wisely and the times she hasn't we have talked it through.

We have made it very clear that she should post nothing on the internet that she would be embarrased to have us see. My DH works in the IT field so she knows he can access anything she does because he is so tech saavy.

I guess it is just part of growing up, like having a cell phone and using it appropriately. I'm sure you will be able to guide your DD through the pitfalls of owning her own computer and having more private access to the internet if you decide to get her one.

Good luck.

 

[Minnie]

Bumping for rmore ideas

 

[MrsPete]

Question - for those of you that do gift cards.... Do you buy other gifts to or just the gift cards? I just wonder how this goes over with nothing to actually "have" on Xmas morning?????

I'm not a fan of all the gift cards -- it doesn't fit with our idea of opening presents on Christmas morning! I can see giving one big card to a favorite store, or a couple $5-10 cards in the stocking, but I can't see JUST cards. It's kind of like saying, "I couldn't be bothered to shop for you."

My teen is getting a digital camera for Christmas this year -- she's requested it. Since it's her first camera, it'll be a cute little inexpensive one. She's also getting a suitcase. That's all I have for her thusfar. Oh, I do have a college sweatshirt for her.

My tween is getting an ipod (she has a shuffle, but she's starting to complain that her sister's "real" ipod is so much nicer). She's also getting a suitcase. I think I bought her a pair of cute boots last year when winter things were being clearanced.

I'm not very far along yet this year. Both of them are certain to give me a list of books they crave. I know I have a number of little stocking stuffer items crammed into a drawer in my closet, but I can't remember what they might be.

 

[MrsPete]

Have you seen any that can "dock" an ipod? All the boomboxes that I've seen that you can put the ipod in only have radio. I want an actual boombox with CD and radio and ipod dock but I'm not having any luck! Don't need an alarm clock which is what they all seem to be.

Our oldest has a rather large boombox -- the name brand is, I think, iHome -- that works as a dock /recharger AND a speaker AND has a radio AND has battery-back up in case she wants to take it outside (which she has never done). It even has a remote. DH picked it out for her birthday last year, and it was fairly expensive -- I want to say about $90. Personally, I would have chosen something smaller, but she LOVES the big, bulky thing.

He ordered it through the internet, but I have seen the same one for sale at Goodies and at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

 

[musicmama]

DD-15 insisted that there should be no big gift this year because we're going to Disney! (I was really amazed, but she's been pretty adamant for quite awhile.)

Last year, she needed a computer of her own for school work so we got her a laptop. She's been very responsible about internet usage - of course, she knows I can monitor where she's been. Otherwise, we'll see what happens closer to Black Friday. She's got a good digital camera from 8th grade graduation a year and a half ago and 2 good mp3 players (non-ipod). I might consider upgrading her basic no-box cable to a box - she has wanted that for a long time - but I'm not sure. Her TV is old, but it's working fine and so is her DVD player. She wants a new cellphone, but her replacement isn't due until February, and she knows we're not forking out $$$ for the new Verizon 'cool phone'. She got away with that once to get her pink Razr and then just a couple months later the chocolate came out and I've refused to get it. Good thing, because her cousin's chocolate has been nothing but problems and now there's that Samsung one that looks like an iphone that is way too expensive if you're not up for replacement/renewal.

She does want Guitar Hero World Tour for Wii, but has already said that she has games and movies to go for trade-in credit. I've indicated that the balance will be a gift, but she doesn't want to have to wait for Christmas to get the game. We'll have to see, however, because she's planning on waiting until GameStop does a good advanced reservation promo, and that might drop the difference. I'm sure there will be a CD or 2 that she wants, and maybe a gift card to Aeropostale (unless I find something in the store on Black Friday or online).

My other option is the Grand Floridian High Tea (she loves tea!) but I haven't made a ressie yet..... maybe I'll do that later today.