Christmas is a fun time of the year…. well it’s meant to be. It should be a time that brings happiness and joy to families and focuses on sharing, celebration and giving. While there may not be cookies and milk left out for Santa and your place, most teens still get excited about Christmas. I know my oldest at 20 still thinks Christmas Day is his favourite in the year! Commercialisation of the season aside, gift giving will always be part of Christmas and choosing what presents we will give is no easy task especially when it comes to teens. You just won’t cut it with Barbies, Lego and Playdough once they’re in the teen years…. so what the hell can you give a teenager that (a) won’t require a second mortgage and (b) is going to be appreciated and enjoyed?
I know my teens LOVE receiving money as a gift to then hit up the after Christmas sales BUT that’s an all too easy option and can feel like the gift-giving concept has been bastardised! So, what are some viable and sure-to-please present ideas for the teens in your life? Mmmmmm, here are some ideas that may help with your gift hunting….
- Accessories for their communication device – teens and their devices are usually inseparable, so a deadset winning idea is a gift around that theme and the options are unlimited. Think headphones/earbuds, cases, covers, styluses, charging stations etc
- Camera or photo printer – while their smartphone will usually be what they snap pics with, the teens I know who have Polaroid or other instant digital cameras LOVE them. If you’re not keen on investing in a photography system like this, maybe consider one of the little portable photo printers on the market that link to their device via bluetooth or wi-fi and can print out keepsakes of their adventures and memories.
- The gift of music – Music has always been a huge part of most teenagers’ lives. CDs of their favourite band and singer will always be a good idea but even better than that is a subscription to a music streaming service like Spotify or Apple so they’ve got all their favourite tunes on demand! Boom!
- Grooming tools – Teen girls AND teen boys are usually into at least a little bit of preening and mirror-hogging. That makes a grooming gift ideal! For the girls consider: curling irons, flat irons, hair dryer, electric leg shaver or illuminated makeup mirror. All winners!! For the lads consider getting them a decent razor or electric shaver (and maybe a year’s supply of Rexona…. just sayin’)
- Board Games – believe me, there’s been a resurgence in the popularity of board games with the teen crowd. Everything from Monopoly to Chess is getting a look in and being enjoyed by teens…. when they eventually take a break from their screens!
Finding the perfect Christmas gift for the teenager/s in your life doesn’t need to be stressful… and hopefully, these ideas will point you in the right direction and let you check some things off your list.
What teen gifts are you shopping for this year to put under the tree? If you’ve thought of something amazing, then jump onto the Facebook page to share with us all!