Those teenagers can be so hard to shop for! Remember the good-old-days when you could buy a Beanie Baby and have it over with? Maybe a Breyer horse or two, or a set of roller blades would take care of the issue. Those days were actually fun, when you knew you could make the kid happy. But, these teenagers are a different story.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Even though your teen may be hard to talk to, they still can come up with some time for you if there’s a gift in it! Try to get some specifics on:
- Music tastes
- Favorite clothing stores
- Favorite TV shows
- Favorite movies
- Interest level in sports
- Technology needs
There are other categories, too, that you can ask about. Maybe the teen has a laptop, but does he have a printer? Does he want one?
TAKE ACTION
You can still buy CDs of the teens’ favorite music. However, sometimes, they don’t even have a CD player. Find out if they need an iTunes card. Buy them gift cards to their favorite clothing store, or get that new printer for the laptop.
OTHER IDEAS
Here are some other ideas for gifts for teens.
- For girls, photo holders are a great selection. Most of them want pictures of significant others on their desk or wall, and frames are great for that.
- Both boys and girls may really appreciate a photo printer. In fact, these are small and very portable, and quite affordable. The teen can print out pictures he or she has taken with his digital camera, and do it right at home!
- Something for the car is always nice. If your teen has a car, maybe an accessory would be great. One of the best gifts I ever came up with was a car starter for a girl who is always leaving her headlights on. It’s an item she can keep in her trunk, and if her battery dies, she can boost her car by herself.
- Another great car item is an air pump. It plugs into the outlet inside the car, and will pump air into a flat tire.
- Most teens – both boys and girls – will love a tool kit. No, not saws and wrenches, but get items such as a tape measure, small level (for pictures and posters), a hammer, flashlight, and picture hanging hardware. This is probably something they’ve never thought of, and they’ll be amazed at how much they use the tools.
- An iPod touch is a gaming, internet device that doesn’t have phone capabilities, but does just about everything else. This can provide great entertainment for the teen, as well as provide GPS functions.
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Most teens can get really excited about food. Consider getting an apartment or RV sized refrigerator. They’re really not very expensive, and the teen will love having the independence of having a small refrigerator in his room. Sodas, cheese snacks, and other goodies will be right at hand.
Author Byline: Nina Edwards is a shopaholic, when she isn’t writing shopping related articles she freelances as a consultant for Spencer Thorn, a company that sell a great range of gifts, books and toys.
