How to Buy Christmas Gifts for Teens
Find the Perfect Gift for a Teenager
Teenagers are too old for toys and too young for a household of their own. Teens' tastes fluctuate, yet most have very definite ideas about what is cool and what isn’t-at least for this week. The key to finding the right gift for a teen is to look at the world from their perspective.
The Gift of Independence
Teens want to be independent, so gifts that acknowledge this will be a hit. A car might be the ultimate symbol of independence, but parents don’t have to go that far. They could give a teen her own electronic photo keychain, or gas station gift cards. A movie-loving teen would appreciate his own Netflix subscription, his own ski pass or coupons good for use of the car for a whole weekend.
The Gift of Adulthood
Teens are trying to learn how to be adults and like to be treated as adults. Gifts that enhance this feeling include dinner at a fancy restaurant, a weekend at a hotel in a nearby city, tickets to live theater or a museum exhibit. The gift giver should accompany the teen to these events as part of the gift, and ask his opinion and really listen to his answers. It will be a memorable experience for both the gift giver and the recipient.
Entertaining Gifts
Everyone likes to be entertained and teens are no exceptions. For many teens, the perfect gift is music, movies or books. The key here is to make choices the teen is certain to like. If parents are unsure, they can opt for a gift card and allow teens to make their own selections.
The Gift of Choice
Teens like to choose for themselves, which makes gift cards ideal for them. Gift cards allow them to do the shopping. In addition to iTunes and bookstore gift cards, parents should consider a card for the coffee shop where teens hang out with friends, or a card for a clothing store where they like to shop.
The Gift of Experience
Tickets make good teen gifts – movie tickets, tickets to concerts or sporting events, or ski lift tickets if they live near a ski resort.
The Gift of Caring
As aloof as teens can be sometimes, they still want to be loved. Homemade gifts such as a quilt or afghan, or hand-knit caps and scarves, are one way to express this caring. Parents need to be careful here – not every teen will appreciate these items. One gift a teen will treasure is a letter from one or both parents, telling her how much she means to teen. A simple gift like a journal become more special when the parent takes the time to write in it a story from her own teen years.
Christmas gifts for teens don’t have to be expensive. Like any good present, a gift for a teen should show the gift giver cares about the recipient and his or her opinions and preferences. If a parent is unsure what to buy their teen, they should ask what the teen wants, and really listen to the answer.
Give Teens the Gifts They Want.
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