Holiday gifts for teens

Avatar for heartsandroses2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Holiday gifts for teens
14
Wed, 12-06-2006 - 10:28am

Just curious what everyone if thinking of getting thier teens this year for the holidays.

We have so many things to choose from, but I'm finding that my girls really don't need much. We're also trying to be a little frugal due to college costs both present and future (dd17 is right behind dd19). Mostly, dds have asked for either DVD sets or movies, a couple of CDs (although we have iTunes) and gift certificates...oh, and cars. lol.

I think we're going to make a small monetary deposit into each dds savings account, one for college (DD19) and the other for a car (DD17); each will get a CD & DVD, and then some GC's for restaurants and clothing stores so they can go out and get what they want with friends.

Each year we do something for our community in terms of gift giving, Foodshare & donations. This year we've asked both dd's to give to a charity instead of get us a gift. We really don't need anything and I'm just happy we'll all be together this year. My mom and my brother and his family and my sister and hers will all be over Christmas day, so that's good enough for me! Good food & drink, a nice fire and family. What more could we ask for, KWIM?

So, what's on parents' minds this year for gift giving?

Pages

Avatar for heartsandroses2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 12-07-2006 - 10:25am

Yes, when mine were younger they made out like little bandits! Between exh's family and mine, WOWOW. My current H's sister and brother are great about remembering dds on birthdays and the holidays, but his parents do neither. In fact, it's been in an ongoing issue since we were married 10 years ago! lol -

But in the end, it's not about gifts really, it's about spending quality time with the family and close friends, being together, and celebrating the season. Right????

Hot topic is the place we go for those black band t-shirts and body jewelry for dd17's friends! This dd was also like yours and only recently started getting into more girly stuff. She's all into her nails and nice sweaters suddenly. I don't care why, but it sure opens things up in regards to gift giving! lol

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Thu, 12-07-2006 - 1:45pm

Same here with different Christmas breaks for my two teens and my youngest ds. His school, a Charter school not affiliated with the district, did the same thing last year. So basically I will need to take time off work to spend at home with ds during the week when only he is off (week before Christmas). I'm looking on the bright side - we're going to go to a matinee together, just the two of us. We did that last year when we saw King Kong and we had fun watching it in a virtually empty movie theater.

I also like to buy a family board game every year so thanks for the suggestion!

Avatar for phacademy
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-13-2003
Fri, 12-08-2006 - 11:22am

I hear you on the college costs. I just spent almost $400 on DS15's two classes/ books at the college yesterday... and

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-20-2005
Fri, 12-08-2006 - 12:03pm

So let's see - two sons 17 and 15

The 17 year old refused to give me a list until about 20 minutes ago - and I told him I was pretty much done with his gifts - he'll hate them all, but I told him he can sell them on ebay and use the money for what he wanted.

Mostly clothes and movies - earrings and a couple of books. He is a huge Little Mermaid fan, and when I got him the movie in October, it came with four lithographs - I plan on framing two of them. He's got an MP3 player, so he really doesn't need anything else - doesn't watch TV in his room, so doesn't need that. Probably going to go the Starbucks gift card route with him.

Younger son (15) is still heavily into Winnie the Pooh :). So he got a Winnie the Pooh planner and stuffed doll - then clothes (he loves the t-shirts with the sayings from STeve and Barrys) and his big gift - a digital camera.

As for amounts, I don't put a limit, because I am very financially strapped - so my limit hits me without my even knowing it - I'd say I rarely, if ever, go over $200 not counting stocking stuffers.

Pages