My 3 grandchildren are all teenagers now and it is very difficult to know what to buy them for Christmas. Money is always welcome but I didn't want to just give them an envelope with cash. What I did this year was buy them each a pair of nice gloves; that's the practical side of me coming through.
Inside each finger and thumb, I inserted a rolled up bill and stuffed the rest of the finger with hard wrapped candies. You can use whatever denomination of bills that suits your budget.
Probably the kids are going to give me a lame "thanks Grandma" when they see that they only got a pair of gloves and I'm rather hoping that this happens. My plan is to ask them to try their gloves on for size. They'll have to pull out the candies first of course and then comes the surprise when each finger is emptied out.
This was my own idea and I'm as excited as a kid myself as I wait for Christmas Day.
Source: Grandma's imagination on the loose again
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What is a good gift for a 14 year old?
Breana from NY
I would suggest:
Books (the Twilight series is really popular now)
Bath and body products
makeup or hair accesories or lip gloss set
gift cards to movies
You didn't mention boy or girl?
but ideas above are good
also~
~gift certificates (from local department or music place)
~popcorn packs to go with the movie tickets
~hot chocolate mixes
~also read somewhere to buy some pots (paint them gold)..put gold coins (chocolate filled) + lotto tickets then wrap with cello ...(think this sounds fun gonna do it for my family)
good luck
I hope she is a girl/young lady!
Lip Gloss " many" /makeup, Perfume, great smelling lotions "many"/ great smelling shampoos, cute purses/awesome hats/posters of favorite singer/favorite animals/ journals/phone accessories/ itune gift cards, soft funky looking booties, her favorite candy ( that she never gets) etc
Boys would like video games, CD's if you know their kind of music, DVD's of new movies, ball cap or toque with the logo of their favorite team, --
boys like food gifts -- chocolates, etc.
And money is always good for teenagers -- then they buy what they like.
Under 18 can't play Lotto! Sudoko puzzles, girls can do lip gloss, boys chapstick. CDs, movies, books, gift cards (if a girl, Claire's). T-shirts, (I have a teen, can you tell?) candy, magazine subcriptions, teen girls still like stuffed animals, new earbuds for their music stuff, craft kits, model stuff for boys, etc.
A toolbox with screw drivers, flash light, nails, screws, glue gun, stapler, step ladder, cute fabric, tape measure, sewing machine, sewing kit, crochet hooks, books to redo her room, or clothes steamer.
if its a girl, maybe you should get her something special. Maybe a charm bracelet, it would be perfect, and you could add charms that relate to her life or the times you guys shared together.
girls:
more expensive gifts:
Ugg boots
cell phone ask her friends to know what one she wants if you don't already know
digital camera
ipod (do not get her a shuffle or mp3 player she wouldn't get caught dead with it)
purse
clothes (note how it is under expensive, but go to the mall with her and let her tell you what she wants. Good way to bond with her!)
cheaper:
charm bracelet
phone accessories (charms, rhinestone case, silicone case, plastic case)
anything from bath and body works
paint her room (let her pick out color and on Christmas give fer a little note saying you will!)
I am 40 and getting married for the second time in June. My fiance's son is 17 and will graduate in June. He will be the best man in our wedding. Besides that, I was wondering if there is something else I could do, without stepping on his mom's toes, to let him know he is and always will be part of us. He lives with my fiance full time and I am very excited to be a stepmom, even if he will be 18 years old soon.
My stepdad and mom gave me a ring when they got married! I really appreciated it. I still wear it sometimes, 15 years later! I think it is a neat way to show you care about him! :)
Maybe some one on one time would be appreciated. If he's a mature young man, I'm sure he'd like to get to know you better. You could take him to the movies and a snack afterwards, just have a casual chat about school, and your own teenage years. It doesn't have to be expensive. Good luck!
That is a really great idea. But I have two brothers, a 16 yr old and a 22 yr old, and they are more into electronics and such. I would say ask your fiance what he is into. If he does wear jewelry of any kind I would say go for it, most guys that I know 16 to 25 like either hemp jewelry (this is just like the rope no drug references) or leather. If not, then try something like a CD player for his car (if he has one) or something like a digital camera (if he doesnt have one). All of these things could be considered a personal gift if you give it with the right kind of verbal sentiment. I wouldn't think that mom would have to big of a problem with any of these things. Good luck!
I would shy away from a ring for a boy almost 18 - unless you know for sure he would like it. At 18 most boys do not want to be attached to any parent by a public token.
A special photo of you and your new hubby and this son along with any children you might have could be taken and displayed prominently in your home - a letter written by you expressing your hope he will always consider your home his and the family he may one day have - any electronic gift would probably be nice, an Ipod, etc. -- be sure to include any close friend he might want to attend the wedding - girl or boy. I have both a step daughter and step son who were 19 and 20 when I married their Dad and I found the less fuss I made over things the better. Be sure to celebrate
holidays and birthdays - and give him space with his Dad for things they do now together, fish, hunt, etc.
Don't change their activities too much!
At his age I think I would stick to anything to do with music. CD or DVD tokens.
Jewellery is an individual thing and the bands do sound a bit cheesy - he doesn't know you well enough yet.
Maybe on the day of your wedding his father could give him a Friendship bracelet from you both as something to remember the special occasion.
( I think if you wanted him to wear matching bands he would feel like he was betraying his Mom.)
Friendship bracelets are cool and the trend for both sexes so that would be a wiser bet.
I would find out which CD's he's after (ask his dad to find out) or safer still would be to give vouchers. They would go down well.
Any extravagant gift given to him would make him embarrassed or feel awkward.
If you gave Music Vouchers he would be thinking how cool you are while he was spending time in the record store buying his music. He would associate you with his favourite kind of music and when he listened to it he would remember you too.
I wish you and your future hubby every happiness and just take it easy with his son - don't rush things and you'll have a great relationship.
Best of luck
Monique x
When we got married 5 1/2 years ago my step-son was 11 but this is what we did to let him know that we are a family without stepping on any toes.
During the ceremony when you light the unity candle you can also light a candle with both of you and your stepson too. We had 2 separate candles made (I found someplace online but don't remember where now I'm sure with a little research for "unity candles" you could find somewhere too). One was a tall pillar with DH and my name and the date on it and the second one was a couple of inches shorter and has all 3 of our names on it.
It was very special and meaningful for all of us and they are still in a curio cabinet in our living room.
Congratulations!
A very classy gift to give ANYONE in my opinion is to go to a site on the internet called OneShare.com You can purchase a single elaborate FRAMED share of many companies from Disney to Harley Davidson! They are classy for sure! Just obtain a share from a co. that he is really into, rather it be a music co, movie co. etc. They produce a wonderful keepsake, conversation piece (for he and his friends) and a unique type of rich home decor piece. Good luck in your new life! Denise
My daughter is a counselor for grades pre-k through 12. Always in the case of step parents, she tells them to let the child come to you. Act loving and open, but let the child advance the relationship or they might feel pressured, resentful and go the other way. Good luck. Kids are great.
My daughter turns Sweet Sixteen soon. Any ideas for a unique birthday gift that is not too costly?
By Anne-Marie from Waldron, IN
I suggest to give her a birth stone ring. I got one for my sixteenth & I really loved it, good luck.
If she likes charm bracelets that would be a nice thing to give her with her first charm being something that she will remember from you or maybe of something that's her favorite now in her life. There are so many charms she can add too it in her life as events or memories come along and its something years from now she can pass along to her children too in years to come.
A birthstone pendant would be something she'd wear all her life. Necklaces don't get in your way while you're working like bracelets & rings can. Keep it simple. Maybe a heart shaped locket or some other meaningful symbol. You could even have the back engraved with the words "love" or "love, mom". I'm not a big jewelry fan like most women are, but I believe that jewelry would be the perfect sweet 16 gift. If you have the money, you can buy 14k or better Gold, if not Sterling would be just as nice & cost less. Me? I'd rather have silver over gold any time & lots of women feel this way.
* If you decide to buy jewelry, you can buy a lab-grown birthstone set in sterling silver for much, much less than a natural stone set in gold.
This is something I did for four of my five kids when they turned 21. Since she is going to be 16, we will use that number. Gather together 16 pennies, 16 nickels, 16 dimes, 16 quarters, 16 half dollars. You can 'wrap' two ways. One, tape each coin indivdually into the insides of a box. She would have to remove them one by one, or two, wrap each coin individually with a piece of paper and tape, or wrap individually with an appropriate size piece of foil. She would have to unwrap each piece to use the money. Can put all wrapped coins in a box and wrap, or make up a basket using 'Easter' grass (comes in various colors) and mix the coins in the grass. She would have to find them first, then unwrap them. Teens need money for make-up, CD's, DVD's, etc. Those coins add up to $14.56 if my math is right, plus the cost of wrapping. Not too expensive, and lots of fun.
A gift that I have found for teen girls is to put together a spa basket for her. Your local dollar store will carry nearly anything you want to put in. This gives you a broad range of things you can include in the basket. Anything from lotions, hair care products, pedicure and manicure kits, etc etc. You can tailor the basket to your teens taste and keep the price in your budget.
Dont do the coin one! I'm almost 17 and if I had been given coins individually wrapped I would have gone insane. The best bet is the birth stone ring or neckless.
I know its a really late post but Im going to a sweet 16 today and i dont want to get the girl 40 bucks in a card. And also for my sweet 16 in a couple of month if my mom gave me individually wrapped coins i'd never open it once i realized they were just coins. The charm bracelet and the birthstone ring sound cool. I know Im getting a pandora bracelet with all my favorite things on it like soccer cheerleading frogs zodiac signs my birthstone and a 16. My parents are buying the bracelet and most of the charms and my sisters are getting me the restof the charms I want. But really your comments gave me ideas.
My son has been invited to a girl's 14h birthday. What to get her for a gift?
By Roxana
Depending on what you want to spend some type of CD, a journal, if she likes crafts there are all kinds of craft kits for reasonable prices, a gift card to a store or movie theater, cafe. There are several things for $5.00+ The thing is to keep the gift from seeming too personal.
This is going to depend on the girl. Does she like accessories? Claire's Boutique has lots of costume jewelry/accessories. He could get her a gift card and she could pick out what she likes. Does she like makeup or nail polish? Maybe a gift card to Ulta or one of the new OPI shatter nail polishes. I'm in my late 30s, but those are pretty cool. Sally Hansen makes a shatter-type nail polish, too, but a 14 year old would probably think OPI is much cooler. Most young people around that age love music. A gift card to Best Buy, or some other shop where she could get music would be fun. If he knows that she's a gamer, he could buy her an appropriate gaming card (for downloadable games or content -- it would need to be for whatever gaming system she uses). Does she have a beloved pet? Maybe she'd like a card to Petco or Petsmart to get something special for her cat/dog/whatever. Some young people with pets would love a gift like that, others might prefer to have something for themselves, so it really depends on the individual and their relationship with their pet.
He's going to need to think about what kinds of stuff she's into. If he doesn't know, then maybe a gift certificate to the movies, or just a mall gift certificate. I hope he finds something he's comfortable with, and that he enjoys the party!
I agree with the first poster. You don't want to be too personal; a CD, movie passes, gift card to something he knows she is into, like jewelery or books. Some girls also like knick knacks as well, but you would have to know her likes/dislikes to pick out something like that. Most girls would like some sort of candle holder or decorative candle as well.
The safest and non personal is a gift card from a major box store. This age is too young to be doing personals from a boy.
If your son is going you should know her mother.....just ask her mother and you'll be sure to get what she wants if you can afford to do so.
Does anyone have some cute gift ideas for my teen friend for easter?
Cocoa Girl
How bout sewing a beanie hat for her/him? You can get free patterns online if you do a search. Or make a scrapbook or book cover. Or a tote bag if you have a sewing machine.
www.craftster.com has TONS of ideas for crafts. You might get an idea there. Have fun.
With my teenagers they love DVD's and lots of chocolate. I always add lots of just junky things from the dollar store.
I use a clothes basket or waste basket so they can reuse rather than an easter basket..If a college student, just fill with toiletries and washing powders and fast food gift cards are always appreciated.
You could make or buy barrettes, or something for her hobby. Something from the Christian Book Store. Make a simple purse. Do a web search.
Thank you all so much. I think I will try to make her something because I don't have any money at all really. She is such a great friend and we like to give each other cute things for just about every holiday, and I'm starting to run out of ideas. :)
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