Buying gifts for teenagers is notoriously difficult. When they are younger, you can please them with a bar of chocolate or a simple toy, but teenagers are a lot harder to please.

Shopping for teenagers doesn’t have to be a complete nightmare though, and there are a few tips you should know before you go shopping for a teenager.

Here is how to buy gifts for teenagers this Christmas: 

  1. Do your homework.

    By homework, we mean paying attention to them and what they seem to be interested in. Some young guys like a certain brand of clothing and girls usually are the same. Buying clothes can be daunting but not if you have the right size and brand they usually wear. If you spend a lot of time with the teenager, you may know what they have or what they don’t have. If you don’t see the teen a lot, then you may have to consider a gift voucher instead, or a perfume/aftershave gift set. Teens usually like experience gifts too, so anything like an early drive or an outdoors trip may go down well. 

  2. Ask.

    If you can, ask the parents of the teenager. Some people prefer to not ask family or friends about what to buy, but you will be one step further in picking a gift. If you decide to ask, then make sure you ask the right questions:

    What do they need? This is handy as this may help the teen's parents to take something off their list. This could be a jumper, coat or runners, for example. 
    What do they like? Knowing what a teenager likes is key to getting them a good gift, so ask for some ideas and you can try and get something they’ll enjoy. This could be a book, journal, sports bag, speakers or earphones, for example. 
    What’s their favourite colour? This is always good to know as teens usually have a favourite colour that they’ll wear, or they may have a colour in their bedroom they like. With this knowledge, you could buy them something for their bedroom or perhaps a pair of shoes in their favourite colour.
    Would they go to a gig/show/event? Events are a great gift, but only if a teenager is interested in going! Other teens may prefer to stay at home and cosy up with a blanket instead of going to a show. Find out and you’ll be halfway there. 

  3. Go with their hobbies

    If you know the teen you are buying for loves a certain sport, dance or music, you may be able to use that to buy them something wonderful. Sports fans love sports gear, gym accessories or even sports books. Dancers may prefer some clothes that are relevant to their chosen dance and maybe some aftercare products for sore feet etc. Music fans may like record players, vinyl’s or posters of musicians they love. 

  4. Take them shopping

    Failing all the above, one thing you could do is bring the teenager out for a shopping trip where they can pick a gift of their choice. Throw in some lunch and a lot of chats so it makes for a lovely day, especially if you are particularly close to the teenager you are buying for. 

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