My sister-in-law and I are in agreement that this Christmas in particular is likely to have a lot of issues with shipping delays, and so even though I am usually someone who likes to wait until after Thanksgiving to do most of my festive shopping, this year I am working on it right now. I have a few things I wanted to see if any of you know anything about.
FIRST. Elizabeth has put on her wish list “Luxury skin-care products, like one of those boxes where you unpack it and there are a bunch of things to try.” I don’t really know where to look for those, and hoped YOU might. And even if you don’t know exactly the format she’s talking about (which sounds like a sampler box?), I hoped you might have recommendations for skin-care products a 15-year-old girl might like to try. Her skin is combination/oily; she is not plagued with acne, but neither has she been spared.
SECOND. Also on Elizabeth’s list is a hair dryer with a diffuser, and I wondered if anyone had any recommendations. Her hair is wavy rather than curly, if that is useful to know.
THIRD. William, I’ve noticed, has tendencies toward being interested in brands/fashion: he bought himself a pair of Vans, and seemed to do it with Intention: that is, my impression is that he saw something online that made him think of himself as a person who would wear Vans, and then ordered some. He also wanted a denim jacket, and got one for his birthday—and again, it seemed to me that he thought to himself “I am someone who would wear a denim jacket.” And he is my only son who wears skinny jeans, and he does that on purpose. And he is careful about his hair: he researches styles and, in The Beforetimes, took photos to the barber to get a specific kind of cut, and uses a hair dryer and styling products; when we went into quarantine, he researched clippers and ordered a particular set, and now cuts his own hair in specific styled ways (usually short on the sides/back and swoopy-stand-up on top, almost like comic-strip hair). And what I was wondering is if this description brings any gift ideas to your mind. I realize this is a tall order. But perhaps one of you has a college-aged boy who wears skinny jeans and Vans and a denim jacket and is careful about his hair and ALSO has/wants something else I might want to buy William for Christmas.
And I think you should feel free to ask your own gift questions in the comments, if you want, and see if other commenters have an answer.
You could try BirchBox for Elizabeth; they have a subscription model which includes makeup as well, but you can also buy one-off boxes that are skincare specific (like this: https://www.birchbox.com/product/44833/bb-goods-lte-women-spa-day-2020). It’s great – samples of expensive products, so you can try them and see what you like.
Oh, and my son is younger, but a vans / stylish kind of kid, and he is deeply in love with a blazer that was passed down to him from a cousin.
https://www.ulta.com/infinitipro-by-conair-lightweight-rose-gold-1875-watt-hair-dryer?productId=xlsImpprod13261083
This is the hair dryer my Elizabeth has. She is 15. I don’t know if it’s the best but she likes it.
For beauty sample boxes I would recommended Ipsy. We like it, my daughter and I split what comes each month. I also get Fab Fit Fun and I really like it. I give anything particularly young to my daughter but it’s mostly for me.
My 14 year old loved the Fab Fit Fun she got from her aunt. But Ipsy might be better (from what I understand) for just skin/makeup.
Sephora and Ulta usually do “best of” sample boxes that have a variety of brands in a cute little case. They’re a fun way to try things without committing to a subscription. I know she asked for skincare, but the haircare ones are fun too if you’re looking for another option.
Here’s a link to one: https://www.sephora.com/product/sephora-favorites-sephora-favorites-pop-set-P465369?skuId=2381986&om_mmc=oth-textmsg-mobileappshare
Sephora also has boxes called “Sephora play” that have different products to try – like travel size. You can buy them individually or subscribe for about $10 a month. And you get extra samples when you order online. Their packaging is very lux feeling so I think it makes a nice gift. Also if you spend $50 in store you get a free makeover or facial. It’s a good 45 minutes. They show you how to do the make up techniques and make recommendations. It’s fun. You make an appointment for the makeover online then spend the $ afterwards – gift cards work. Post COVID this would be a fun gift for someone.
Lastly Sephora also has lots of really nice holiday gift boxes that make nice gifts.
I second BirchBox. You can put in facts about your skin, hair, and other preferences and they tailor it to you. I got my daughter a 6-mo subscription and she really liked it.
My son is 14 and also interested in clothes and hair. In fact his hair style sounds just like William’s. I got my son a black leather jacket one year – that was a hit. Skinny khakis are his go-to pants. He likes Adidas stuff a lot. And he seems to have a real affinity for hats – anything that makes him look dapper. Newsboy cap, Panama hat, etc. Also, round sunglasses. I realize that’s all pretty vague. My son’s fashion sense constantly surprises me.
https://www.sephora.com/product/sephora-favorites-hydrating-fruity-face-set-P457814?icid2=products%20grid:p457814
I think Elizabeth would love this one!
For William, I don’t know if he wears cologne, but that description sounds like he might be interested in trying it? Sephora has a cool sample set of cologne with lots of samples and a voucher for a whole bottle of whichever one you like best. I got this for my brother one Christmas, and it was fun activity for all of us to try them and offer our opinions. (The only annoying thing is that the website says you can only redeem the voucher in the store, and I don’t know how much of a hassle that would be for you. https://www.sephora.com/product/sephora-favorites-men-s-cologne-sampler-set-P461524)
Oh if he is into cologne – Scentbird!
You can get 3 months and he can pick the two months after Christmas. He can filter by specific fragrance notes (ex: orange, cedar, basil) or brand. Sizes are good. I think 3 samples lasted us a year.
The problem with the stylish Vans/hair kids is that the brands are so expensive! My daughter is similar to William and she too likes Adidas, plus Patagonia and North Face. T-shirts are at least somewhat within reach.
If Elizabeth is looking for luxury skin care items, you might try one of the skincare bags Clinique has.
https://www.clinique.com/products/13566/gift-sets/holiday-gift-sets
I don’t know what price point you’re looking for, but these are products that are likely to work well on her and last a long time. Also, they appear to come in cute little boxes, which is also fun.
My mom started me on Clinique when I was 13 and I know it’s not the on trend brand these days but 25 years later I still use it and their moisturizer is the only thing that doesn’t make my skin freak out.
Have you seen Target’s sample boxes? They are only $7 usually, and have a variety of things. I haven’t found them in the stores but have bought several online.
One brand that is popular with the Vans-and-denim-jacket set is Thrasher. They sell t-shirts and hoodies; a cool hoodie might be something William could wear under his denim jacket. :) Isn’t it amazing how kids in a family can all come from the same combination of two people and yet be so different?
OK, I just checked Target and they USED to be $7 and are now $15, and they have an Advent one that looks nice for $20. But my suggestion still stands, LOL.
I’ve done both Birchbox and Sephora, and both are great. I think both feel more youthful than Clinique, but maybe that’s because I grew up always getting my mom’s gift with purchase that she didn’t want? Sephora always has interesting holiday sets and I think some of them are already out. Maybe try brands that she thinks are cool? You could let her look and give you a few options to choose from so it’s still a surprise.
How about classic Wayfarer sunglasses by RayBan for William? They are pricey, but William probably would know that and not expect any other big ticket items. Amazon also has decent fashion sunglasses, and I’ve pretty much stopped buying real designer ones. Or what about a classic chambray or denim shirt. Or skinny cords in a cool color.
I am not sure how it would be as a Christmas present (because it is an Advent Calendar), but the Cath Kidston Advent calendar has a very nice assortment of bath and body products:
https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Cath-Kidston-Festive-Calendar/dp/B08DDXN2CT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WGMPOM14R3F9&dchild=1&keywords=cath+kidston+advent+calendar&qid=1602772473&sprefix=kidston+a%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1
It is made by Heathcote and Ivory, and I like all their products, and I especially think they have the best hand cream. In addition to Cath Kidston they also make Morris & Co (which also has a nice Advent Calendar but with stronger scents that are rather perfumy and may not be appealing to a teenage girl), RHS, Vintage Co, In the Garden, and several others.
In fact, when you wrote about getting the 60 lip oil pens, I thought of how this past spring (at the start of all this), I saw a deal for a lot of 30 of my favorite Cath Kidston hand creams at $2 a piece. I bought it, even though I felt it was a crazy amount to get, then the seller contacted me that she had more she hadn’t listed and did I want them (for about $1.50 each because of combined shipping), so I ended up buying 60. Anyways, I have been so happy to have such a huge stash of extras every time I use one up (which is about once a week or so, I have really dry hands that get cracked and bleeding without insane usage of hand cream). Anyways, I have not regretted it and have only been happy to have them.
I have a college senior who sounds similar to William. He wears skinny khaki’s or jeans, is very particular about his hair, and Ray-Bans (which he bought for himself). He really enjoys fun socks. One Christmas he asked for a monthly subscription to a company that delivered a new pair each month. In the summer he wears his socks with shorts and Toms shoes or Birkenstocks, which is quite a look, but definitely cultivated.
Also the description of cartoon hair cracked me up! We had a school superintendent who looked like Jimmy Neutron–which was a cartoon that my kids watched a lot.
I have no advice at all to give but I do have a question. I have three nieces who are all preteen/early teen (one is 11, two are 13). They all want gift cards for Xmas. But I was raised that gift cards are not really presents. Last year, I found a lip gloss making kit at a chain bookstore and gave the oldest two that and a gift card for the remaining amount I budgeted for them. Since I can’t browse for cute real gifta, should I just gift card it or is that a cop out? Any ideas?
I have always loved gift cards–to me they are two gifts, the gift of the card amount and the gift of a fun shopping trip! If that’s what they’re asking for, then that is probably the gift they’ll appreciate most. :)
I don’t think a thoughtfully chosen gift card is a cop-out! Especially for young teens and preteens, who are unlikely to have much in the way of shopping money. I personally am not a huge fan of giving more generic gift cards like Visa or Amazon for birthday or holiday gifts, but the teen girls in my life have, in recent years, liked gift cards to Lush, H&M and the local indie bookstore (which also sells fun non-book things like journals and candles).
Definitely not a cop out to give a gift card! I am with LeighTX- you get the fun of opening the gift card first, and then the fun of spending it later- two gifts in one! If it doesn’t feel present-y enough for you, you can always put it in a small box with a related trinket (like, if they want a Sephora gift card, add a crazy colored eyeshadow, or something like that) so that they have something to unwrap/open.
I would definitely gift-card it, especially in These Uncertain Times. It’s the fun of having a gift that you get LATER, when the post-holiday blues have set in! And it’s fun to be able to buy for yourself something that maybe you were hoping to get for Christmas but didn’t. I think what I might do is pair the gift card with a small item or items, things I could order online: like, if I were giving a gift card to Claire’s, I’d combine it with one pair of inexpensive earrings I’d picked out, plus a candy bar—something like that, to make it feel more like Giving a Present.
Gift cards are real gifts, and your nieces must think so too since that’s what they asked for. Even better for teens and tweens is cash so they don’t have to go to one particular business and can put multiple gifts together towards something big they’re saving for. Some malls also offer gift cards and they’re good for all or almost all the stores in the mall, but we won’t be giving those this year because of the pandemic (i.e. we don’t go to malls at all anymore).
One side of my family keeps giving things to my daughter like you describe – in fact I think she got a lip gloss making kit from my brother a couple of years ago. She also got things like paint-your-own [jewelry box, picture frame, etc.], make our own [nightlight, hat, knit item, etc.]. Unfortunately she really doesn’t go in for that sort of thing, and we’ve ended up passing on pretty much all gifts like this. She’s very good at feigning delight when she opens them, but she doesn’t keep or use them. I’m not saying your nieces don’t genuinely like what you’ve been getting them, but it’s nice to know that for sure they’ll like something if they’ve asked for it. You can always wrap the gift cards with something inexpensive like a couple of packets of hot chocolate mixes and/or their favourite candy bars for a personal touch.
I also agree that gift cards are not a cop out. My sister-in-law has started attaching them to a big box of their favorite snack or something that we wouldn’t normally get the kids – like a 2 liter of Mountain Dew or a giant box of fruit snacks. This has been a huge hit – the kids get the wow factor of opening the gift and then the fun of picking out something with the gift card. My sister-in-law also always follows up with them to see what they got and is so excited for them, which I think is so sweet. Even my older teens love this.
I would just like to chime in with “gift card plus tiny fun thing” – like candy (zots, gummi anything, or a yummy chocolate), or a twiddle-y toy, or stickers, or a hair gizmo, or pens that work unexpectedly well but are not very expensive in a one or two pack (I like RSVP or Flair, personally). It is harder finding awesome cheap tiny things right now given the lack of store browsing, but sometimes grocery stores have options you can throw in with an order (foreign or otherwise unusual snacks, interesting candy, hot chocolate mixes, Pocky, nutella, a really strange cereal, etc.). Obviously, if you know their favorite [item in category] then you can get that, but otherwise just a thing-to-try is fine.
I totally understand how you feel about gift cards, though. But preteens/teens can be *really* hard to buy for.
What about fun packaging to make it feel more like a “real gift” to you? I’m the same way, but coming to terms with the fact that sometimes a gift card does feel special to a kid that enjoys shopping. Browsing pinterest for fun and creative ways to give the gift card makes me happier about giving them.
Black Orchid Large Hair Diffuser For Curly And Natural Hair – Professional Blow Dryer Diffuser to Maximize Frizz-Free Volume And Enhance Natural Curly Hair by xtava https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00VJ06PG8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fab_cmgIFbNFYP5ZC
This is the diffuser I bought based on a CGM recommendation. Diffusing my hair makes a HUGE difference in the wavy factor for me. I bought the diffuser but it didn’t fit on my existing hair dryer, so I had to buy another that would fit. That dryer is out of stock on Amazon though. I do see quite a few hair dryer/diffuser sets when I look. So maybe I’m not so helpful after all, other than to emphasize if she is embracing her waves, the diffuser may be a great help.
Came here to say this! I bought this one and the xtava hair dryer that matches it, and I love it.
I also came her to recommend happily the Xtava products. They are so good. I adore my dryer and diffuser.
The Sephora sample boxes were my suggestion. She might also like some fun Korean skincare items as well. I personally like Elizavecca brand, which you can get on Amazon, or Tony Moly. Fun things like bubbling face masks and fun treatments with super cute packaging.
For Elizabeth, I would look into petitvour.com. They have a monthly subscription box of skincare and makeup (generous sample sizes and some full-size products) that is definitely more on the “luxury” end of the product spectrum, yet is only $15/mo. It’s all non-toxic as well which is great for young girls.
For William, maybe a vintage-y band t-shirt? They are very on-trend at the moment. Or some funny/ironic socks (like the ones that have Bob Ross on them, or avocados, or, bacon, or skulls). Your son sounds like mine, fashion-wise, and these are always a bit hit with him.
Hair dryer recommendation: https://www.target.com/p/revlon-perfect-heat-volumizing-turbo-hair-dryer—1875-watt/-/A-11235473
I used this hair dryer for ~10 years (I have curly hair), and just recently had to replace it because I dropped the diffuser enough times that a small piece broke off and it was no longer able to stay on the hair dryer once it heated up. But I felt like getting 10 years out of a hair dryer was a really good run, so I rebought the exact same model. I’m pretty particular about my hair dryer (I always traveled with mine, never used the hotel one in the BeforeTimes), and this one has never let me down.
Birchbox is fun, IPSY seems like a fun subscription, and Fab Fit Fun boxes are all the rage right now, they have skincare items and other products as well. Hopefully, one could set up a profile so that the items would be somewhat tailored to the age of the recipient.
I don’t have particular feeling about my hair dryer one way or the other. It’s fine, and I’d repurchase. It’s a Revlon 1875W Infrared Hair Dryer ($40 Amazon). The diffuser is easily and securely attached and also easy to remove. Separate, I strongly dislike the diffuser attachment on my son’s hair dryer because it is quite difficult to attach. I’d say avoid the Revlon Essentials Volume Booster ($16 at Walmart).
I have a son similar in fashion to William and recently I got him aviator sunglasses that were a huge hit. I got them from Eyedictive, the Lacoste modern aviator in gunmetal. The retail price was $230, eyedictive had them for $60, and I found a coupon for $20 off via Hiptosave twitter feed. They arrived and they are so much nicer than my Ray-bans I got for Christmas last year that I considered keeping them for myself! But I gave them to him and he was bowled over at how perfect they were for him.
My skinny jeans guy is also into bow ties and fun socks. Could be a Christmas Day project that everyone learns to tie a bow tie?
Maybe something from Kiehls? As a curly girl myself, I love their leave-in conditioner. They also seem to have a nice selection of gift sets. Or maybe a sampler from Ouidad? Is she into nail polish? Essie always has fun collections.
Not sure where your family stands on puzzles but I;’ll put this out here: https://www.workman.com/brands/jigsaw-puzzles#1-000-piece-puzzles
Might be fun as “family” activity that you all don’t have to be in same room at the same time to do.
I recommend Kiehls for Elizabeth. The products are nice, but reasonably priced for luxury skincare, and they have some adorable gift sets including a very fun advent calendar. You could also make your own luxury skin care box/advent calendar by buying products individually, so that you could focus on say hydration with no anti-aging products.
I have tried Birchbox, and my experience was that after the first few boxes, it is overwhelming. I don’t like that you don’t get too much say over what you’re getting; you fill out your preferences but then you’re at the mercy of the Birchbox people. 90% of the stuff ended up in my bathroom drawer having only been used once or twice. But if Elizabeth truly only wants samples, then Birchbox might be fun.
For specific products, I recommend Kiehls Ultra Light Facial Moisturizer (not the one with SPF, which completely ruins the texture of the cream), Kiehls Rare Earth Exfoliating Scrub, DHC cleansing oil, and Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Gel Cleanser. They’re a little pricey (but all under $60, and under $20 if you buy the smallest size), but they last forever (except the scrub). I used all of these when I was her age, and the DHC cleansing oil in particular cleared my acne, which it sounds like was the same level Elizabeth is at. The trick is no water with cleansing oils – she should just put directly on her face, rub and rinse!
For William, maybe look at Dollar Shave Club. For an unglamorous name, they have lots of men styling products. We gave the eldest a three month subscription for Christmas last year.
Kevin gets a truck-related subscription box right now to thwart The End Times. Not William’s thing but it made me look at others:
https://www.menshealth.com/trending-news/g19518973/best-subscription-boxes-for-men/?slide=8
Also, it sounds like William might like a pair of aviator or clubmaster Ray Bans. You might be able to snag a pair on sale at Nordstrom Rack or Saks off 5th, or in a Black Friday event.
I am in full-on Christmas shopping mode, so I am Here for this topic. Unfortunately I am utterly no help with Elizabeth or William, as I know nothing about hair dryers or face products, and my son is decidedly non-stylish.
But in terms of my own shopping… I have already decided that this year I’m spending much more than usual. I and my husband have jobs that weren’t imperiled by the pandemic so our income has been stable, but because we’re staying home and isolating and I’m working remotely, our expenses are down: I’m not spending my usual amounts on commuting, lunches or work social outings, work clothes, etc. Plus we haven’t been able to participate in any events or festivals, attend venues like museums, or go on any road trips this year, and we had to cancel two trips we’d had scheduled. It’s been saving us a lot of money, but it’s been boring and disappointing (and yes, I know we’re lucky for this to be the worst of our problems with the pandemic), and since we won’t be able to do our normal family traditions at Christmas, I’m taking a chunk of the money we’ve saved and being extravagant when it comes to gifts.
So, after being told that this is the year for Big Asks in our household, my 12-year old son asked for a video game system-type thing. Boom. Done. My husband has been deeply jealous of the noise cancelling headphones my work supplied me with, but couldn’t justify buying himself a pair. They were on a great sale this week for Prime Day. Boom! My 14-year old daughter is dithering, but in the meantime I’ve gotten her a very good set of 45 half pan Winsor & Newton watercolours, a pair of Turbie Towels (which is an idea I got here), and a good supply of the Body Shop hemp lip gloss she loves. If she or I can’t come up with any more material things I’m going to give either a gift card or cash to bring her total up to her brother’s. Or I might get her a new phone, and pass the gifts I’ve already gotten her on to my mother to give to her, since I do most of my mom’s shopping for my kids at this point. I also just got her a new mattress, but she really needed one so I didn’t want to wait and I think that might not be festive enough to count as a Christmas gift. But she does LOVE IT, so I’m passing this idea along in case if anyone has the kind of kid that would like such a thing,
I absolutely love my Birchbox subscription and as someone mentioned above, you can get gift subscriptions for 3, 6, or 12 months.
If you want something fun for her to unwrap in addition to the gift subscription, I really like the watermelon skin care line from Purlisse (which I discovered through Birchbox). I’ve tried both the Purlisse Watermelon Sheet Mask and the Purlisse Watermelon Aqua Balm. That was the type of scent I would have thought was fun as a teenager (and I still enjoy it in my 30s since it isn’t overpowering and the scent doesn’t linger).
Oooh, I love this question! If you can wait just a little bit longer, Ulta and Sephora will both have a TON of holiday sampler packs that are phenomenal deals, and they’ll have a variety of brands and themes (so you can get adorable sets of hair products for wavy/curly hair, or packs of sheet masks, or of course makeup). A lot of times you’re getting multiple items for the price of one, so it is worth the wait from a financial perspective.
As far as skincare products go, I’m not sure what exactly would constitute luxury to a 15 year old ;) Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence is fun because it’s novel and sounds weird, but it’s also good for all skin types as it’s a moisturizing/healing product. https://www.amazon.com/COSRX-Advanced-Snail-Essence-Renewal/dp/B07N3SMBRM/
Konjac sponges are also interesting and gentle enough that she won’t aggravate existing acne (but the exfoliation could help keep other acne at bay): https://www.amazon.com/BROU-Premium-Biodegradable-Eco-Friendly-Plastic-Free/dp/B07WHYQNKR/
And this bubbling face mask is just HILARIOUS and so fun to do with someone else to laugh with (in the future, it’d be PERFECT for slumber parties! But for now, if she’d do it with you I bet you guys would have a blast. If nothing else, the pictures in the review section always gives me a good laugh!): https://www.amazon.com/Elizavecca-Milky-Piggy-Carbonated-Bubble/dp/B00MWI2IS0/
For diffusers, the Black Orchid diffuser is a big hit in the curly hair community because of how long the fingers are and how deep the bowl is (just don’t get one of those flat kinds! The bowl shape and size make a difference!): https://www.amazon.com/xtava-Black-Orchid-Diffuser-Natural/dp/B00VJ06PG8/
You can use it with hair dryers that are the right size, but I bought the one by the same brand (xtava) to avoid the hassle. It’s not for sale now on Amazon, so I’d say any old dryer would work as long as you make sure the nozzle size matches the diffuser.
As for William, does he have to shave? Because a nice shaving kit or electric razor sounds like it might go well considering how he treats the hair on his head. I like people’s ideas about colognes, and there are a lot of brands now that are selling skin-care products targeted at men. I wonder if a little gift box of manly face wash/moisturizer/shaving cream or something might be appealing?
I can’t wait to eventually hear what you purchase!
Loving all of these ideas! Another one I thought for for William types: what about a retro shaving kit, if shaving is a thing, or a beard care kit if shaving could be a thing but isn’t? I was thinking like the little mug and brush thing and nice smelling aftershave (not so much the Sweeney Todd straight razors LOL).
(also: I have zero skincare, diffuser, or style augmentation tips, but I love this place. :-) )
(okay, with Stylish Guy, there is also the consideration of items that are not worn visibly but are commonly used and could be upgraded or shifted to be in line with that aesthetic; pens, someone already mentioned shaving gear, pocket comb, computer accessories, fancy underwear/pyjamas/slippers, eating/cooking utensils, basically whatever he touches or uses regularly that could be More Stylish or More Functional. Also I would note that a giant bag of cereal marshmallows or beef jerky or peach rings or Nutella or whatever the Snack of Choice is can help out a that-didn’t-quite-hit-the-target gift.)
I have a Revlon hair dryer that came with a diffuser attachment and whatever is the opposite of a diffuser attachment, used to straighten hair. It has two power levels and three heat settings AND it came in a choice of colour AND it was a reasonable price point. I love it. I think I got it off amazon because my dryer died (smoking died) and I desperately needed a new one and we were just coming out of lockdown and it was prime delivery.
I am here for the teen-young adult suggestions!
I would like to submit a question to the hive: When is your cutoff age for acquaintance-level relatives?
What would be an example of an acquaintance-level relative?
My sister and I are much older than our brothers: we stopped exchanging gifts with each other sometime in early adulthood, but continued giving the boys gifts until they had both finished with their schooling. The youngest one went to university for 6 years, so I guess they were both around their mid-20s when we stopped?
My sister has apparently decided she no longer needs to acknowledge my kids on their birthdays or Christmas in any way, so for her the cutoff age seemed to be around age 9 or 10 for the youngest? But I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of them as being only acquaintance-level relatives for her before that.
I was thinking of children of cousins that I haven’t seen physically in years….
Ooh that’s tough – if it were me I’d only get a general gift, like a box of chocolates…
Hm, that’s a tough one. Our family never gave gifts to relatives that remote.
But maybe the first thing you should do is decide if you want to pick a milestone to stop giving gifts to individual kids, or to pick a milestone you’d stop giving gifts to all of them simultaneously when, say, the youngest or oldest reaches. It could be an age, but it could be a transition like starting or finishing junior high or high school. Would you be okay with sending a younger kid in the same house a gift, but not an older one? Would that be weird?
Or you could seize upon this year as a good time to transition to one shared thing for the household or the group of siblings if you wanted to cut back but not stop, like Paola suggested. A box of chocolates, a game or couple of decks of cards…
With traditions being upended by the pandemic, it might be a chance to stop doing something you no longer enjoy doing?
This is an interesting question. We don’t exchange gifts with extended family we don’t regularly interact with, so I haven’t confronted this question directly. But, within the more extended family (cousins) that are local and in regular touch, we do only give gifts to the kids, not the adults. That said, I never really thought about what I consider an adult. Thinking about it, I have most handled it by sibling group. If I’m sending gifts to the family, I send one to all the children of the family even if the older ones are in college or whatever. Generally, all the families have either been in the kid stage or not. There is one exception, and the young adult in that family has not only moved out but has had her own child and is engaged to be married. This year, her baby will get a gift from me, but she won’t.
We did IPSY for my then 15 year old last year, for 6 months. She did like it. She did become an eyebrow critic, and judged us all on our eyebrows (so be prepared!). This year’s list has very specific brow pencils and kits, thanks to IPSY. I find Youtube to be a good source for finding subscriptions that are fun. Just look for unboxing videos. Some of the kits are questionable at best. One of my kids wants the Holotaco Nail Polish collection and that is $70 United States Dollars, which seems excessive to me. For nail polish. Even if it’s cool nail polish.
For Elizabeth, try to find a hair dryer that allows you to vary the heat and airspeed settings separately. When using a diffuser it is helpful to be able to set the dryer to high heat/low speed.
For William, someone mentioned Ray-Bans, which I will say seem to be the Sunglasses of Choice for a man I know who makes fashion choices. He has a pair that fold up to the size of one lens. Or maybe aviators, a la Biden? Maybe wait on that.
There’s also Ipsy that you might consider for Elizabeth. It’s a makeup/skin care/ lotion/nail polish, etc. monthly subscription. You take a quiz online to pick what types of items you’re interested in, and what you’re not interested in. You get 5-6 items per month in a fun makeup bag (most of them are a little too “teeny bopper” for me, but I keep them to send fun surprises to my nieces on occasion). It’s $13/month, and they send you an email in advance of shipment so you can choose one of your items out of approximately 6 options. The other items are mysteries, based upon your preferences.
I’m not 100% positive but I think *most* diffusers fit *most* hairdryers – and I say this because I have two diffusers (one from a dead hairdryer) and they both fit the new hairdryer (that came with a diffuser – hence the two diffusers). Although, to be honest, during *all of this* I’ve pretty much stopped using a hairdryer at all and I think my hair is happier for it – and I only used the low heat setting.
I am TRYING so very hard to get into the online Christmas shopping mindset – but it seems, for me, that I have to stumble across something (usually in person – which I don’t do anymore) that screams “This is a GREAT gift for so-and-so!” How are you getting yourself into that mindset for online shopping – which seems to be more of a “I’m on a mission to find X” kind of situation?
I love this community so much. Several people knew exactly the type of boy fashion you were describing and recommended some cool sunglasses. Love.It. And so many good suggestions on beauty products.
My children are 3.5 and very newly 7 and I have absolutely no idea what to get them, if anyone has suggestions, ha! We are hoping to buy a new house and be moved in by Christmas (don’t laugh, it could happen…) so I’m not really in the mindset of present-shopping.
Kids that age love stuff with their names on them. If they’re in new rooms, you can get them light switches or clocks or the like with their favourite themes/colours and their names. I find 3.5-3.5 pretty fun to buy for. They tend to be less set in their ways and so you can indulge with your own favourite play things and nostalgia (Hot Wheels anyone?). I’m into construction toys, so, things like magformers are great. For our closest family friends I got the family a puppet theatre when the oldest was around 3 or 4 and then added a variety of puppets every year after that. Some finger puppets, some hand puppets. If your family is into games, this is a good age to start building a library. Things like Connect 4. Man I wish I had 3-7 year-olds to buy for!
I have five and ten year old girls, so I just took a look through our house for ideas. Huge hits in the last few years have been a Micro mini scooter, generic magnatiles (but spring for a big set), adult quality art supplies for the older one, interesting food toys for the play kitchen (like a cake you could cut and sushi, check out Melissa and Doug), a climbing dome for the backyard, Peacable Kingdom games (Hoot Owl Hoot is probably the best for your ages), their own cooking tools that included a nylon knife, and legos that catered to their interests (like an underwater scene with dolphins in it for my dolphin lover.) Good luck! Sounds like its going to be a busy holiday.
Mine are 4 and 7! The thing is my 7 yr old is easy because he’s very interested in science and math. My 4 yr old is harder to shop for. He’s surprisingly finicky. We recently got him a slinky :)
My older one is 3.5 and gets most excited about fancy bandaids, but YMMV. I wish we could buy a set of TubeLocks to make our own slide, car, and junglegym.
I have found that 4 year olds love things with lots of little bits they can sort. A draw string bag is the most kid friendly receptical. My kids liked buttons, dinosaurs, mini matchbox cars and little sets of animals. (Not all for one kid – they each had their own interest). My 6 year old started his dinosaur collection a couple of years ago and it is still the favourite toy by far. They don’t all match and lots come from dollar stores. He probably has about 20, which is a lot of sorting :)
7 says lego to me or sports equipment. My daughter had skates, which were very popular. Skipping ropes and a climbing rope ditto. Craft anything was also popular at our house – especially consumables like origami paper or glitter pens. Smelly stickers and smelly pens are 8 year old crack.
I have been looking at the Picasso bricks or blocks, I can’t remember what they’re called. Anybody have success rates on those? We do have some Magnatile type things and tons of Duplo blocks. And approximately 1 billion Hot Wheels since that’s a passion of my husband’s.
Another friend mentioned skates for the 7 year old, but she is unfortunately very like me and not especially coordinated PLUS she gets frustrated easily when she can’t immediately master a task. Still a good thought though and I will consider!
Many thanks to everyone in the only internet community I remain a member of!! <3<3
Oh! For teen boys/men, I really like Duke Cannon products. It’s what I buy for my husband, and it smells way better than any Axe product. They have some very nice bundles that would be good stocking stuffers or put into a kit for a single recipient. The Cooling Field Towels are great for throwing into a bag, and using after an outdoor activity. We used a bunch of them over the summer when we were hiking a lot.
seconding the big ass soaps – for some reason small bars of like Dove disappear so quickly with him! and the Duke ones smell so good!
As someone who works on a college campus and just yesterday chaperoned about 400 first-year students through their COVID tests (fun times), I feel uniquely qualified to provide insight on the William question.
-Adidas slide flip flops
-Doc Martens
-“Supreme” brand items
-Here’s an interesting idea: a fanny pack (or, as the fashionable youths call them, belt bags). I saw several being carried by very COOL young men, worn over one shoulder.
-While I initially thought Ray Bans, I didn’t see many/any yesterday. The youths seem to favor using a flop of hair as ocular sun protection. I wonder if Ray Bans are more my generation (sob, I am in my mid-thirties) and less “in” with the youths of today.
-Patagonia fleece pullover with the henley button style. Bonus for vintage colorway. This gift has the added benefits of being imminently practical, from a good sustainable brand, and likely to last a LONG TIME. I feel like this is the best idea, all perspectives considered.
-Depending on how “counter-culture” he likes to be: black nail polish. Soooo many young men with nail polish yesterday.
Yes! This! I’m a professor, and I am attuned to all the trends by what my students are wearing and what they have. It’s been even more useful as my oldest kiddos reach the teenage years. But now – our campus is a COVID ghost town (which I agree it should be) – but I don’t have that inside scoop for Christmas this yeaar!
I asked my teen for suggestions based on William, and both Adidas slides and Supreme were mentioned. She also suggested a Vans lanyard, for something smaller. And her read on belt bags was that you have to already have a certain level of cool, otherwise you look like a poser. (My word, not hers. I wonder what the kids are calling posers, these days?)
My sister has an Ipsy subscription and finds it really fun, and she has found a lot of products that she likes through it, so I imagine that could be fun for Elizabeth. The whole idea of it coming in a box reminds me of something my daughter’s friend got for Christmas last year, which was some sort of skincare package from Glossier, which I know is a HUGEly popular brand with her age group (early 20s) and maybe it’s popularity is also permeating into slightly younger age groups. I can not speak for the quality as I’ve never used it myself but I do know it’s very on trend right now.
Best of luck with the gift shopping!
Oh! I have recently worked on the teen beauty sample gift myself! My 16 year old daughter loves make up and skin care and likes to try various products. I had the idea to make a beauty sample advent calendar for her. I searched “luxury beauty samples” on eBay and many people will sell groups/lots! So I bought a set of 25 samples (often a picture will be included so you can see the brands you are getting), it was around $25 dollars and I’m going to put them in her advent calendar, but you could also wrap it up in a fancy way!
It’s not the same as a subscription box for just luxury skin-care products, but Earthlove Box (available on their own website or on cratejoy) is a completely natural vegan/beegan box with a variety of fantastic products, often including some sort of natural luxury skin-care, makeup, or hair-care. I’ve been signed up for 2 years now and love it!!
Any experience with buying for a 13 year old boy??
His interests are basketball and anything device related (that’s a no from mum on more devices). He plays a lot of sport (swimming/Australian style football/basketball) and idolises youtube stars in hoodies who livestream video games.
He is a footy shorts and sneakers kind of kid. He goes into high school next year (not US) and is super nervous about fitting in so nothing alternative/too crunchy-granola (which is my style but not his).
I was going to get him a basketball but he used his birthday money to buy one and now I am lost for ideas. Money is tight these days.
My son is 12 and into devices as well. He has loved getting T-shirts with his favourite-games-at-the-time themes. Inexpensive, practical, and aligned with his interests. And even when he stopped playing a lot of, for example, Minecraft or Fortnite, he still likes the shirts.
Ooh yes! Thanks for the idea! Tshirt is going on the list. Useful too.
Last year we gave everyone – young and old – an IKEA sheepskin LUDDE each. Universally loved – they have appeared on chairs in offices, under the feet by the bed, on sofas and in cars, on dining chairs and as snuggly reading nook comfort blankets. I wish we could find something similar this year – I’m reading here hoping for inspiration!
THIS! We gave everyone fleecy throw blankets one year, and it was a huge hit.
I’m planning on getting my kids these tortilla blankets, I think they’re both practical and weird, which is a hard combo to hit https://www.amazon.com/mermaker-Burritos-Tortilla-Realistic-Blanket-4/dp/B07QX3YJLH/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=tortilla+blanket&qid=1602881731&sprefix=tortilla&sr=8-3
My oldest son is 19 and VERY into fashion. Here are things he has/loves:
Doc Martens – the high top black leather boots
Nike Air Force 1s – all white
A nice watch. His is made by Citizen. We gifted it to him and he loves it. A little pricey, but a good watch he can keep for a long time.
A gold chain necklace – just simple, and not flashy.
A nice high end wallet. My son has 2 – one is Gucci and one is Burberry. Both were purchased on clearance at an outlet store.
A nice leather belt.
GAP tshirts – the plain pocket Ts. Perfect for under jackets
My son says it’s all about the little details that are then put together. Happy shopping!
For Elizabeth, would she be interested in Lush products? I’m not sure if they qualify as luxury but they are fancy and animal friendly and they are very hip in my area right now. They always do holiday boxes and make it very easy to create your own gift in the store with fun scarves as wrapping paper. Downside: I can’t breathe within ten feet of the store.
For a hair dryer with a diffuser, I’m quite happy with my Conair InfinitiPro. It comes in several colors and has multiple speed and heat settings. For a variety of luxury skincare products, I suggest one of the travel kits from Paula’s Choice.
For hair dryers, I’d look at the Chi ceramic ones from Bed Bath and Beyond. They’re in the $50 range and you can always use that handy coupon. The ceramic components are supposed to be more protective, which is nice since wavy hair can be on the dry side.
William honestly sounds like my husband 😆 Cool socks are usually a winner (Happy Socks brand is very giftable). Does he already wear glasses? Maybe a pair of blue blockers or non-rx glasses? Clear frames with roundish or rounded square lenses are pretty reliable.
If you already have a hairdryer in the house, maybe Elizabeth would be excited about the DevaCurl diffuser attachment that’s shaped like a hand? DevaCurl is a big deal w/ naturally curly folks, and the diffuser is really unique and dramatic looking. Supposedly it fits most standard hairdryers. But if she doesn’t already have a hairdryer to use, then I’d get her something cheap that comes with a diffuser, and then save the hand attachment as a future gift idea.
(I have crazy curls myself, and I remember going through the phase Elizabeth is currently in. But I bought my cheap dryer w/ diffuser right before that DevaCurl attachment came out, and then reached a point in my life where I gave up on blow drying completely before I ever got around to buying it. So I have no personal experience to recommend it. All I can tell you is I would have been very excited if someone gave it to me!)
Last year I did alot of Clinique gift sets for family. I happened to get them at Macy’s but most department stores carry them, I was also able to use a coupon at the time so in addition to the gift set price I got an additional percentage off which was nice. I feel like Clinique has a pretty good reputation for being solid skin care and they also have fun lip glosses and things like that if you prefer. All my nieces loved them! You can order online as well.